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Photos / courtesy of Holly Tschida Minnesota Hockey's Family Mentor Program is embracing newcomers, easing anxieties and building stronger communities /// b y S T E V E M A N N LOT OF US HAVE BEEN THERE—new to a sport and clueless about seemingly sim- ple tasks like interpreting waiver forms, managing time and travel commitments or getting our own kid's equipment on. We've asked: why is my 6-year-old kicking a soccer ball around the ice? And … what the heck is DIBS? Families that are new to youth hockey may face their fair share of bumpy ice as they navigate their way through these tasks and others. For those lacking a hockey back - ground or friends in the association to turn to, even the smallest to-do can become overwhelming. They may not be aware there's a relatively new and growing Minnesota Hockey program designed spe- cifically to help and enhance their experience. Minnesota Hockey's Family Mentor Program was established in late 2018 to provide new parents and players a personalized introduction to the sport and their local youth hockey association. It's a simple concept: the program encourages veteran hockey families to partner with the rookies and show them the ropes, easing con - cerns and creating a safe, friendly environment for them to ask questions and feel connected and included. "Anything we can do to help some families with chal- lenges, being unfamiliar with the sport or intimidated by it, we want to help them overcome it," said Glen Andresen, Minnesota Hockey executive director. "It's a great way to welcome parents and players into their community association and educate them on the basics of hockey in Minnesota." HOW IT WORKS Minnesota Hockey families helping each other out isn't a new concept. Ask any hockey association lead- er and they'll have plenty of examples of members volunteering their time and energy to welcome new families with open arms—setting up carpools, offering hand-me-down gear or just answering questions. The Family Mentor Program formalizes these efforts with incentives for participating families. Here's how it works: • Associations interested in participating should notify Andresen and Minnesota Hockey to get things started. • Associations are asked to recruit a minimum of five mentor families and are provided with sponsor incen - tives to be used for introductory events and get-togeth- ers with new players and parents. • Established hockey families in local associations serve as volunteer mentors and are paired with first- year families in the association's Mite/8U program. • The mentor families will welcome the newcomers to a Learn to Play program or practice by present - ing him or her with an association gift and helping them get ready to hit the ice. • While the established player helps the newcomer on the ice, parents of both players will sit in the stands together to get to know each other and answer questions. • Mentor families are encouraged to check in with new families over the course of the year to stay con - nected and help them with anything they might need. Andresen believes formalizing a practice that was already occurring in many places made adopting the pro- gram easier for associations, and truly empowers them to customize the program to meet their specific needs. "We want associations to get creative and have fun with it," he said. 19 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M