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Youth Hockey Digest is a weekly (mostly) newsletter covering the fun and fulfilling culture of youth hockey in America. For many parents, youth hockey takes up about nine months of the year and brings with it many great rewards. In this newsletter, I look a little deeper at some of the things that matter to parents (and players). From cool jersey designs, to great arena cafes, to iconic rinks, to cool new products, this newsletter is devoted to the lifestyle that the sport brings to our families and friends.
Please know that this is not a publication about college recruiting, coaching tips, prospects, or the juniors leagues. I am mostly focused on the club, travel experiences, and some high school stuff, of our 4-18 year old players. The reality is there are dozens of blogs and websites that cover those topics much more thoroughly than I ever could.
Who am I? My name is Craig and I am a proud and active hockey dad of two youth hockey players, who have each played on high level travel teams in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland. With nearly 15 years of club travel hockey under my belt (so far) and tens of thousands of dollars invested in the game over that time, I feel uniquely qualified to open up these topics to a wider audience of youth hockey lifers like myself.
Professionally, I am a veteran media executive who has worked in New York, DC, Detroit, New England, Raleigh and St. Louis. In each of those markets, I have been a credentialed member of the media, continuously directing professional and community hockey coverage. And, we have been a part of youth hockey in the majority of those locations. Youth hockey has been a true gift by providing instant friendships for my family when we have moved to a new city, and for that we will always be grateful. I am writing this on the side, when my kids are in bed, because I am passionate about the culture of youth hockey and believe there are so many topics to consider within this tight knit community we all love.
Topics and stories I look forward to covering for you:
Thoughts and discussions of important youth hockey news - a look at the headlines and news on the sport.
Interesting ideas and tips for parents - when is the best time to buy equipment, new trends in gear and hockey related products.
People of interest in youth hockey- the people who are making a difference in the sport both on and off the ice.
Photos of youth hockey culture - feel free to submit yours.
New hockey ventures and projects - what are the new trends and ideas going around in youth hockey culture and what you need to know about them.
New products and trends in hockey retail and hockey gear- this is an expensive sport with purchases ranging from an $8.00 skate sharpening to $900 skates.
Publishing schedule
I will publish a main read on Saturday mornings (as often as I can) heading into hockey weekends, which will be year round. With spring leagues, camps, and tryouts, youth hockey season is really a year round endeavor, and this newsletter will try to match that interest. If you are so inclined, please keep this newsletter activated all year.
Get It Free!
All subscribers, free or paid, receive the free Saturday morning publication which will contain all of the things I have noted above. This comes in the early hours of your crazy youth hockey weekend, so you will have something to read while waiting for the Zamboni to cut the ice. Because there is something exciting about building a community, I am hopeful all subscribers will participate in the community comments.
Why Subscribe?
Paid subscribers ($5.00 per month-- less than the cost of one skate sharpening!) receive:
Receipt of additional sponsor-free paid-subscriber only updates.
Sent throughout a given month, these updates feature additional ideas, essays, and exclusives.
Access to the archives, including paid-subscriber posts, on the website so you can review past publications.
Bonus material yet to be determined!
I know there are so many outlets trying to pry money from your wallets, believe me, but if you like what you see, perhaps you would consider supporting this newsletter. Ideally, I would like to reinvest back into this newsletter by way of additional content, additional contributors, and additional content over time.
Sponsorships:
Let me know if you have a product or service that might interest our community: youthhockeydigest@aol.com
Tech:
substack.com manages the tech for this newsletter.
Contact:
Craig Schwalb
