Hello hockey fans This message goes out to all hockey lovers. This has an affect on the future of our game and it's a need that all of us as a whole must attend to. It affects players (players are the ones that skate out, the ones that score goals and the ones that will drop in front of a slap shot for us goalies in a clinch situation), it affects the fans and the coaches. It even affects zebras (referees). It spreads to hockey parents and community ice rinks and their managers, as well as corporations and the small hockey shops. Even the winter Olympics. And yes, the pro game as well. But most of all, this affects the hockey communitie's GOALTENDERS. You may be thinking, what need could be such a big deal that all of hockey will be affected? To be perfectly honest with everyone, this need starts off as a small problem. A problem that for the most part goes unnoticed. This problem is an underfunding for youth GOALTENDERS. Some may say "underprivileged goalies" and then tell themselves that they are helping these "underprivileged goalies" by donating all the used and in most cases used up goalie pads that are left over from the 90's and early 2000 era. These are to be used as the equipment for new youth GOALTENDERS. Most think that this is doing some sort of good for goalies and for the game. Let me explain a little before you start to dislike me please. I do appreciate all the people that are still willing to do for goalies. Even if it may in turn hinder many youth GOALTENDERS. I really don't like the term "underprivileged goalies" either. It seems to make the reference that money makes people privileged. When the real privilege is that a lot of the youth have the raw talent and heart for the game no matter how much money their parents have. And in some instances, this equipment I speak of is out dated and wore out. This kind of goalie equipment has left youth goalies with injuries, bad goaltending habits and a lack of confidence. I remember when I started playing hockey almost 30 years ago. I played house league at the community ice rink. Back then they had the same house goalie equipment program that they have now and it's pretty much like this nation wide. You will find a couple of sets in a few different sizes. The equipment stays at the rink kind of stuffed in a bag and thrown in a plywood locker of some sort. Talk about stinky equipment. YUCK!! is more like it. In most cases, a team will rotate the goaltender position to allow everyone a chance at the position throughout the season. You will see these 5 and 6 year olds and 7 to 10 year old children playing the position with the wrong skates on and wrong pants for goalies plus it is ill fitting equipment most the time. And at times this equipment is assembled onto the young goaltender the wrong way. Often times, this ill fitting equipment is too tight or too loose, wore out, wrong skates and the goalie does not get the proper time with the equipment off of the ice. This time with the equipment off the ice is very important for a young goaltender. It gives them the time to adjust the equipment properly and get comfortable with their equipment. With house equipment, someone else will be putting that equipment on. Sometimes soon after you have used it. I know this is getting to be quite a long read, but the need for funding for youth goaltenders is real. And with your help we can fill this need for funding. We can essentially make many boys and girls safer and better equipped to do the job that we call on them to do. Giving back now can make a difference in tomorrow's game. Just think, you could be the reason that an underfunded goalie got the gear they needed. You will change the future of the sport for the better. All that underfunded talent is in your hands. This is why we started the Save The Puck Foundation at goaltendingninjas.com. There will always be a need for the Save The Puck Foundation. Save The Puck Foundation has set a goal of $100,000. When the foundation hits this goal, we will be providing opportunities for 18 and under goalies with a chance at winning a full set of goaltending equipment. With the steady growth of this foundations fund, we will also be providing a travel hockey scholarship program to supplement the high cost of travel hockey. We feel here at goaltending ninjas that no child's talents should suffer because of the cost of the position of goaltender. We hope that you feel the same way and will give a goalie a chance by making donations to the Save The Puck Foundation