ARLINGTON, VA – The Washington Capitals hosted a Rising Stars Academy clinic on Sunday at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Rising Stars is a co-ed program established to provide elite skill development and mentorship for local hockey players of color. More than 100 participants between the ages of 9-17 participated in Sunday’s academy, which focused on physical and mental strength as well as social discussions around hockey culture. The Rising Stars Academy is offered at no cost to participants and is focused on travel players and high-level house players.

Tennessee State University ice hockey head coach Duante’ Abercrombie and Gonzaga College High School ice hockey coach Bryan King served as the Rising Stars Academy lead instructors. Former professional hockey player and Hockey Hall of Fame legend Angela James and former Adrian College (NCAA D3) defenseman and 2024 Capitals Development Camp participant Ayo Adeniye also participated in on-ice instruction.

Sunday’s clinic featured on- and off-ice sessions. Off-ice sessions focused on individual strength and fitness, teamwork strategy and mental health. In addition to instruction by Abercrombie and King, Capitals skating coach Wendy Marco led an on-ice session. Clinic attendees also participated in an off-ice session with Capitals strength & conditioning coach Zach Leddon.

Sequoia Austin, mental transformation coach and founder of Cycle Of Love Mindset Coaching, led a discussion on mental performance, overcoming obstacles and confidence. James and Pride Hockey Association executive director Kush Sidhu participated in a panel moderated by Capitals Black Hockey Committee member and Tucker Road Ducks Parent Hockey Organization president Alexandria Briggs-Blake.

The Sunday, Aug. 18, clinic marked the third Rising Stars Academy conducted by the Capitals. The inaugural Academy was held in August 2023, with participation by more than 100 athletes. Due to interest in Rising Stars, a second Rising Stars Academy event followed in February 2024 for an additional group of youth hockey players that did not participate in the August 2023 clinic.

The Rising Stars Academy is funded through the Washington Capitals Capital Impact Fund. In 2020 the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation created the Capital Impact Fund to provide grants to organizations that can assist in eliminating cost barriers faced by individuals of color in the hockey community. The fund aims to help minority youth players reach their greatest potential and create more equal playing fields for all.

Rising Stars Academy Instructor Biographies

Duante’ Abercrombie became the first head coach of a hockey program at a historically Black college or university in April when he was named head coach of the Tennessee State University ice hockey program. A member of the Capitals’ Black Hockey Committee, Abercrombie is an inaugural member of the National Hockey League Coaches’ Association’s BIPOC Coaches Program. He spent the 2022-23 season with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs organization as a member of the coaching staff for the Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies and the Newfoundland Growlers. In 2021, he was invited by the Arizona Coyotes to be a guest coach at their Rookie Development Camp and was also selected to participate in the Boston Bruins Scouting Mentorship Program. Prior to joining the Maple Leafs coaching staff, Abercrombie served in roles as Stevenson University’s assistant ice hockey coach and as the Washington Little Caps’ Director of Player Achievement. Abercrombie is also an alumnus of Gonzaga College High School, including winning multiple championships as a player and a coach. He also coached at Georgetown Preparatory School, and in his first year, he helped lead his team to its first IAC Championship. At the age of six, Abercrombie began playing hockey with the Fort Dupont Cannons at Washington D.C.’s Fort Dupont Ice Arena.

Entering his sixth season at Gonzaga, Bryan King serves as a member of the Gonzaga Hockey community and Varsity II Head Coach, winning the A division Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League (MAPHL) championship in 2022, 2023, and 2024. A native of Washington, D.C., King concluded his playing career at LaSalle University. During his senior season, he played a pivotal role in guiding his team to a league championship and represented LaSalle Ice Hockey in the ACHA DII All Star games. With a deep connection to the D.C. metropolitan area hockey community, King transitioned to Gonzaga after contributing as an assistant coach in the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Program. Dedicated to the growth of hockey, King actively contributes to the continuous development of athletes across all levels. Notably, he has also participated as a panelist in the Washington Capitals Coaches Day, showcasing his expertise and commitment to the sport’s advancement.