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Hockey Caucus Briefing Concludes

By USA Hockey, 04/23/13, 10:30AM MDT

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- ­ Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey, will join Gary Bettman, commissioner of the National Hockey League; Ted Leonsis, owner of the NHL’s Washington Capitals; and Velma Hart, chief financial officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, in a panel discussion on Capitol Hill tomorrow focused on the state of hockey in the United States, with development and safety as significant topics.

The event, slated to begin at 11 a.m. ET in the Rayburn House Office Building, is being hosted by the Congressional Hockey Caucus, including co-chairs Reps. Lee Terry (R-Neb.), Pat Meehan (R-Pa.) and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) as well as Reps. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) and Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.). Luke Russert from NBC News will serve as the moderator.

USA Hockey has long been a leader in education and safety in the youth sports community. Ogrean will not only discuss the organization’s American Development Model, which was launched in January of 2009, but also many of its long-standing safety programs as well its most recent effort, USA Hockey SafeSport.

NOTE: The Congressional Hockey Caucus briefing will also include the announcement of the inaugural NHL/Thurgood Marshall College Fund scholarships. Two college-bound students from the NHL's Hockey is for Everyone (HIFE) official youth development program will receive four-year academic scholarships to attend any U.S. college or university. Under the direction of Bettman, who serves on its board of directors, the NHL/Thurgood Marshall College Fund scholarship was developed in 2012 from monies raised from the annual Congressional Hockey Challenge, the charity hockey game pitting members of Congress and staff against registered lobbyists.