Truth be told, you just never know what can happen in a few months time. From our anxious beginnings – initiating the COLT Hockey project through a Kickstarter Canada campaign, to shattering our short-term goals and now moving full speed towards the far reaches of the game – it seems the COLT is finally nearing the cusp of affecting widespread and positive change.

From our earliest experiences – the 6 am hockey practice at the local rink; the impromptu game of shinny at the pond – the rising equipment costs and registration fees at even the recreational level has overshadowed the purity of the game. Although being a member of a hockey team or taking part in the sport in any shape or form is beyond a rewarding endeavor, it has unfortunately become a financial nightmare for families across North America and abroad – and as the love for the game only continues to grow, so too do the expenses.

COLT Hockey was formed to combat the issues plaguing hockey. Sitting back and allowing costs to inflate without even the most remote sense of justification is one thing, but being provided with subpar equipment for our hard-earned dollar is quite another. We recognized rather quickly in our personal development that rising costs were not equating to higher quality sporting goods, and widespread, premature hockey stick failure was just the tip of the iceberg. Pooling together our resources and expertise, we set out to improve one facet of the game, and the results have been tremendous.

On breakaways, vital penalty kills, the potentially game-winning one-timer from the top of the slot, the COLT is your weapon for reliability, equating cost with high quality; a hockey stick meant to last so that the focus can once again be placed on the game itself.

We are proud of what we have accomplished, but our mission does not stop here. As we’ve said, a reliable, elite performing hockey stick is just the tip of the iceberg – a symbol, if you will, of the hockey community’s collective spirit. It’s about time we let the big brands know that hockey is much more than flashy gear and burnt paychecks. There is a reason why we go back to the rinks year-in, year-out, and although it may be different for each of us, it surely has nothing to do with the ‘industry’.

It may be a small contribution in the grand scheme of the game, but it’s a positive start. The game has provided us too much – and for that alone, it warrants our protection.

Keep up to date with the COLT Hockey Blog and follow us @COLTHockey on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about the COLT Hockey mission.