Players wear pink to support a campaign to increase breast cancer awareness. (Kevin Light/CBC Sports)

It's 11 a.m. on Saturday and as usual the MacDonald family pulls into the driveway of the Kanata Recreation Complex for a hockey game. But today is different.

Twelve-year-old Kenny, who plays for the Kanata Cyclones minor hockey team, jumps out of the car, grabs his bag and heads to the locker room, followed by his father and coach Jeff MacDonald, who is carrying a larger than usual clothing bag.

Kenny walks into the locker room, pulls out his hockey gear and after a few high fives, asks for some hockey tape. Some of the other players pass him a roll, but it's not the regular white or black hockey tape that he's used to. This holiday season, it's pink.

Members of the Cyclones team have been taping their hockey sticks pink. On the other side of the room, coach MacDonald unzips his clothing bag and along with the other coaches, who are making good on a lost bet, carefully slips on a floor-length pink dress, fully equipped with spaghetti straps and sequins.

This pink display is the team's way to recognize the support the players receive from their dedicated moms all season long. They are 'pushing pink' to raise awareness and money for breast cancer.

It's all about the moms

They've been supporting charities for three years, and this year they have initiated the 'Proud to be Pink Challenge' in support of breast cancer, which is why coach MacDonald was willing to don a sexy pink number instead of his usual hockey garb.

"We have a strong base of hockey moms driving kids to 6 a.m. practices all week, and breast cancer is something that has touched everyone," said Chantal MacDonald, Cyclone team manager and hockey mom.

The coaches motivated the team by sweetening the pot with a friendly wager. If the team was able to raise $1,000 by December 13, the coaches would wear pink dresses behind the bench on that day's game.

"All along we knew we were toast," said coach MacDonald. "I was surprised they raised it so quickly. One guy brought in $30 saying this is his last two week's allowance."

Other revenue streams include outside donations and report card pledges where people donate a dollar amount for every letter grade received on a player's report card.

To date, the Cyclones have exceeded that $1,000 goal, raising $3,392 with money still coming in.

Twelve-year-old assistant captain Kyle Mayer has contributed $175, the largest amount so far.

"We wanted to pick a cause that honoured women, and the moms on our team get up early and sit in the cold arenas and cheer us on, and it would just really bad if one of the moms actually got this disease," he said.

Mayer, who has raised his money by going door to door and giving up his allowance, has learned that awareness is a big part of helping the breast cancer cause. "I have learned that's it's a very serious disease and many people can get it, so we really have to participate in helping the cause," he said.

Mayer has also been impressed with the attention their pink sticks bring when they play other teams. "They like the pink too and they want to do it," he said.

This is but one act of goodwill happening at hockey rinks this season. This Christmas, the Bedford and District Minor Hockey Association in Nova Scotia will be giving Brett King his very own hockey sledge so he can participate in the Dartmouth Sled Hockey League.

The gift of hockey

An avid hockey fan, 19-year-old King "loves hockey so much that sometimes he cheers for both teams" says his brother Erin, who played for and later coached the Bedford Blues.

Brett, who has been watching his brother play hockey since he was seven years old, has cerebral palsy, which limits his ability to walk. It has made playing hockey impossible - until now.

He will receive a modified sledge, adapted for his limited upper body strength, giving him the freedom to play sledge hockey without any assistance.

These sledges don't come cheap, either. Brett's is worth $650.

Todd Watson, president of The Bedford and District Minor Hockey Association, said the King family has contributed to the Bedford Blues for many years - and the "unanimous" decision to help them out by purchasing a sledge for Brett is something the association "just wanted to do."

His sledge is set to arrive before Christmas, and his brother says he's excited to see Brett score some goals. "I'm going to be cheering him on, just like he cheered me on."

Hockey is Kid Sport's number one

In British Columbia, more than 200,000 kids have been helped in their quest to play hockey thanks to Kid Sport, a non-profit organization that gives boys and girls the gift of sport all year long.

According to Kid Sport's executive director Pete Quevillon, since its inception in 1993, the organization has "allocated almost half a million dollars out to kids playing hockey across the province in $200 grants." Quevillon says hockey is "our number one sport in terms of allocations that have gone out to kids over the years."

Barry Petrachenko, executive director of BC Hockey, says that Kid Sport provides " a great way for our kids who wouldn't otherwise be able to play the game to get that opportunity."

In an effort to help Kid Sport generate as much funding as possible, BC Minor Hockey has initiated its own wristband drive among its hockey teams this holiday season. Similar to the livestrong bracelet made popular by Lance Armstrong, the five dollar black wristbands with yellow writing, "so all kids can play" are being sold at hockey games and tournaments.

Pete Quevillon noted that all of the proceeds from the campaign will be fully dedicated to providing assistance for kids wanting to play hockey.