Any hockey moms (or dads)- need some input

[LarsMal]

DS (just turned 5) has been skating for 9 months now. He passed all of the Snowplow Sam classes he needed before he could start the Mini Mites program. He just started last week and LOVES it.

There are kids in the program who have clearly been skating a lot longer than he has as well as a few who have done the program before. DS is definitely one of the 3 slowest skaters and is just getting used to using the stick. The coaches, IMO, are teaching to the top. They aren't really showing the newbies how to do anything. They just tell them, demonstrate, and then they're on their own. They cheer on the "good" players and don't pay much attention to anyone else. I guess the kids will eventually figure it out, but I thought the coaches would break them into groups and work with the different levels.

What has your experience been at this level? Is this normal or should I mention something to the coach? I don't want to seem like a whiner, but it's not cheap, and I think for what we're paying ALL the kids should get attention, not just the really good ones!

Also, what can *I* do to help DS? I am taking him to more open skates so he can get ice time. I have him chase me around the ice and try to catch me. Should I sign him up for hockey skating or is it really just about getting time on the ice? I'm not trying to be a crazy sports mom, but I just want to make sure he can at least hang with the middle of the pack and not get left behind.

TIA!

[mom2binsd]

My DS is 4 he was in MiniMites last year, and at the beginning couldn't do much at all.

DS is on the ice an hour during the week and an hour on Sat. Most of the time it is drills, activities, skating, etc. Some cross ice games and toward the end more "full ice" games. I'd ask the program director/head coach for suggestions and gently voice your concerns....the world of hockey/politics can be weird depending on the organization.

Our JR. Hockey Program has 'teams' that have 4 coaches for each (most of the coaches are dads of the kids in the program). Luckily there were about 2 other real beginners like DS, and they were so patient with all of them. We are fortunate that the program here is run by a great guy and the parents/coaches have been awesome. They were super patient with DS. It helps that DH knows many of the guys and was involved with the pro team here (not as a player).

Extra time during open skate is important, have him wear all of his equipment too (our open skate doesn't allow sticks though.)

Do they have "stick and puck"- it's a extra time that kids go out there, maybe see if there's a dad who takes his son and if he'd be willing to take your DS with him.

Do you have a net at home....we've had one in our family room since DS was 2, his request. He wears his hockey gloves and has an inside stick and sponge puck and probably takes about 200 shots a day...the kid has a killer sapshot!

He should be getting his USA hockey Magazine soon, when you sign up with USA hockey they send it for free...DS loves getting his own mail!

The hockey pictures are cool too- see attachment. DS was still 3 in this pic and said he didn't smile cause big boy hockey players don't smile for their pictures.

[mom2binsd]

Do you mind me asking how much you pay- ours is 149 for Oct-March 2x week.

Spring and Summer sessions are about 70 for 6 weeks.

[LarsMal]

Do you mind me asking how much you pay- ours is 149 for Oct-March 2x week.

Spring and Summer sessions are about 70 for 6 weeks.

That picture is too cute! I have some good ones of DS, too.

I want to say we pay something like $190 for seven 1 hour sessions.

[GonnaBeNana]

This is my 11 y.o. DD's 4th year on an all girl's traveling team. She started on the 8U team (equivalent to Mini Mites). They sent home a note from school offering a free, week long camp to any interested girls and she wanted to go. Before the camp, she could skate forward a bit, and mostly used the walls to stop. She couldn't skate and hold a stick at the same time and she definitely couldn't skate backward at all. By the end of the week, she could do all that. Her first year, she was definitely #16 of the 16 girls on the team. She took a week long camp that summer and roller bladed a lot too. When she came back the 2nd year, she was one of the top 3 players. She does NOT have a natural talent for the game, but she works hard, and she LOVES it! I grew up in FL, and before she started, I could barely spell hockey;). Now I'm on the board for her team.

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on how good they are at this level. Is he having fun? Does he enjoy the sport? You can work with him outside of practice to build basic skills too. Get or make a small area he can shoot pucks into and let him practice shooting a ball (hockey ball or tennis ball is fine) into the net. Have him practice controlling the ball with his stick; making it go where he wants it to go. Practice skating all he can too. Set up some cones (or anything else) and let him practice skating in and out of them; with and without a stick/puck.

I'd talk to the coach about his coaching philosophies and how he works with ALL the players. Does he work one-on-one with players if asked? You might also look for a HS kid who plays who's willing to work with him a bit. This might be too much at this level. A lot depends on your DS's level of interest.

