Nonprofit helps Las Vegas kids learn to play hockey

Las Vegas became a big-league hockey town with the arrival of the Golden Knights, but the high price of gear might prevent some youths from hitting the ice themselves.

That prompted northwest Las Vegas mom Gina Kielb to start a nonprofit organization in her son Jake’s name that offers free gear to children whose parents might not be able afford it, as well as free skate clinics.

“I’m a hockey parent myself, and I know the financial commitment that parents have to make in order to start in hockey and stay in hockey,” said Kielb, who formed the foundation in 2016 after trying purchase gear for her then-11-year-old son, who still plays the sport. It took off, she said, garnering enough donations to gear up hundreds of children.

About 50 youths got an opportunity to skate or walk around City National Arena in Summerlin on Aug. 25 for free to see if hockey interested them as a participation sport.

Among them was 12-year-old Wyatt Hardy, who dreams of playing in the NHL.

“I want to play left wing for the LA Kings,” Hardy said before heading out to skate.

Some parents said the foundation’s gear program allowed them to see if their children would stick with hockey.

“I don’t know if they would’ve liked hockey if they didn’t get their donated gear,” Adam Smith said.

Smith said the program helped his wife, Justine, and him afford gear for their sons Rory, 6, and Zachary, 3.

“It’s just awesome being able to get everyone out on the ice, even people who can’t skate,” said Justine Smith, Las Vegas community manager for Athleta, which co-sponsored the event.

The charity recevied donations from the Smith’s Community Rewards program and got a significant boost last winter from the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, which wrote a $10,000 check.

Kielb credits the Knights with bringing awareness to the foundation.

Jake Kielb’s Foundation offers free clinics every three months at rinks across town, including Sobe Ice Arena. Gina Kielb also has formed a youth hockey program, the Sobe Ice Warriors, a subsidiary of the foundation.

The foundation has worked with over 200 children, Kielb said, adding that she hopes to expand.

“My long-term goal is to kind of take it into other cities where hockey’s not really big and introduce the sport to youth there,” Kielb said.

Contact Jacob Lasky at 702-383-0219 or jlasky@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Jtlasky on Twitter.