BBNC Brings Seattle Kraken to Anchorage for Hockey Camp
Kraken Week Youth Hockey Camp.
Staff of the Seattle Kraken NHL franchise are in Anchorage this week to take part in the Anchorage Hockey Association (AHA) Summer Academy for youth.
Kids Meet Squids
Players from the 8U, 10U, and 12U age groups are receiving elite training on and off the ice as part of the Seattle Kraken’s partnership with Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC). The academy is taking place all week at Dempsey-Anderson Ice Arena.
“We are so excited that our partnership with the Seattle Kraken can provide new opportunities for youth hockey players from our region and connect them with positive role models,” says Jason Metrokin, BBNC president and CEO. “This is just one more way that BBNC’s relationship with the Seattle Kraken is benefiting Alaska.”
Since announcing their partnership with the Seattle Kraken last summer, BBNC launched “Bristol Bay Wild Market” at the team’s home ice, Climate Pledge Arena, where hockey fans and other arena attendees can buy wild seafood. The special partnership also included a commitment to an annual youth hockey camp in Alaska with the goal of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. For this year’s camp, BBNC sponsored nine of its shareholders and descendants, and the Seattle Kraken are sponsoring ten female players.
Camp director Kirk Kullberg of the AHA says, “We are very thankful for their investment in Alaska’s youth hockey community and all that they will bring to support us in the future. We look forward to our amazing week together and know that it will be a time that the kids will never forget.” The academy is the summer program of the AHA, which organizes youth teams year-round.
The Seattle Kraken are the National Hockey League’s newest franchise. They just finished playing their first season. Other corporate partners include Premera Blue Cross, Molson Coors, Starbucks, and PepsiCo.
“We’re incredibly proud to not only have Alaska in our backyard but also have it be a key part of the Kraken territory,” says Tod Leiweke, Seattle Kraken CEO. “As a testament to our commitment to growing the game in Anchorage and beyond, we couldn’t be more excited to take part in the AHA Summer Academy helping these kids grow into talented hockey players.”