A Closer Look at the 1616 Program’s Impact
Stronger Players, Stronger People: How the 1616 Program Is Shaping Youth Hockey
Journal of Sport Development
What happens when young athletes hear real stories from hockey’s best and are challenged to reflect, grow, and lead? According to a recent full-scale evaluation of the 1616 Program, the answer is powerful personal development—on and off the ice.
The 16-week, story-based program reached over 1,400 youth players across 88 North American teams, introducing key positive youth development (PYD) concepts like confidence, character, and connection through weekly videos and interactive reflections. And the results? Promising.
Players reported:
- Stronger connections with teammates and a deeper sense of team identity
- Increased confidence in themselves and their abilities
- Greater character growth, including resilience, leadership, and sportsmanship
Even beyond sport, kids described the program as “fun,” “relatable,” and something that made them “want to be better people.”
The 1616 Program’s flexible, online format allowed busy young athletes to engage on their own time—and they wanted more. Despite some hurdles, like survey length and a desire for more team-based components, nearly 80% said they’d do it again.
As 1616 continues to evolve, this research confirms what we’ve believed from the start: when you invest in the whole athlete, you help raise better players—and better people.