New to Hockey
Is the sport of hockey safe?
Yes. Hockey players wear more protective equipment than any other sport. A study has shown that ice hockey injuries ranked after both basketball and soccer in emergency room visits related to sport and recreational activities. Youth hockey is a different game than the NHL. With a different set of rules in place, youth hockey places a stronger emphasis on sportsmanship and friendly competition. Body Checking is not allowed prior to the Bantam level (age 13 & 14). THERE IS NEVER TOLERANCE FOR ANY MANNER OF FIGHTING.
Can my child try hockey without making a commitment?
Try Hockey for Free sessions are scheduled two times a year, generally in November and March. Check out the website TryHockeyForFree.com to see upcoming sessions. In addition, DHA typically offers a Hockey 101 session near the beginning of the season, typically in September. Watch our home page for upcoming sessions.
In addition, as mentioned above, our Learn to Play programs are broken into two segments so it isn't overwhelming for beginners and families aren't locked into a long season if hockey doesn't work out.
Which program should I sign up for?
DHA offers programs for players of all ages and abilities. If your child is age 9 or under, and has never played before, she or he should start with our Learn to Play program. We can often accommodate older kids in our Learn to Play programs, but keep in mind that most of the kids in Learn to Play are between 4 and 9 years old.
USA Hockey slots players by birth year. A player's age as of December 31 of the current season determines playing level:
8U (Mite) is for players who will be 8 years old or younger as of December 31 of the current season.
10U (Squirt) is for players who will be ages 9 and 10 as of December 31 of the current season.
12U (Pee Wee) is for players who will be ages 11 and 12 as of December 31 of the current season.
14U (Bantam) is for players who will be ages 13 and 14 as of December 31 of the current season.
High School: This age division is for all kids in grades 9 - 12 for the current school year. The DHA offers both Varsity and JV teams.
Where are practices/games held?
The DHA uses three area rinks: Kettering Ice Arena, NTPRD Chiller, and South Metro Sports.
Learn to Play meets once a week. Most other teams practice twice a week with games on the weekends. Practice times are usually pretty consistent, game times vary, and there may be weekends with no games.
How do I sign up?
Our Registration process typically starts during the Summer. Links to the Regular Season registration, as well as the Equipment Rental, Fall Warm-Up and Spring Hockey are on the Registration page of this site when registration for each of the respective programs is open. Note that your player will also need to register with USA Hockey and be issued a USA Hockey membership number in order to register with DHA. Links to do so are part of our registration process.