OSHAWA, Ont. – Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey is providing all five-year-old players across Canada with an opportunity to get their first hockey helmet for free, giving parents peace of mind while instilling the importance of on-ice safety from the beginning of their child’s sporting involvement. By providing new and safe equipment, the Chevrolet Canada Hockey Helmet Program will help these young players learn that safe hockey is fun hockey.

“We’re focused on serving our customers and communities better than ever, and with more than 400 dealers in communities across Canada, we have the opportunity to make a real impact through this bold new initiative,” said Rob Assimakopoulos, general director of marketing at Chevrolet. “Hockey is Canada’s game, and as a longstanding supporter, Chevrolet is encouraging young players to learn the importance of on-ice safety and sportsmanship, making positive change by ensuring they play safe and fun from their first days on skates.”

“For over a decade, Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey has been involved in creating a safe and enjoyable environment for kids across Canada, “said Bobby Orr. “The new program to provide free helmets to young players is a great initiative that will help us build safety into the culture of sports and help kids understand that hockey can be lots of fun, while still being safe.”

All players born in 2006 who register to play hockey with Hockey Canada in the 2011/2012 season will be eligible to receive a free helmet from Chevrolet. In the 2010/2011 season, over 23,000 five-year-olds were registered with Hockey Canada.

“Chevrolet’s involvement in the sport and commitment to safety and innovation has helped Canadian families play safer hockey while having fun,” said Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “Now, Chevrolet is giving Canadians the home ice advantage by providing hockey parents with the equipment their children need so that they can play the sport they love. I would also like to thank Bauer Hockey and the Forzani Group for joining Chevrolet on this initiative.”

Chevrolet also helps Canadian hockey families develop positive attitudes towards healthy competition, teamwork and fair play through Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey. In partnership with Hockey Canada, this program was developed for parents, minor league players and coaches to be much more than a "how to" course on the fundamentals of hockey. By teaching hockey enthusiasts the importance of a positive attitude, teamwork, fair play and grace under pressure, Chevrolet Canada is helping to enrich the hockey community by engaging fans and young players in new ways.

To pre-register for a Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey package, including a free helmet, parents can visit www.chevrolethockey.ca beginning July 12, 2011*. Full registration starts August 19, 2011, when parents will be able to pick up their Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey package containing a certificate for the new Bauer 2100 hockey helmet from their closest Chevrolet dealer. The certificate can be exchanged for the helmet at the designated Forzani retail outlet in their local area, including Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sport Mart, InterSport, and Sports Experts.