Jack Vissar is the equipment manager for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. He always tossed broken hockey sticks in the trash. Then, he found a new use for smashed and shattered twigs.

That new life for old sticks was created by John Ufland and Eric Bourgoujian. They were tired of watching players and equipment guys such as Jack toss expensive broken carbon hockey sticks into the trash bin. They wondered if the sticks could be reused in some way, leading them to create Requip’d. The organization partnered with teams and manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada to not simply recycle but to upcycle old sticks to create barbeque sets.

Once this idea recorded winning goals, John and Eric added bottle openers, snow brushes, plungers and a goalie paddle ring toss game to the product line. Requip’d repurposed more than 100,000 sticks. The organization worked with USA Hockey plus the NHL, AHL, ECHL and the NCAA. About a year ago, the guys sold the operation to ABLE Force (Richboro, Pennsylvania), a nonprofit that employs adults with special needs. The game plan did not change for the used sticks. The mission is to continue to repurpose tossed hockey sticks into unique items.

The partnership between the organization, which provides employees with meaningful jobs, and the leagues is a win-win. USA Hockey’s program initially prevented almost 600 sticks from filling landfills. Now, the number has risen to about 5,000. Add that number to the countless additions made by the college and pro leagues.

So, if you’re looking for a unique holiday gift for that hockey player or fan, get into the game and pick up an item upcycled from a used hockey stick.

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