Tampa Bay Lightning officials announced plans Monday to bring hockey to more than 100,000 Tampa Bay area children.
Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, team president Steve Griggs and executive director of community hockey development Jay Feaster announced the Build the Thunder program from a patio overlooking Amalie Arena’s Thunder Alley. The team will invest $6 million in the program.
Over the next five years, the team will partner with the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players Association to roll out a five-step plan that includes distributing Lightning-themed sticks and balls to 100,000 children from the third through fifth grades and providing 10,000 hours of hockey training to students and physical education coaches.