thunderbirds hockey club

What thunderbirds hockey club does

The Thunderbirds Hockey Club (DBA SISU Thunderbirds Hockey Club) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) youth hockey organization founded in 2019 and based in Pickerington, Ohio. The club operates a full-season Tier II competitive hockey program currently fielding three teams (12U AA, 14U Klein AA, 14U Waselko AA), with a 16U AA team announced for the 2026-2027 season and stated plans to add 10U and 8U squads. Practices and home games are hosted at OhioHealth Chiller Ice rinks around Columbus, and the U14/U16 teams compete in the North American Prospect Hockey League (NAPHL), with participation in showcase events across Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Minnesota to attract junior and collegiate scouts.

The organization's technology backbone is the Crossbar platform, which handles website management, tryout registration, scheduling, automated billing (including a $400 commitment fee upon roster acceptance), and family communication. Supporting integrations include Elite Prospects and MyHockeyRankings for player profiles and game results, Vertical Raise for digital discount card fundraising ($25 cards with 70% of proceeds returning to the program), and NCAA Eligibility Center resources for the college pathway. An April 2026 transformative partnership with Brice Hockey Development adds joint training camps, in-season development sessions, and performance-tracking tools, while scholarship programs (Bill Latvala Memorial Hockey Scholarship, Center Ice Foundation Scholarship) and a billeting program with a $400 monthly host stipend support accessibility.

The club's business model is a hybrid of subscription-like team registration fees, recurring tiered sponsorships (team, website, event, player), affiliate-style fundraising through Vertical Raise, and tax-deductible donations. Customer outcomes reported include 2 alumni advancing to NCAA programs and 11 advancing to ACHA, NA3HL, or USPHL junior programs. GTM is event-driven: annual April tryouts feed full-season rosters, with NAPHL showcases serving as the primary exposure channel for prospective families and scouts. Leadership includes Director of Hockey Operations Tom Latvala (30 seasons, 2,000+ games coached), Vice President/Parent Liaison Todd Foley, and Fundraising Chair Monica Gerber, supported by a Board of Directors structure typical of a community nonprofit.

Name

thunderbirds hockey club

Legal name

Thunderbirds Hockey Club

Website

https://sisuthunderbirds.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Thunderbirds Hockey Club is a nonprofit Tier II youth hockey organization in Ohio, founded 2019, operating 12U, 14U, and incoming 16U AA teams via the Crossbar platform for Central Ohio families pursuing advancement to junior and collegiate hockey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Hockey Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Youth hockey development
• Tier II hockey program
• Competitive youth sports
• Player recruiting services
• Hockey fundraising programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Team Registration Fees: Families pay team fees for participation in the full-season Tier II program. A $400 commitment fee is collected when a player accepts their roster spot through automated billing in Crossbar.
2. Fundraising - Digital Discount Cards: Vertical Raise partnership selling $25 digital discount cards featuring over 775,000 deals nationwide. 70% of sales redirect back to the program, with 100% of family proceeds applied to travel bills and fees.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support the nonprofit organization through various tiers including team sponsors (logo on jerseys, banners), website sponsors, event sponsors, and player sponsors.
4. Donations: Individual donations accepted, particularly for the Bill Latvala Memorial Hockey Scholarship fund. Options include electronic check and debit/credit card payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Thunderbirds Hockey Club runs a full-season Tier II competitive youth hockey program at 12U, 14U, and 16U age levels, fielding AA teams that practice 2-3 times per week and play 40-65 games across league play, NAPHL showcases, and tournaments. The offering is centered on ice-time membership, coaching, competitive game exposure to college and junior scouts, and supporting services such as recruiting coordination, scholarships, fundraising, and billeting for relocating players.

