The event also honored NHL alumni and Olympians Brian Gionta and Tim Thomas, Olympian Krissy Wendell, Fort Dupont Ice Arena Founder Neal Henderson and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman who were formally enshrined into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. The 82-year-old will join Henry Boucha, who is Native American, and Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who has Nicaraguan roots, as the only people of color in the U.S. Hall of Fame when he's formally inducted at a ceremony in Washington on Dec. 12. But it is here! Since its inception, Henderson’s league has successfully established hockey as a medium to build character, teach life skills and instill positive values in thousands of youth skaters in the D.C. area. For the last 40-plus years, Neal Henderson (Upper Marlboro, Md.) If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. “It’s truly a remarkable Class,” said Jim Smith, president of USA Hockey.“Each of the five inductees have their own unique and … A finalist for the inaugural Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award in 2018, Henderson and the Cannons were celebrated by the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals for their contribution to the spread of hockey in Washington, D.C. At age 82, Henderson is still going strong and making an impact on the lives of young people. Live and Upcoming Newsletters Full Event Replays Apps. Soon, Henderson starting renting ice time at the local Fort Dupont Ice Arena to accommodate players, and in 1978, he co-founded the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club in the D.C. area. Neal Henderson couldn’t find a place to teach his son to play hockey. A natural mentor, Henderson noticed a greater demand for organized hockey in his home of Washington D.C. in the late 1970s. Enter Search Term. That really meant a lot, having his support that way.". Neal Henderson, the founder and coach of the Fort Dupont ice hockey program, learned the sport in Ontario, where his father was stationed during World War II. Henderson was inducted along with NHL greats Tim Thomas and Brian Gionta, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and U.S. Olympian Krissy Wendell. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., co-chair of the Congressional Hockey Caucus, said, "Thanks to the Cannons and the team of volunteers built by Coach Henderson, over 1,000 underserved and minority children have been given the opportunity to play ice hockey.". He heard kind words spoken about his program, the Fort Dupont Cannons, from the likes of Bettman, Alex Ovechkin and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and also received a video tribute. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Network Showdown name and logo, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, NHL Mascots, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, NHL Power Players name and logo, NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. By using NHL websites or other online services, you consent to the practices described in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, including our Cookie Policy. I thought the NHL would be gone for another two months. "I never thought it my lifetime that I would be in a situation like this. Join Facebook to connect with Neal Henderson and others you may know. The selection committee and others from Washington and beyond lauded Henderson as a hockey pioneer who has helped grow a generation of minority players and fans. This website is powered by SportsEngine's. It serves about 50 players ages 8 to 18 at no charge; however, participants are required to adhere to strict academic standards. Henderson also uses the club to provide players the chance to explore new cities and attend college visits while traveling for games. Henderson had an outpatient procedure Wednesday and wasn't on the conference call with the other four members of the Class of 2019 -- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, longtime NHL players Tim Thomas and Brian Gionta, and two-time Olympian Krissy Wendell. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. "If you can do six things at one time, as hockey has you to do, you can do anything. "The kids have an avenue within their reach; they know where that place is, their families know where that place is. In addition to growing the game locally with the Cannons, Henderson was integral in laying the foundation for the NHL’s early Hockey is for Everyone program, a nation-wide initiative that seeks to drive positive social change and inclusivity throughout the hockey community. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. William Douglas, Bettman among five elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Neal Henderson talks about entering the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame later this year and how he co-founded the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey … "Neal Henderson is a pioneer in hockey in the Washington and Baltimore communities," Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said. For over 40 years, Neal Henderson has become an ice hockey icon in Washington D.C., founding the Fort Dupont Cannons at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena in 1978. NEAL HENDERSON, head coach/founder of Washington, D.C.’s Fort Dupont Hockey Club. WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday night, the US Hockey Hall of Fame enshrined its