“We’re a predominantly white male sport,” Hoffman said. “I think there’s a need to diversify our sport and to try to do some things differently.

“I think it begins at the top in terms of, you’ve got to be visible, and I think your deeds and the things that you do have to be meaningful, and then you have to follow through.”

Hoffman reached out to Miley, who he learned about from HPOC Movement participating in the Amerigol LATAM Cup, and spoke with Stephanie Jackson, USA Hockey’s director of diversity and inclusion, about doing something in the Raleigh area.

“And really the rest is history,” Jackson said. “We at USA Hockey curated this between HPOC Movement and the affiliate. Because we curated it, it was only natural that we said, ‘We’ll put up the majority of the money for this.’

“When we had the inaugural weekend last year, we bankrolled the entire thing,” Jackson said. “This year, we worked with CAHA to actually get sponsors. The Hurricanes have come through with some money along with some local organizations. This really was an idea that came out of an affiliate. “We’re glad the relationship between CAHA and HPOC Movement has remained strong.”

So is Cassidhe Wozniak. A former forward for Worcester State University’s NCAA Division III women’s hockey team, Wozniak was a counselor at the camp, putting attendees through their paces on the ice.

“I was running a drill,” she said, “and I asked the kids if they wanted to go 1-on-1 against the coaches and they were so excited because they want to go out there and prove to us their skills and how good they are.

“At the end of the camp, they’re all giving us high-fives, saying they can’t wait to see us next year,” Wozniak said.

“I plan on going back, too.”