Product overview

The Thunderbirds Hockey Club operates as a single-tier youth hockey organization centered on its Tier II competitive hockey program. The core product consists of full-season 12U, 14U, and 16U AA teams competing in NAPHL showcase events. Supporting services include recruiting coordination through Elite Prospects and MyHockeyRankings, scholarship programs (Bill Latvala Memorial Scholarship, Center Ice Foundation Scholarship), digital fundraising via Vertical Raise, a billeting program for relocating players, and a new alumni game tradition. The program emphasizes character development, academic achievement, and advancement pathways to higher-level hockey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tier II Youth Hockey Program
• College & Junior Recruiting Services
• Thunderbirds Alumni Game
• Billeting Program
• Vertical Raise Digital Discount Card Fundraiser
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 players advanced to NCAA hockey programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brice Hockey DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026Transformative partnership uniting two organizations committed to elevating youth hockey performance and long-term athlete growth. Collaboration brings together Thunderbirds' club culture with Brice Hockey Development's elite training methodology. Joint program includes new training camps, in-season development sessions, and performance-tracking tools. First camp held March 20-22, 2026 at OhioHealth Chiller North. Brice Hockey Development has served over 700+ athletes.
• Vertical RaiseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 June 2024Digital fundraising partnership offering discount cards with 775,000+ deals nationwide. Each team conducts a 21-day virtual fundraiser selling $25 digital cards with GPS-activated deals. 70% of proceeds return to the program, with 100% of family sales credited to their accounts.
• Center Ice FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides scholarship opportunities for players demonstrating financial need. The foundation is developing a Central Ohio health, wellness, sports and recreation district including ice rinks. SISU Thunderbirds encourages families needing financial assistance to apply for Center Ice Foundation Hockey scholarships.
• OhioHealth Chiller Ice RinkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary facility provider for practices and home games. Multiple Chiller locations around Columbus used including Easton, North, and Ice Works facilities. Some teams use Battery Academy for small ice skills sessions and film review.
• North American Prospect Hockey League (NAPHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU14 AA and U16 AA teams compete in NAPHL schedule and showcase events. NAPHL provides exposure to junior and collegiate scouts through organized showcase events in Boston, Blaine (MN), Detroit (MI), and Marlborough (MA).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ohio Blue Jackets Youth Hockey: Central Ohio Tier II/AA youth hockey club competing in similar NAPHL/MYHockey circuits. Comparable in scale, age-tier structure, and target demographic of competitive Central Ohio youth hockey families.
• Dayton Stealth Hockey: Ohio-based amateur youth hockey club competing against SISU Thunderbirds in MCHL and 12U/14U tournaments. Direct peer in shared geography and Tier II competitive positioning.
• Cleveland Barons Youth Hockey: Ohio-based Tier II/travel hockey organization offering similar AA-level age-tier programs and showcase participation. Closest direct peer given shared geography, Tier positioning, and target audience of competitive youth hockey families in Ohio.

Broad incumbents

• Compuware Youth Hockey: Michigan Tier I/AAA youth hockey program offering multiple age-tier teams with showcase participation. Comparable Midwest hockey development positioning though with broader scale and higher competitive tier.
• Chicago Mission AAA Hockey: Premier Midwest youth hockey program with multiple Tier I/AAA teams across age divisions. Comparable target market of competitive youth hockey families pursuing advancement, though at higher Tier and larger scale.
• Victory Honda Hockey Club: Michigan-based multi-tier youth hockey club with AAA teams across age divisions. Comparable Midwest showcase and Tier II/AAA competitive positioning, serving a similar target audience of competitive youth hockey families.
• Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club: Michigan-based, larger youth hockey organization operating multiple age tiers and showcase teams at higher competitive levels. Comparable in Midwest youth hockey positioning though operates at broader scale and Tier I/AAA level.
• Belle Tire Hockey: Michigan-based, larger multi-tier youth hockey program with extensive AAA teams and showcase circuit participation. Comparable Midwest Tier II/AAA positioning and youth development focus, though at significantly larger scale.
• Pittsburgh Penguins Elite: Western Pennsylvania youth hockey organization offering Tier I/II teams across multiple age tiers. Comparable showcase event participation and advancement pathway focus, with similar NAPHL exposure and Midwest tournament presence.

Regional players

• Madison Capitols Youth Hockey: Wisconsin-based youth hockey program with Tier I/II teams and similar NAPHL showcase participation. Comparable Tier II development model and Midwest regional footprint, though operating in a different geography than SISU Thunderbirds.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thunderbirds-hockey-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about thunderbirds hockey club