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O F F T HE D R AW PHOTOS COURTESY Nashville Predators YOUTH HOCKEY Poile Family Giving Back to Nashville p U.S. HOCKEY HALL OF FAMER DAVID POILE, and his wife Elizabeth, in conjunction with the Nashville Predators Foundation, and the organization's amateur hockey department, have launched the David and Elizabeth Poile Family Youth Hockey Scholarships, created to benefit deserving young players in need of financial assistance who may otherwise not be able to learn and play the sport. "Hockey is a special sport, and we understand how important it is to learn it at a young age," David and Elizabeth Poile said. "This game has always been part of who we are, and we wanted to help get more youth on the ice as it can transform lives through valuable lessons like dedication, teamwork, overcoming adversity and so many more. With these scholarships, we are excited to see hockey continue to grow in Middle Tennessee and look forward to when an NHL player is born and drafted out of Nashville." The Poiles are committing $100,000 to award at least $10,000 each year for the next several years through the Preds Foundation to selected recipients. There will be two application windows every year, one in the fall and one in the spring, to coincide with youth programming registration. Applications for the Fall 2026 season are now open. To qualify, applicants must be under 18 years old and play hockey in Middle Tennessee. The scholarship will cover registration fees, and in some cases equipment, for leagues and teams; it will not cover travel or tournament lodging expenses. In the 2024-25 season, 2,262 players were registered for programming in Middle Tennessee, according to USA Hockey. Over the past five years, youth hockey participation in Nashville is up 15.8% and continues to grow. A selection committee made up of the Poiles, the Preds Foundation and the organization's amateur hockey department will review nominations and select recipients. Nashville Predators Youth Hockey Scholarships Aim To Help Continue Growth Of The Game In Tennessee 16 // SUMMER 2026 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM