Andrew Nash- Washington Capitals Grassroots Hockey
We are an AACPS: Business/Community Partnership | 2020 Business Partner of the Year Nominee
Recognized for their support of AACPS by Health Physical Education and Dance Office
Anne Arundel County Public Schools entered a partnership with Andrew and the Washington Capitals in the spring of 2019, and they have been an absolute joy to work with. After a few months of development, Andrew and his team brought a van full of equipment to the August Health, Physical Education, and Dance in-service professional learning day to train Health Physical Education and Dance teachers on their supplemental curriculum aligned to the SHAPE National Standards. He spent a full day preparing Health Physical Education and Dance educators to teach floor hockey and developed their confidence and skills regarding the sport of hockey. He returned in October for a follow up with elementary teachers to ensure they had a solid grasp on the content and answer questions that came up during the initial implementation. Andrew and his team have also graciously donated hockey equipment to all elementary and middle school physical education programs–a generous donation that included over 4,000 developmentally appropriate hockey sticks, over 8,000 pucks and balls, and over 300 pop-up goals, all decorated with Washington Capitals logos. Normally, one would think this would be the culmination of the program’s offerings, but it didn’t stop there. Andrew and the team developed this program even further by offering hockey assemblies to kick off the unit at each school during the school year and returned with the team during physical education classes as guest teachers, working directly with the students to develop their own hockey skills!
This partnership offers students a creative and fun way for students to learn and practice their striking with an implement (hockey) skill. Not many students have used a hockey stick or practiced hockey skills and this new unit brings them that opportunity. Students are able to gain confidence and practice working with others because of Mr. Nash and his team.
The results of this program have improved instruction in Physical Education and increased access to hockey, leading to an increase in student’s happiness and confidence while learning and participating in the physical activity of hockey. Health Physical Education and Dance are grateful for this #AACPSAwesome partnership and look forward to sharing it with our students for years to come.
