About First State Ice Hockey
First State Ice Hockey LLC was formed in 2019 when four individuals in the Delaware ice hockey community joined forces to make the sport of ice hockey more accessible to all Delaware youth, and to provide paths for players to reach their fullest potential.
Our Mission
First State Ice Hockey is committed to:
• building youth hockey in Delaware by creating opportunities for more Delaware youth to play ice hockey;
• promoting a unified state-wide goal of helping every participant strive toward their full potential; and
• providing fun, inviting and fulfilling opportunities for each player to develop, regardless of age and skill level
The FSIH Difference
We’re different by design, and for good reason. Drawing from our diverse experiences and skill sets, we have crafted a program to give every youth hockey player in Delaware the best possible opportunity to develop and grow, both on and off the ice.
Read on to learn more about the First State Ice Hockey Difference.
Our Approach
Our approach to growing and modernizing youth hockey in Delaware is based on these five pillars:
• adopting a state-wide approach
• establishing visibility throughout Delaware
• focusing on collaboration vs. competition, equal opportunity for development, levelling the playing field over time
• implementing a unified development model for players and coaches
• maximizing customer (parent/player) experience
Our Concern
The number of players involved in youth ice hockey in Delaware has decreased significantly in recent years. Those who have continued to play hockey are playing at a lower skill level than what is found at clubs in neighbouring states.
Over the past five years, there has been an exodus of more skilled players to programs outside the state of Delaware. Families are looking for something that does not seem to exist currently in the state. There are fewer players entering the sport to offset this depletion of talent. Our estimates indicate there are approximately 50 players per sheet of ice who actually live in the state of Delaware. Adding players from neighbouring states who currently play in Delaware-based clubs, the number changes to approximately 100 players per sheet of ice.
These trends, along with the automatic bid of a Delaware team to the USA Hockey National Championship, have stifled competition and bred mediocrity into the Delaware youth ice hockey environment. If these negative trends are not reversed, the potential for long-term negative implications to existing clubs and rinks in Delaware is very real.
To learn more about the people behind First State Ice Hockey, click here.
To learn more about the vast management consultation services we offer, click here.