Girls Hockey Weekend

Nearly 140 locations across the United States will help celebrate the fifth annual International Ice Hockey Federation World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend this Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 10-11). As part of the festivities, past and present members of the U.S. Women's National Team will take part in select events across the nation.

The IIHF World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend is an opportunity to celebrate female participation in the sport. The goal of the event is to grow the game through a variety of events that aim to introduce beginners to basic skills in a positive, fun and safe environment; provide more opportunities to play ice hockey; teach fair play, sportsmanship and teamwork; create new friendships; and develop a lifelong love of the sport.

"We are proud to be a leader in the continued advancement of girls' and women's hockey," said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. "It's fantastic to see all the activity happening around the country this weekend and we're most appreciative of all the volunteers who are dedicated to helping grow the game."

Events being hosted include youth hockey clinics featuring the American Development Model, jamborees, Try Hockey for Free opportunities, female-only tournaments, introductory informational sessions about the sport and other hockey-themed gatherings.

Over the course of the weekend, the IIHF is hosting its inaugural Girls Global Game, a worldwide initiative with 29 different countries hosting successive one-hour games in a 24-hour span. The U.S. will take part with an under-12 entry on Oct. 10 from 8-9 a.m. ET at the Thayer-Warburton Arena in Warwick, Rhode Island.

In conjunction with the Girls Global Game, USA Hockey will also highlight one-hour games at varying age levels across the U.S. on Oct. 10 (8 a.m. to 12 a.m.) and Oct. 11 (7 a.m. to 9 p.m.). A complete listing of games, and further information on both events is available here.

Those taking part in the festivities this weekend are encouraged to share their experiences by posting photos and stories on USA Hockey's Facebook page and on Twitter using the hashtag #girlshockey.

Thirty-four states are hosting activities as part of the fifth annual IIHF World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend. For more information on the IIHF World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend, click here.

NOTES: Teams from the NHL and NCAA are among those helping celebrate the IIHF World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend ... Participation in girls and women's hockey in the United States has increased by