The Learn-to-Skate program included with (New) Mini-Mite season begins Oct 15th. Mite 1, 2, and House U8 begin in October. Mite 3 and Travel U8 begin on Sept 23rd. The season ends early March with our Mite Jamboree.
The Mite Jamboree highlights the Mite program and lets the kids have a full weekend to enjoy all of the new skills they have developed throughout the season.
Mini-Mites and U6 Girls will have at least one hour of ice time each weekend from mid-November through mid-March. Most weekends the Mini-Mites will have ice time on both Saturdays and Sundays. The ice times will vary. There will also be Outdoor Pond hockey games once a week - usually Wednesday nights - as soon as outdoor ice becomes available.
All practices are voluntary. There is no attendance taken in Mini-Mite through Mite 2. Your child will benefit from maximum ice time, but there is no penalty for missed practices.
Mite 1, 2, & House U8 will have at least one hour of ice time each weekend from end-October through mid-March. Most weekends, they will have ice time on both Saturdays and Sundays. The ice times will vary. There will also be Outdoor Pond hockey games once a week, usually Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, as soon as outdoor ice becomes available.
Mite 3 and Travel U8 generally practice two hours per weekend, plus one weekday night per week at the beginning of the season. Practice times will vary. There will also be Outdoor Pond hockey games once a week, usually Thursday evenings, as soon as outdoor ice becomes available. Games will be played against other District Three teams throughout the season. There are usually 5-6 games in a 3 v. 3 format on half ice.
The ACYHA prides itself on the development of its coaches, players, and its hockey curriculum. Our goals are to teach all kids to skate, introduce them to the game of hockey, and most importantly have FUN. We do this in an environment that fosters the individual development of each player. We place kids at the most appropriate level based on their skill, allowing them to develop as hockey players at their own rate.
The overall emphasis in all the Mite Hockey Practices is FUN! We want to teach all the kids to love the game of hockey. The curriculum used for the practice for the Mite has been in place for 6 years. The on-ice curriculum has been repeated year after year, and it's proven to be effective. All the practices are a balance of skating drills, puck handling, competition drills, small area games, and, most importantly, pond hockey. All of these practices are led by qualified and certified parent coaches.
Pond Hockey is the way Mite Hockey Players learn the game the best. The rink is divided in 1/2 or 1/3’s with Border Patrols. The kids are split by skill level and then play a game of 3 on 3 or 4 on 4 hockey. There is no coaching and no stoppages of play. The pond hockey game teaches kids to score quickly and then get back on defense, just like we used to do at the Parks and Frozen Ponds of years past. This free flowing game teaches the kids to handle the puck, play with teammates, all in an unstructured environment. All kids in the ACYHA Mite program get an exposure to Pond Hockey beginning at Mini Mites and all the way to our highest level.