What are the different levels of Hockey?
Learn to Play: New skaters age 4 & up
Mite: Ages 5 - 8 years
Squirt: Ages 9 - 10 years
Peewee: Ages 11 - 12 years
Bantam: Ages 13 - 14 years
What level do I register my child at?
Hockey levels are based on birth year, not school grade. You will register your child for the program based on the year they were born (running January - December). The years are indicated during registration, so just follow the instructions and you will be good to go!
My kid has never skated before but wants to play. Are they too old to catch up?
If they're willing to learn, they can play! Many kids don't find out about hockey until their friends tell them about it in school. Ideally, you would want to start out around 5 or 6 years of age, but kids learn so fast that we have had 10 year olds that are new to the sport do very well their first season. The best thing to do is to contact us at info@dpyh.org and we can evaluate your kid to see where to best place them or give suggestions as to camps that might help them catch up.
My kid is younger and I'm not sure if I should put them in Learn to Skate or Learn to Play.
Both programs are meant for kids at least 4 years old.
Learn to Skate is exactly what it sounds like: a skating program based on the fundamentals of ice skating, taught for anyone who wants to skate (hockey, figure skating, speed skating). It covers the basics of standing on skates, skating, stopping, falling down and getting back up. This is for children that have never put on skates before.
If your kid has skated before and is good at basic skating, stopping, falling and getting back up, you can register them for Learn To Play, which focuses on hockey skills. In this program, your child will wear full hockey gear and use a stick. They will learn the fundamentals of hockey to get them ready for Mites.
I always hear that hockey is SO expensive. Can I afford it?
Hockey is more expensive than a community baseball team, for example, due to factors like the long season, the cost of ice time, and equipment needed. But when you factor in that the season is October through March, you are really getting a good value for your money.
DPYH offers payment plans to spread the program fee throughout the season, and also offers fundraising programs to earn money towards your fees throughout the year. For example, the average family earns over $500 a year just buying what they usually buy (gas, groceries, etc.) using the RaiseRight gift card fundraising program. You can even buy them online and use virtual cards to pay for things in the store by scanning your smartphone screen.
Is there a lot of equipment involved? Where can I buy it?
For Learn to Play and Mite players, the following equipment is available for use during the season: shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin pads, breezers, socks, skates, and stick. They will need to provide their own helmets, mouth guards, and sport cup.
Squirt , Peewee, and Bantam players will need to provide all of their own equipment.
All levels of players will have practice and game jerseys provided for them.
For more information on Equipment, please visit this link: http://www.usahockey.com/newparents
You can buy equipment at many locations in town, such as Dick's Sporting Goods or Play It Again Sports, and many families head to EJ Arena Sports in Appleton.
My kid wants to play hockey but I have never played and know nothing about it. Help!
You are not alone! There are many first-time families that have happened upon the sport and it has become a part of their life. Since the season is long, you really become a part of a community.
You can request a Mentor family to guide you through your first year: this can be done during registration (or anytime after by reaching out to a Board Member). You will also find that many other parents are willing to help--they were probably in your shoes once!
Other resources include the USA Hockey website that has a New Parents section to get you started: http://www.usahockey.com/newparents.
Where will my kid practice and have games?
Practices and home games will either be at De Pere Ice Arena (1450 Fort Howard Ave, De Pere) or Cornerstone Community Center (1640 Fernando Drive, Ashwaubenon). Out of town game locations will be given to you by your Team Manager.
My daughter is interested in hockey. Do a lot of other girls play?
Hockey is a great sport for girls! While we don't have a separate Girls Hockey Team, there are usually a few girls on each team and they have no problems keeping up! There is a lot to be said for co-ed teams and having all the kids play together. Many girls start in our program and transition to the all-girls program run by Green Bay, and we are happy to discuss pros and cons of this transition.
If you have any questions about your daughter playing hockey, please email us at info@dpyh.org and we can get you in touch with another family that has a daughter in the program that you can talk to.
