Learn to Play Hockey
Our introductory program for young skaters. First LTP season free for MCPASD kids!
3-6 Learn to Play
Registering on a Mobile Phone
Please note: You may find it easier to complete the registration process on a computer or tablet. If you are using your phone, please scroll to the bottom of this page (after reading it, of course) to access the registration links.
Program Overview
Learn-to-Play (LTP) is an introductory on-ice program designed for younger children with little to no skating experience. New players learn basic skating skills and build confidence through fun practices that focus on agility, balance, and coordination. LTP skaters generally practice once per weekend.
To provide families with flexibility, we offer several "seasons" of Learn to Play each year:
Summer 2026: June 21 - August 16 (no 4th of July weekend)
Autumn 2026: September 20 - November 15
Winter 2026: December 6 - February 28 (no Christmas weekend); there are generally 1-2 unavailable weekends at the rink in February due to tournaments
Spring 2027: March 14 - May 16 (no Easter)
Summer 2027: June 13 - August 15 (no 4th of July weekend)
We also have a program, Jumpstart!, for new 7- to 12-year-old skaters!
LTP players are grouped by skating development level and may be moved up to different groups as their skills improve during the season.
Read MoreAge-appropriate kids should consider moving up to 6U Termites hockey upon completing Learn-to-Play or upon demonstrating the skills and abilities needed to keep up with players and requirements at that level. We don't want our 6U coaches to have to teach an overwhelming number of first-time skaters.
How to Register your Skater
Kids in the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District can try skating and hockey for free! This offer is only for brand-new MYH skaters in the MCPASD. All other skaters must pay full price.
1) Register your player with USA Hockey. This is required annually.
2) Log into (or create) your family MYH CrossBar account.
3) Register your player for the season with MYH in CrossBar.
4) Download the free CrossBar mobile app (which pairs with our website and will provide access to schedules, communication tools, etc.) from your favorite mobile app store. Here are the links to the Apple Store version & Google Play version.
5) Sort equipment for the season. MYH offers a fantastic gear rental program. Locally, Play-it-Again Sports, Pure Hockey, Facebook Marketplace, and Sideline Swap are great places to start your search for new & used hockey gear.*
6) If you'd like other family members to receive MYH emails and access your skater's schedule & admin panel - create a CrossBar account for them and then link them to the account where you administer the youth hockey players in your family.
*All youth hockey players will need an approved neck protector this season due to USA Hockey changes - you must have this for the first practice.
Contact Info
Each of our hockey age levels has a volunteer director.
To contact Learn to Play's Age Level Director (ALD), please email:
LTP@middletonyouthhockey.com
For any other assistance, please email: info@middletonyouthhockey.com
Program Fees
Each 2-month season is $100 per skater for MCPASD kids. Rental gear requires a separate registration and a deposit that is fully refunded upon returning the gear at the end of your session or season. A season is $160 per skater for non-MCPASD kids.
Brand-new skaters from the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District receive their first season for free!
Hockey Locations
Practices are held at Bob Suter's Legacy20 Arena in Middleton (aka Capitol Ice Arena) with the possibility of a practice at another local rink as needed (rarely).
Hockey Games?
Learn-to-Play hockey doesn't feature competitive hockey games against other local clubs. When your little hockey player is ready for that next step, we've built our Learn-to-Play and 6U Cross-Ice schedules to provide opportunities to move up into 6U Cross-Ice.
Read MoreThe opportunities to move up to Cross-Ice will be:
After LTP Back-to-School - at the end of October.
After LTP Early Winter - at the New Year.
**We don't want our Cross-Ice coaches to have to teach too many first-time skaters, so we try to ensure our LTP skaters can demonstrate fundamental competencies before they move up.**
Rental Equipment
Do you have young athletes interested in playing ice hockey, but don't want to commit to buying all the expensive gear? Take advantage of our gear rental program for our youngest skaters!
Other Costs?
We're proud to offer the first season for free, but your skater will need to register with USA Hockey to skate. These costs are generally pretty low for the youngest skaters. Additionally, rental gear will require a deposit, but you'll get it back after the gear is returned at the end of the season.
Coaching & Volunteering
THIS PART IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT:
The Middleton Youth Hockey Club only functions due to the hard work and energy of our volunteers. Our parents, coaches, managers, board members, and other unpaid volunteers are what keep quality ice hockey happening for Middleton kids.
Read MoreAll of our programs, from Learn to Play to high-school-aged kids, need volunteer hockey coaches. If you've played hockey or skated before, Learn-to-Play provides a great opportunity to get started as a Middleton Youth Hockey coach. If you haven't skated much or played hockey, it's a fantastic low-pressure opportunity to get onto the ice with your little hockey player and see if coaching could be a fit for you as you both improve your skills.
Coaching isn't for everyone, though. That doesn't mean we don't want your help or that we don't have a great volunteering opportunity for you!
We understand that your families are super busy. We know hockey is expensive. We understand that you work, run a household, care for family members, volunteer elsewhere, and so much more! If you can find a few extra hours during the hockey season (or off-season) to help us improve Middleton Youth Hockey, we would love to know more about you. Please tell us a little about what interests you, so we can better serve our hockey players and our community! Email info@middletonyouthhockey.com to learn more. Thank you!
You can learn more about volunteering with Middleton Youth Hockey here.
Frequently Asked Questions
My athlete doesn't know how to skate...
Great! We're here to teach them how to skate!
How many LTP seasons should we register for?
Each year, we offer multiple seasons of LTP to provide our members with flexible options. While many kids skate multiple seasons, it isn't required. Our coaches will continually assess your skater's development and their ability to execute core competencies as defined by USA Hockey.
If your new skater is 5- or 6-years-old and feels really comfortable after some Learn to Play, we like to encourage kids to try the next step up with 6U Termites (5 & 6 years) for the remainder of the hockey season.
My child is older than 6 years but wants to play hockey. What can we do?
That's amazing! Our Jumpstart! program is for new 7- to 12-year-old skaters.
Autumn 2026
Learn to Play - Autumn: Sundays from September 20th through November 15th of 2026.
Your players must be registered with USA Hockey before completing any MYH registration.
Note: we also offer Jumpstart! for new 7 to 12-year-old skaters!
Register
