Hockey Shop
Granato Gold Medal (Youth)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Portland, ME (December 4, 2007) --- BelaHockey, a new line of hockey gear and apparel produced exclusively for girls, is proud to announce the official launch of its web store – www.BelaHockey.com - becoming the first company to focus entirely on attracting girls to the sport. Founded by a group of local hockey moms and hockey legend Cammi Granato, the women of BelaHockey are on a mission to expand the hockey apparel market and encourage more girls to take up the sport that has long been tailored to boys.
Until today, girls interested in playing hockey often received the message that it’s a boys sport with all the equipment and clothing primarily designed for males. Drawing from its founders’ personal experiences, BelaHockey is proud to offer an exclusive line of equipment and apparel for girls including long-sleeve cotton tee-shirts, pink and purple custom hockey socks, personalized polka dot hockey sticks and an innovative sports headband. Traditional hockey gear such as socks and sticks have been updated and redesigned with fun graphics and patterns to allow girls to express their personality and style on the ice and are available at www.BelaHockey.com.
“Growing up playing hockey, I was always one of the only girls, whether it was at home with my brothers or in the local youth league,” said Granato. “I was comfortable on the ice but felt self conscious in the lobby where it was clear that I was a girl playing a boy’s sport. By offering girls hockey gear designed exclusively for them, we’re reinforcing that hockey is their sport too. We hope BelaHockey will motivate other girls to pick up a stick and try the great game of hockey.”
BelaHockey was inspired by Bela Cloutier, a six-year-old from Portland, Maine who wanted desperately to keep up with the boys in her neighborhood but couldn’t find any equipment that made her feel as though she belonged.
“When Bela and I went to purchase all the equipment for her to play hockey with the neighborhood kids, there was nothing in the store that made her feel as though she should be playing too,” said Anna Cloutier, co-founder of BelaHockey. “It is intimidating for girls to try a new, predominately male sport, especially when the equipment looks as though it has been designed for boys. As moms, we wanted hockey to be packaged in a more balanced and inviting way. This was when the idea of BelaHockey was born.”
Over the past fifteen years, girls and women’s hockey have enjoyed considerable growth with participation levels increasing to 58,000 participants in the U.S. and 74,000 in Canada for the 2005-06 seasons according to USA Hockey. These figures have more than doubled in the past decade and many believe the Olympic success of both the U.S. and Canadian Olympic women’s hockey teams are contributing factors. Young girls (10 and under) in the U.S. were responsible for the largest increase with more than 4,000 participants joining the sport since 2001.
“I will always be proud of the fact that I represented my country in the Olympics and helped bring home the gold, but just as important, I will forever be proud of what our success has meant for the next generation of young girls,” added Granato.
Cloutier and Granato are joined by partner Justine Carlisle to form the Portland-based company. BelaHockey will continue to expand its product line in the 2008-09 seasons with performance shirts, hockey stick bags, jerseys and other colorful, playful custom equipment.
In addition to being a mom herself, Granato is arguably the most recognizable female American hockey player of all-time. A two-time Olympian, she captained Team USA to the gold medal in 1998 Nagano Games and silver medal in 2002 Salt Lake Games.
About BelaHockey:
BelaHockey, hockey stuff for girls, was founded by Justine Carlisle, Anna Cloutier and Cammi Granato. This exclusive product line of hockey gear and apparel includes custom hockey and skate socks, personalized hockey sticks, head bands, helmet stickers and a collection of long-sleeve junior and girl’s cotton tee-shirts. For sales or more information, please visit www.BelaHockey.com.
Media Information:
Justine Carlisle – (207) 232-0054, Justine@belahockey.com
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BelaHockey Proves Hockey is a Girl’s Sport Too
Hockey Moms and Olympic Gold Medalist Cammi Granato Found Apparel Company with a Female Touch
South Portland, ME (December 4, 2007) --- BelaHockey, a new line of hockey gear and apparel produced exclusively for girls, is proud to announce the official launch of its web store – www.BelaHockey.com - becoming the first company to focus entirely on attracting girls to the sport. Founded by a group of local hockey moms and hockey legend Cammi Granato, the women of BelaHockey are on a mission to expand the hockey apparel market and encourage more girls to take up the sport that has long been tailored to boys.
Until today, girls interested in playing hockey often received the message that it’s a boys sport with all the equipment and clothing primarily designed for males. Drawing from its founders’ personal experiences, BelaHockey is proud to offer an exclusive line of equipment and apparel for girls including long-sleeve cotton tee-shirts, pink and purple custom hockey socks, personalized polka dot hockey sticks and an innovative sports headband. Traditional hockey gear such as socks and sticks have been updated and redesigned with fun graphics and patterns to allow girls to express their personality and style on the ice and are available at www.BelaHockey.com.
“Growing up playing hockey, I was always one of the only girls, whether it was at home with my brothers or in the local youth league,” said Granato. “I was comfortable on the ice but felt self conscious in the lobby where it was clear that I was a girl playing a boy’s sport. By offering girls hockey gear designed exclusively for them, we’re reinforcing that hockey is their sport too. We hope BelaHockey will motivate other girls to pick up a stick and try the great game of hockey.”
BelaHockey was inspired by Bela Cloutier, a six-year-old from Portland, Maine who wanted desperately to keep up with the boys in her neighborhood but couldn’t find any equipment that made her feel as though she belonged.
“When Bela and I went to purchase all the equipment for her to play hockey with the neighborhood kids, there was nothing in the store that made her feel as though she should be playing too,” said Anna Cloutier, co-founder of BelaHockey. “It is intimidating for girls to try a new, predominately male sport, especially when the equipment looks as though it has been designed for boys. As moms, we wanted hockey to be packaged in a more balanced and inviting way. This was when the idea of BelaHockey was born.”
Over the past fifteen years, girls and women’s hockey have enjoyed considerable growth with participation levels increasing to 58,000 participants in the U.S. and 74,000 in Canada for the 2005-06 seasons according to USA Hockey. These figures have more than doubled in the past decade and many believe the Olympic success of both the U.S. and Canadian Olympic women’s hockey teams are contributing factors. Young girls (10 and under) in the U.S. were responsible for the largest increase with more than 4,000 participants joining the sport since 2001.
“I will always be proud of the fact that I represented my country in the Olympics and helped bring home the gold, but just as important, I will forever be proud of what our success has meant for the next generation of young girls,” added Granato.
Cloutier and Granato are joined by partner Justine Carlisle to form the Portland-based company. BelaHockey will continue to expand its product line in the 2008-09 seasons with performance shirts, hockey stick bags, jerseys and other colorful, playful custom equipment.
In addition to being a mom herself, Granato is arguably the most recognizable female American hockey player of all-time. A two-time Olympian, she captained Team USA to the gold medal in 1998 Nagano Games and silver medal in 2002 Salt Lake Games.
About BelaHockey:
BelaHockey, hockey stuff for girls, was founded by Justine Carlisle, Anna Cloutier and Cammi Granato. This exclusive product line of hockey gear and apparel includes custom hockey and skate socks, personalized hockey sticks, head bands, helmet stickers and a collection of long-sleeve junior and girl’s cotton tee-shirts. For sales or more information, please visit www.BelaHockey.com.
Media Information:
Justine Carlisle – (207) 232-0054, Justine@belahockey.com
back to Press Room
