Capital City Crew provides an opportunity for inner-city youth to play ice hockey through our partnerships with the Wake County Boys & Girls Clubs, Raleigh Youth Hockey Association (RYHA), and the Carolina Hurricanes.  Our program teaches life lessons and positive character traits such as leadership, gamesmanship, respect, cooperation, industriousness, honesty, and integrity through the sport of ice hockey.  This non-profit organization dedicates itself to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential on the ice and in the community. 

Capital City Crew started in 2009 and included 60 participants from the Wake County Boys & Girls Clubs.  Participants are primarily from low-income racial minority families and include both boys and girls. The program runs for 15 consecutive weeks in the fall with 15 on-ice instructional sessions and 15 off-ice life skill sessions. Sessions include 60 minutes of on-ice instruction, following a learn-to-play instruction program modeled after USA Hockey’s American Development Model (ADM). 

All 15 sessions also include a 20 minute off-ice life skills session led by trained life-skills coaches and mentors using our Core Values and SUPER and Red Bandanna life-skills curriculum. Most participants have remained or will remain in the program for 3 years with a goal of becoming a “Captain” or “graduating” into our Jr. Coach/Mentoring program or local youth hockey league.  Currently, 7 Crew participants are playing on local youth hockey teams at various levels (House League, Travel A & AA, etc).  

Several special events / activities are planned and conducted each year (i.e., 1 Hurricane player visit, Hurricanes games, Skating at the PNC Arena (Home of the Carolina Hurricanes), and our annual awards banquet). Participation is free to all participants including the participation on local youth teams for graduating players.