After nearly three years away from its home rink, the Fort Dupont Cannons are returning to Washington, D.C.’s only public indoor ice arena, continuing a legacy of expanding access to hockey for young people across the DMV.
Founded in 1978 by coach Neal Henderson and Betty Dean, the Cannons grew from neighborhood games into one of North America’s oldest Black hockey programs. Through the organization, Henderson has helped generations of young athletes develop their skills while emphasizing education, discipline and teamwork.
In 2019, Henderson became the first Black inductee into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, recognizing his decades of work growing the game.
Now, the Cannons’ return comes alongside a new Youth Hockey Development Program launched by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation in partnership with Henderson. The program will introduce children ages 8–13 to skating and hockey fundamentals, continuing his commitment to making the sport more accessible.
Fort Dupont Ice Arena reopened after a nearly $40 million reconstruction that kept the facility closed for almost three years. The return of Henderson and the Cannons reconnects the renovated rink with a community institution that has spent nearly five decades creating opportunities for young people on and off the ice.
The development program will introduce participants to the sport through a two-phase progression. Young skaters will begin with foundational skating skills before advancing to hockey fundamentals, including stick handling, passing, shooting, positioning and teamwork.
DPR Director Thennie Freeman, who has led the agency since 2023 after serving as its deputy director of recreation services, said the program is intended to make hockey more accessible while helping young athletes build confidence.
“Access opens doors, and sometimes that first opportunity is all a young person needs to discover something they love,” Freeman said. “This program is about putting young people on the ice, building their confidence, and making sure they see themselves in a sport that has not always been accessible to everyone. We are proud to partner with Coach Neal Henderson and continue the legacy of the Fort Dupont Cannons.”
That emphasis on access has long been central to Fort Dupont’s role in the community.
Before the arena closed in 2023, its Kids On Ice program provided subsidized skating opportunities to thousands of children across the Washington metropolitan area, helping introduce young people to ice sports regardless of their families’ ability to pay.
The return of the Fort Dupont Cannons and the new youth hockey development program build on that legacy, creating opportunities for more young people to learn the sport and see themselves in a hockey community where Black athletes have historically been underrepresented.
The program is scheduled to run from Oct. 5 through Jan. 23, with sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. A mandatory orientation for participants and parents is scheduled for Oct. 3 at Fort Dupont Ice Arena.
The program costs $150 for D.C. residents and $250 for nonresidents.
As Fort Dupont enters its first full season following reconstruction, the return of the Cannons and the launch of youth hockey development programming offer a tangible sign of what the arena can become again: a place where young people from across the DMV can access ice sports, build community and begin charting their own paths in hockey.
Photo courtesy of Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club.
