The kids at Irene Lopez Elementary School had a ball on Thursday, and students at over 600 other schools throughout Arizona will soon follow suit thanks to a new partnership between the Arizona Coyotes and Equality Health.
The two organizations officially kicked off their partnership with a ball hockey clinic at Irene Lopez Elementary School, led by the Coyotes’ hockey development team that also facilitates the Coyotes Street Hockey League (CSHL). Equality Health serves as the official partners of the CSHL, which his a Valley-wide ball hockey league designed to provide easier entry into the sport.
The partnership between the two goes well beyond the CSHL, though, as the Coyotes’ hockey development team also provides a curriculum to Physical Education teachers at 614 schools throughout the state in its “Raise the Pack” initiative. Those educators then incorporate that very curriculum into their P.E. programs, much to the excitement of the students.
PHOENIX, AZ — SEPTEMBER 7, 2023: Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad plays ball hockey with students at Irene Lopez Elementary School in Phoenix, Ariz. (Photo by Isaac Torres/Arizona Coyotes)
The groundbreaking partnership with Equality Health is the largest such initiative in the entire NHL, and Coyotes President and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez said the two organizations will continue to grow the “Raise the Pack” curriculum, which served over 7,000 students last year.
“These partnerships are so amazing because they’re not just partnering with the Coyotes as a hockey team; They’re partnering with the Coyotes as a community leader, and as an organization that’s aligned on using this platform to make a difference in people’s lives,” Gutierrez said. “That’s what they want to do in health and wellness, and that’s what we do as an organization.”
Equality Health Founder, Chairman, and CEO Hugh Lytle said he started the organization because of the need he saw for diverse and underserved communities in the healthcare space. It is a Medicaid healthcare delivery system that trains and provides technology resources in an effort to assist physicians do the right work, leading to lower costs, greater access to care, and higher quality care.
Lytle said South Phoenix residents have a life expectancy that’s 14 years fewer than residents in some of the more affluent areas of The Valley, and Equality Health aims to help reduce that number drastically. The partnership with the Coyotes can assist with those efforts, because the “Raise the Pack” curriculum brings far easier access to fitness resources.
“When you’re in underserved communities, you see all kinds of challenges,” Lytle said. “Creating an environment where it’s safe, where you can engage physical activity and be able to go a mile or two from home and enjoy this great sport, it’s going to raise the bar. It takes time, longevity is a tough thing to measure, but at the end of the day it will create healthier communities, which will create longer lives.”
As part of the partnership, Equality Health and the Arizona Coyotes are donating $1,000 worth of equipment to all of the participating schools, which includes 40 sticks, 50 street hockey balls, 50 team pinnies, and two pop-up nets that have Coyotes-branded shooter tutors.
Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad was in attendance on Thursday, actively participating with students in spirited games of ball hockey. The 31-year-old has his own foundation, Goals 4 Kids, and said appearing in the community to help support Arizona’s youth is something that is truly important to him.
Bjugstad spent the morning playing hockey, helping to grow the game that he’s so passionate about.
PHOENIX, AZ — SEPTEMBER 7, 2023: Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad takes a selfie with students at Irene Lopez Elementary School in Phoenix, Ariz. (Photo by Isaac Torres/Arizona Coyotes)
“A lot of these kids haven’t tried street hockey before, so just to be involved in it, there’s a lot of smiles on their faces today,” he said. “I have a deeper drive than I can articulate on how important it is to show, as athletes, that we care. I grew up playing hockey, it’s taught me so many things along the way, and I feel like if I can give back and have kids enjoy it in some way or another, I try to do my part.”
The CSHL and “Raise the Pack” programs are incredible drivers in helping grow the game in Arizona, and also encouraging healthy, active lifestyles for children of all ages. As the 2023-24 NHL season approaches, Gutierrez said the organization is committed to helping all of Arizona’s youth take the next step in their fitness journey.
They’re likely to score a goal or two along the way.
“Our vision is to be an organization that makes a difference in the lives of others,” Gutierrez said. “If we can be a small part about getting people to think about their health, about their wellness, about nutrition, about getting people up and moving, it will be exactly what we want to be a part of.”