LEARN TO PLAY HOCKEY

Once your child has the learned to skate, they now have the ability to move onto your local rinks Learn to Play Hockey (LTPH) Program. Most organized programs in the United States follow USA Hockey's American Development Model (ADM) for youth hockey. ADM emphasizes learning the game instead of a win-at-all-costs approach.


By focusing on the kids learning the game appropriately and most importantly, keeping the game fun, it provides multiple results.

1.It increases player retention. By keeping the game fun instead of a hyper-competitive atmosphere, young children find the game more enjoyable and tend to stick with it longer. They are just kids after all.

2.Too often kids are rushed into full game settings with not enough practice time. What this does is fail to address the importance of solid fundamentals and doesn't allow the coaches and players work on improving their base skills.

If you want to throw your child into a "win-at-all costs" environment when they are 4-6 years old, then an ADM Program may not be the best for your child.


LTPH programs build off of the skills learned in the LTS program. Again, learning to skate properly and effectively is the single most important factor in developing a youth hockey player and those lessons are extended into LTPH.


In most LTPH Programs, full equipment is required. I will be brutally honest with you. Hockey is not the cheapest sport your child can play, but there are ways (especially early on) to minimize the cost so it doesn't break the bank. As your kid is seemingly growing an inch a month, they can grow out of their equipment in a heartbeat, so don't worry about buying the best of the best when they are just getting started. There are also retailers that sell used hockey equipment.


Here's an itemized list of hockey gear your child will need for their first practice in order to get an idea of cost. Please note that none of these are what I would consider the best hockey equipment available. You don't want to buy the cheapest set of equipment you can find but something that reasonable affordable. If you buy the cheapest equipment you can find, it will likely fall apart pretty quickly.


Bauer Vapor X3.0 Yth. Ice Hockey Skate

Bauer 4500 Hockey Helmet w/ Face Cage

Bauer Vapor APX Yth. Composite Hockey Stick

Bauer Vapor Lil' Rookie Yth. Hockey Gloves

Bauer Vapor Lil' Rookie Yth. Hockey Equipment Combo

Bauer Vapor Lil' Rookie Yth. Hockey Pants

Misc (bag, jock, socks, undergarments, etc)


The total should be roughly $300-$325. You might be able to find a package a little cheaper and you definitely can buy gear much more expensive, but I'd consider this a quality starter package. It can't be stressed enough that you probably don't want your child to wear the cheapest gear available. Cheap skates typically aren't as comfortable and can wear out quickly. Cheap helmets and pads don't offer as much padding therefore can be very dangerous.


Again, there's nothing wrong with buying some used equipment during these early years. Before you freak out by the price, please note that many youth programs offer financial assistance to families under certain income levels. If you live on a strapped budget, I recommend doing some fact finding in this regard. Also, some programs have grants that allow them to purchase equipment that they can loan to you for free. The cost of the LTPH programs tend to run right around the LTS programs. $100 for 8 sessions tends to be the average.


Once your child is geared up and ready to step on the ice they will learn how to skate with the equipment on. They'll begin to introduce puck handling drills, basic rules of the game, and towards the end of the program they may introduce a few VERY basic plays. Once the instructors feel your child has a grasp of those key points, they'll typically suggest that they get ready to play in their house league. If the instructors feel your child is in need of more lessons, they'll be the first to tell you. A lot of times they'll offer a few one-on-one sessions in order to get your child ready for the house leagues.