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NGB News USA Hockey & U.S. Figure Skating , USA Hockey's Hat Trick Growth Challenge guides youth hockey leadership through national programs and tools to drive participation at the core 4-to-8-year-old age group. By growing hockey in this age group, programs will experience long-term growth as children continue to develop. To complete the Hat Trick Growth Challenge, participating associations will utilize programs that emphasize the three main driving forces of growth: • Retention • Acquisition • Conversion Participation in at least one item option in each growth category and an association will achieve bronze status. Associations can opt-in to participate in up to three items from each growth strategy and reach gold status for additional rewards. 24 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2019 USICERINKS.COM Join in on the Hat Trick Growth Challenge , U.S. Figure Skating announced its highest membership total in the organization's 98-year history, surpassing 200,000 members for the first time. With a total membership of 203,023, the 2018-19 membership cycle marks the sixth consecutive season of overall membership growth. "This membership milestone is a testament to the generations of skaters who have passed along their passion for the sport," U.S. Figure Skating President Anne Cammett said. "U.S. Figure Skating is a community of people who challenge themselves, support each other and have fun while doing it." U.S. Figure Skating's 203,023 members for the 2018–19 membership cycle (July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019) was a 3.4 percent increase over the previous year. Total membership includes 144,476 Learn to Skate USA members, 58,191 full members and 356 Friends of Figure Skating. During this period, U.S. Figure Skating was composed of 765 member, collegiate and school-affiliated clubs, more than 1,000 Learn to Skate USA programs, 615 synchronized skating teams, 93 Theatre On Ice teams, and 28 Interclub Associations. Learn to Skate USA, powered by Toyota, experienced the highest enrollment in the program's history in 2018-19. The program welcomed 32 new skating programs and experienced a 7.9 percent membership increase. Of note, 144 programs in the United States have more than 300 members. The Skating Club of Boston houses Learn to Skate USA's largest program while Great Park Ice is the largest program to join Learn to Skate USA this season. Learn to Skate USA, an enhanced iteration of U.S. Figure Skating's Basic Skills Program, is the only beginning skating program in the country endorsed by U.S. Figure Skating, USA Hockey and US Speedskating, with support from Special Olympics and the Professional Skaters Association (PSA). Membership Surpasses 200K for First Time in U.S. Figure Skating History , A total membership of 203,023 in 2018-19 marks the sixth consecutive year of growth. For additional information and to register, visit usahockey.com/programservices or usahockey.com/hattrickchallenge.