On a side note, another poster asked about costs. It's not cheap! Our traveling team is $450/season for my DD's age, plus equipment, travel, tournament fees, hotels, etc. Pre-season camp is $100 for 7/1-hr. sessions. The coaches for camp are all from our college men's hockey program (one of the best in the nation). We love it though as it's a great family time and all our players and parents get along great. Thank God she didn't grow much this year and all of her equipment still fits!

Beth

[LarsMal]

Is he having fun? Does he enjoy the sport? You can work with him outside of practice to build basic skills too. Get or make a small area he can shoot pucks into and let him practice shooting a ball (hockey ball or tennis ball is fine) into the net. Have him practice controlling the ball with his stick; making it go where he wants it to go. Practice skating all he can too. Set up some cones (or anything else) and let him practice skating in and out of them; with and without a stick/puck.

I'd talk to the coach about his coaching philosophies and how he works with ALL the players. Does he work one-on-one with players if asked? You might also look for a HS kid who plays who's willing to work with him a bit. This might be too much at this level. A lot depends on your DS's level of interest.

On a side note, another poster asked about costs. It's not cheap! Our traveling team is $450/season for my DD's age, plus equipment, travel, tournament fees, hotels, etc. Pre-season camp is $100 for 7/1-hr. sessions. The coaches for camp are all from our college men's hockey program (one of the best in the nation). We love it though as it's a great family time and all our players and parents get along great. Thank God she didn't grow much this year and all of her equipment still fits!

Beth

Yes and Yes! He loves it! I haven't said anything to him because he is having a great time. I just watch the practice and wish the coaches would spend some more time working with the newer players. I've talked to one of the coaches, who is a volunteer. He said I could bring DS to the open skate on a certain night of the week and he'd work with him- for free! His main coach is a big wig in the hockey world. SHE (I love it!) is awesome, but definitely a little intimidating (to me!).

Thanks for the other suggestions. We do have a net that he can practice with.

And cost- I want to live where you guys live! The league DS would be joining in a year or two (assuming he gets there) is $1000 for the season, and then equipment and whatever on top of that. And that's not a travel league. ugh...

[mom2binsd]

Luckily our youth league makes it really affordable, 2 hours a week for 6 months for 150.00. At the beginning of the season they also have a used equipment sale, don't buy new at this age....we also get free passes for free open skate too.

I'm also lucky, I'm Canadian and my nephews and all my friends back home have been stockpiling equipment and every piece of clothing with a hockey logo on it, each summer I return with tons of hockey stuff!!!

My DS just loves it, he fell down A LOT last year but not once did he complain, he didn't even seem to really notice, although sometimes he would just lie on the ice for awhile and stare at the lights....

DS loves all his equipment but is especially proud of his CUP....he begged me to let him take to preschool show and tell, I had him bring his jersey with his name on instead...

[smilequeen]

We started this summer, but I haven't put him in a league yet. For now, we're doing the Learn to Play program on Saturdays and we take him to open skate frequently. He loves it though and we'll end up signing up for the next league session.

So, for Learn to Play they do split the kids up, but sometimes they go by size, jersey color, etc. and sometimes they go by skill. So it seems to help my son to be around kids who can skate a little better b/c he has a strong desire to catch up. I haven't done the league, but I agree that at this age I would expect more attention too.

[jjjo1112]

My DS is turning 5 next week and in a mites development program this year. He is on the ice 2 x week for an hour for skills/drills sessions and then in November they will start playing cross-ice games on Sundays. The program is geared towards 2002, 2003 and 2004 kids but they take 2005 children that have passed some of the basic levels. My son is one of the youngest out there and you can tell when it comes to his attention span. He doesn't stay focused for as long as the older skaters. Most every drill is started with a demonstration by the coach or older skater and then the kids are expected to do it. The coaches watch the kids and will stop/work whoever needs help. There is a low coach/skater ratio but even so, one drill DS may get 1:1 instruction and the next one he might not. They always end the practice with a stick-free skating game. He really enjoys it and we figure that at this point ice-time is key.
As far as cost, we live outside of Boston and this program is 750 for Sept-March.

[mom2binsd]

Interesting how they break the ages down in different places...our Mini Mites are age 3-6, a 6 year old who is turning 7 during the season can play whichever is most appropriate.

We have on Travel Team that takes some 6 year olds, but IMO that's pretty young for a travel team, and who needs to be running all over the state (closest opponents are 1 hour away).