five newest honorees in a ceremony held in downtown Washington DC. Neal Henderson, founder and coach of Washington, D.C.'s Fort Dupont Ice Hockey club, becomes the first black inductee into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame https://t.co/hUaQ2Jskjl — TheColorOfHockey (@ColorOfHockey) September 4, 2019 “It’s truly a remarkable Class,” said Jim Smith, president of USA Hockey in a press release. And the Fort Dupont program he started more than 40 years ago has inspired others in major metropolitan areas to follow suit and positively influence youth in their communities. – Coach Neal Henderson. In addition, Jack Blatherwick, was awarded the Lester Patrick award. All Rights Reserved. His son, Neal Henderson II, and his friends would practice hockey in the family’s driveway. ... As some of you know, the NHL has recently come back. WASHINGTON -- Neal Henderson never dreamed that he would become the first black elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame when he founded the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club in 1978. Youth hockey coach Neal Henderson, a co-founder of the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, the oldest minority hockey club in North America, has been named an inductee to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Henderson has remained active in the program despite undergoing joint surgeries, caring for his ailing wife, skating in an old ice rink in what was one of Washington's tougher neighborhoods and fretting about how the free, nonprofit program would pay its bills. Henderson started the Fort Dupont program at the urging of his son, who wanted him to teach the game to him and his neighborhood friends. "The point that endeared me to Coach the most is when he showed up to my Naval Academy games," Featherstone said. Nearly a half century later, the program has helped put kids, many of them disadvantaged, on paths toward success by using hockey as a way to preach the importance of teamwork, responsibility, punctuality, manners and the value of staying in school and pursuing an education. "His longstanding commitment to cultivating leaders through hockey, on and off the ice, does not go without notice, and we are excited Coach Neal is receiving one of hockey's most prestigious honors. "To be recognized by USA Hockey, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, is kind of an acknowledgement for all those years of hard work and being a pathfinder and a wall-breaker, if you will, for an entire culture," said Featherstone, who was the first black captain of the United States Naval Academy hockey team in the 1990s. This video file cannot be … It will only make you stronger because it makes you a team player, it makes you understand how the other person thinks, how he feels, how he moves, even if you're behind a desk.". NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Tim Thomas, Brian Gionta, Neal Henderson and Krissy Wendell comprise the 2019 class of the United States Hockey Hall of … Goals. Game (mins) Blog Behind the Cage. "I am honored to receive this recognition, and I am proud of our work to build a strong and united community around the game of hockey," Henderson said Wednesday. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2021. All rights reserved. ", Video: Inductees for the 2019 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. "More than 40 years ago, we started the Cannons program to bring hockey to kids in Washington, D.C., who otherwise would have a chance to play and now it has turned into something we could not have imagined. Neal Henderson is the familiar face of D.C. minority hockey View Photos Henderson, 76, is the founder of the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, which gives kids of all colors a chance to learn the sport. WASHINGTON -- Neal Henderson thought it would be a one-shot thing. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a hockey caucus member who represents the District of Columbia, put a statement into the Congressional record congratulating Henderson on his selection. The 34-year-old Abercrombie came up through the historic Washington, D.C., Fort Dupont Hockey Club and was mentored by Neal Henderson, the first Black man inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. The … Among them are NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, former NHL players and Stanley Cup winners Tim Thomas and Brian Gionta, two-time U.S. Olympian Krissy Wendell, and co-founder of the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, Neal Henderson. Henderson "has been a leader in the community and has contributed immensely to advancing the sport in Washington, D.C., and beyond," NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said. "This is a well-deserved induction into the (U.S.) Hockey Hall of Fame.". NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Stanley Cup Qualifiers name and logo, NHL.TV, Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. A native of St. Croix who fell in love with the sport while growing up in Canada, he relocated to the suburbs of Washington, D.C., early in the 1970s, when the city didn’t have a public hockey rink. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, former NHL forward Brian Gionta, youth coach Neal Henderson and American women's player Krissy Wendell were also named to the 2019 class of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

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