ARLINGTON, VA — The Washington Capitals hosted a clinic on Monday for their Rising Stars Academy, welcoming more than 30 young players after practice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
Ethan Bear, Joel Edmundson, Beck Malenstyn, and Max Pacioretty all joined participants on the ice to asssist with skills sessions while sporting the Capitals’ newly-released Black History Month jerseys.
Founded by the Capitals in 2023, the Rising Stars Academy supports youth hockey players of color in the DC community through both elite skill development and mentorship.
Alex Ovechkin also made an appearance Monday afternoon, meeting with players before they hit the ice. His surprise visit came after a panel discussion including jersey designer J. Freeman Robinson, Capitals Black Hockey Committee member Duante’ Abercrombie, Gonzaga College High School ice hockey coach Bryan King, and Monumental Sports Network’s Tarik El-Bashir.
Defenseman Ethan Bear, who has been outspoken about his indigenous heritage throughout career, praised the players participating and spoke on the importance of the event.
“I don’t know if I’ve had anything like this growing up as a kid,” he told RMNB. “I’ve had something similar but nothing as close to this. And it’s just been so fun.”
“A lot of these kids are so good already and I can see a lot of them, they just started, but they can already play the game really well so it’s been fun to watch.”
Now nearly two months into his time in Washington, Bear highlighted the opportunity to serve as a role model for younger players in the area.
“It’s great,” he said. “I love being part of the community wherever you’re at. You want a place to feel like home when you’re there, and when I could be out here and help out or lead by example by whatever way I can, that’s what I’m going to do. It’s been great. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m glad I came out here.”
Black History Month jerseys weren’t the only design debuted at the event–the Caps unveiled a series of custom-painted skates and sneakers created by local artists Sierato, SwaggyPicasso, and Dez to celebrate Black History Month and the Capitals.
Each set of sneakers and skates will be available for auction beginning February 26. Money raised will benefit benefit the Capital Impact Fund, which funds the Rising Stars Academy and provides grants to organizations helping reduce costs for people of color in the hockey community.
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