Kivi Goaltender Program

In honor of the memory of the late Latvian goaltender Matīs Kivlenieks, the Latvian Hockey Federation (LHF), in collaboration with the NHL club Columbus Blue Jackets, is implementing a new goaltender engagement project - the KIVI program.

The goal of the program is to introduce the position of hockey goaltender to young hockey players, beginners up to the age of U10, who have not yet played in the goaltender position, but want to use it.

To highlight that there was a Matīss and to commemorate everything he stood for, the program will focus not only on mastering technical and tactical skills, but also on the ability to embody the most respectable human qualities in sports.

Young aspirants are provided with the opportunity to get acquainted with what it means to be a professional, like Matīss - what his work ethic was, what character traits made Matīss Kivlenieks a great teammate and a special person. This will help these hockey players one day be like Matīs.