2011-12 MEDIA GUIDE - Carolina Hurricanes - NHL.com

COMMUNITY RELATIONS
FAN DEVELOPMENT
STORMY
Raleigh’s favorite ice hog loves spending game nights keeping it cool inside the RBC Center. When he
isn’t at games, the famed mascot stays busy touring the Triangle and surrounding areas. during the 2010-11
season, Stormy made more than 180 visits to various community events, local hospitals, schools, churches and
charities. No matter what the event, Stormy makes sure that everyone is having a great time, Caniac style.
STORM SQUAD
The eye Care associates Storm Squad, the Carolina Hurricanes fan development team, can be found at
every Hurricanes home game and at various public appearances including charity events, corporate outings,
local promotions and the Canes Cool Bars tour.
Formed in 1999, the Storm Squad truly came into its own during the Hurricanes’ first run to the Stanley
Cup Finals and continued during the 2006 championship season. They become a favorite of Caniacs, the
media, TV commentators and opposing team’s fans.
The 2011-12 Storm Squad consists of 15 energetic Triangle-area women and men whose personalities
and love of hockey entertain all. Keep an eye out for this enthusiastic squad, as they will appear at close to
80 community events to help spread Hurricanes throughout the Triangle.
RON THE REF
Ron the Ref has been a recognizable figure among Caniacs since the team’s Raleigh inception and served
as the Hurricanes’ in-game host for the sixth consecutive season in 2010-11. Ron is also a staple at all Canes
Cool Bars events and is a great addition throughout the year at schools and other community events.
HURRICANES UNIVERSITY
Nearly 100 Caniacs received degrees in “Hockeyology” during the 2010-11 season by successfully
completing classes at Hurricanes university. at Hurricanes u, education and fantasy meet to give undergrads
the knowledge they crave about the game of hockey and the behind-the-scenes look they have always
wondered about.
Hockey 101 covers the basic terminology, rules and strategy of the sport. The on-ice portion is taught by
Hurricanes staff and coaches and covers skating, passing and shooting. The program also includes a tour of
the locker room, which allows fans to be where eric Staal, Cam Ward, Jeff Skinner and all their favorite players spend time before and after games. a Hurricanes assistant
coach also shows undergrads what the team does before each game to prepare them mentally for their opponent.
Caniacs can also take their hockey education to the next level with the Hurricanes university Graduate Course. This program looks at how the current Hurricanes team
was built, with members of the Hurricanes’ management team teaching participants about contracts, free agency, the collective bargaining agreement, the draft, waivers
and more. attendees also strap on skates, participate in drills and learn insider information from a member of the Hurricanes coaching staff.
Both the Hockey 101 and Graduate courses culminate with an on-ice graduation at a Hurricanes game. Graduates get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk out
on the ice in a cap and gown and receive their Hurricanes u diploma with an arena full of Caniacs cheering them on.
CYAH – CANES YOUTH AND AMATEUR HOCKEY
in an effort to further strengthen the youth and amateur hockey community and build on the Hurricanes’ existing impact, the
Hurricanes formed Canes Youth & amateur Hockey (CYaH) in February of 2006. The mission of CYaH is to provide sponsorship and presence
to the local community in order to encourage the growth of youth hockey at all skill levels. CYaH also brings unity and stimulates growth
in the youth hockey community through a partnership with the RYHa. CYaH also allows for improvement with existing relationships with
in-line hockey leagues — Central Carolina Hockey (CCH) and the Carolina Scholastic Hockey League (CSHL).
in total, 2010-11 saw over 1,200 youth hockey players wear one of the Carolina Hurricanes or CYaH marks. The Hurricanes’ involvement
has provided a positive influence in the youth hockey environment and has offered energy directed towards fundraising and improvements
for the program.
JUNIOR HURRICANES
Now entering its fifth season, the Junior Hurricanes program is coming off another successful campaign. The Junior Hurricanes program (RYHa) included teams at
the aaa, aa and a levels, as well as one of the largest and most competitive in-house programs in the country. in February 2011, the Junior Hurricanes 12u aa team
won the Quebec international Pee Wee Hockey Tournament. The Junior Hurricanes Tier ii u16 and u18 aa teams each qualified for their respective uSa Hockey Tier ii
National Tournament, and progressed to the semi-final games.
The Junior Hurricanes also include multiple all girls’ teams. in the 2010-11 season, the program was 50 participants strong, with new u10 and u14 teams. The Tier
ii u16 team won the S.e. district championship and earned its second consecutive appearance in the uSa Hockey National Tournament.
IN-SCHOOL HOCKEY CLINICS
The 2010-11 school year marked the seventh year of a partnership between the Carolina Hurricanes and Wake County Public Schools, which brought the excitement
of Hurricanes hockey to physical education classes. The program uses hockey drills and games to emphasize teamwork, leadership and sportsmanship, and has now
been presented to more that fifty area schools, ranging from third to 12th grade. The participating schools’ excitement demonstrates how the game has grown in
popularity since the program began in 2004.
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