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"There's some great growth happening in the U.S.," Davis said. "The 2011-12 numbers from USA Hockey show some solid growth among 8, 9 and 10-year-olds, so I think that's great. Those numbers are pretty big numbers considering what we've looked at." Over the next year, Bauer Hockey expects to roll out similar programs across the globe by working with the International Ice Hockey Federation as well as other national governing bodies. When it comes to identifying the issues impacting the growth of the game, the challenges seem to be universal, with cost, time commitment and safety concerns topping the list as to why kids don't get involved in the game or why they leave after a couple of years. "I think the United States is no different than Canada in that there will be different regions inside the country where there will be different reasons why families and kids choose to play hockey or not," Davis said. "Since we do so much research for bringing great performing hockey equipment to the market, why don't we do a similar type of research together with the leaders in our sport and try to narrow down those barriers to entry and see which ones we are able to overcome." By partnering with Hockey Canada and USA Hockey, Bauer looks to identify these factors, determine the neces- Photos By USA Hockey Magazine Archives "The objective is for us to add a million members worldwide on top of the current growth rate. — Kevin Davis, chief executive officer for Bauer Hockey sary steps to break down the obstacles and develop strategies for growth on a regional and national level. "We feel pretty positive that it needs to be a global effort and the key leaders in the sport to work with us to try to do this," Davis said. "We have a reason to grow the sport from a commercial standpoint, but I think above and beyond that it's just a great sport." In addition to adding new players to hockey, Bauer Hockey is also focused on raising the overall level of safety awareness and education for everyone involved in the game. "We are investing a tremendous amount of our research and From Mites to development on the Midgets, Peewees safety portion of to pros, hockey is a game that all products, and it can be played continues to be a and enjoyed by players of all ages driver for us," Davis and skill levels. said. "This initiative will reach out to the global experts in safety but will also educate families, coaches and trainers on what it takes to make our great game as safe as possible." Upon completion of the research studies, Bauer Hockey will announce its findings and work closely with each country's governing bodies to help build the necessary programs to address the barriers to entry and increase participation. While the challenges may vary from state to state and country to country, Davis is convinced that the universal appeal of the game remains its strongest asset, now and in the future. "We're not trying to push a bad product when we're talking about the sport of hockey," Davis said. "We're trying to get people into the tent and show them what a great time it can be, and again from both research and anecdotally, when kids have a good time on the ice they'll be back forever. "As we all know, the greatest thing about this sport is that once kids get on the ice and have a good experience they will play it for the rest of their lives." N USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM February. 2013 27