Future Caps Learn to Play Program Opens Registration for 2026‑27
Registration for the 2026‑27 Future Caps Learn to Play program is now open, inviting children between five and nine who are trying hockey for the first time to sign up at any of the 18 participating rinks in Virginia and Maryland. The program, presented by global technology solutions provider World Wide Technology, supplies each newcomer with full equipment, professional instruction and coached sessions, provided they have already completed a Learn to Skate curriculum.
A welcome video from Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas greets participants, underscoring the league’s commitment to grassroots growth. The initiative, developed jointly with the National Hockey League and the NHL Players’ Association, has introduced more than 1,500 kids to the sport during the 2025‑26 season and over 12,000 players since its launch in 2016. In the Washington, D.C., region, hockey participation has surged by more than 220 percent since Alex Ovechkin entered the league, with girls and women’s registrations climbing 225 percent.
Community Impact and Growth
World Wide Technology, a company founded in 1990 with a workforce of over 14,000 and a presence in more than 60 locations worldwide, highlights its community‑investment ethos through this partnership. The program’s impact is reflected in the Southeastern District’s No. 1 ranking for registration in the 2025‑26 season and the broader expansion of youth hockey offerings by the Capitals Youth Hockey Development team.
The partnership also reflects World Wide Technology’s broader culture of innovation and trust, recognized by Fortune and Great Place to Work. With Softchoice also listed as a brand partner, the program continues to leverage technology and community engagement to broaden access to hockey across the Mid‑Atlantic.