Learn to Play Hockey
Our introductory program for our youngest skaters. First session & rental gear free!
Learn to Play (Beginner)
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) hockey is an introductory on-ice program designed for younger children with little to no skating experience. New players learn basic skating skills and are introduced to hockey through fun, engaging practices. Players are grouped (approximately) by skating and hockey ability and may be moved to different groups as their skills improve during sessions.
To provide families with flexibility, we offer three short sessions of Learn to Play each winter:
Session 1 - Back-to-School (Sept 13 to Oct 26)
Session 2 - Early Winter (Nov 9 to Dec 21)
Session 3 - Late Winter (Jan 4 to Feb 22)
We recommend that LTP skaters be ages 3 to 8. Age-appropriate kids can move up to 8U Mite or 6U Cross-Ice hockey upon completion of Learn-to-Play or upon demonstrating the skills and abilities needed to keep up with those age-level players and requirements. We don't want our 8U mite coaches to have to teach many first-time skaters.
We want new kids to try hockey, so the first session your new skater participates in, including rental hockey gear, is completely free!
Register your Skater
If you have a new skater to register, please email our LTP Director before registering to introduce yourself and request a website code so your skater's first session with us can be free! This offer is only for new skaters.
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. 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
The Season: 3 Sessions
To provide families with flexibility, we offer three short sessions of Learn to Play each winter:
Session 1 - Back-to-School (September & October)
Session 2 - Early Winter (November & December)
Session 3 - Late Winter (January & February)
We offer three separate sessions that run from early fall through late winter. Practices are generally held on Saturday mornings. Skaters are on the ice once per week, and no practices are scheduled on holiday weekends.
Dates & Times
Winter Session 3 is nearly finished. Check back for future sessions.
All practices will be held at Suter Legacy20 rink in Middleton.
Program Fees
Each session is $50 per skater. Rental gear requires a deposit that is entirely returned to you upon returning the gear at the end of your session or season.
Brand-new skaters are offered their first session for free! To request your new-skater discount code, please email our Learn-to-Play ALD, Nate Raulin, prior to registering your new skater. He'll send you a discount code to use during registration.
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 offer 6U Cross-Ice hockey. We've built our Learn-to-Play and Cross-Ice schedules to provide an opportunity to move up into Cross-Ice at the December holiday break to join the second half of the Cross-Ice season. The opportunities to move up to Cross-Ice will be:
After LTP Session 1 - at the end of October.
After LTP Session 2 - at the New Year.
To learn more about moving up to Cross-Ice hockey, please contact our Cross-Ice ALD.
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 aimed at our youngest skaters!
Read MoreHow much does the gear loan program cost?
A $150 deposit is required for a youth gear bag for the season. A portion of that $150 deposit, depending upon your player's age, will be returned to you at the end of the season once the rental gear is returned to MYH.
Learn-to-Play: Your full $150 deposit will be refunded.
What hockey gear is included in our gear loan program?
- Shin pads, hockey pants, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, helmet.
- All programs include practice jerseys.
What gear is not included in the gear loan program?
- Skates, hockey tape, hockey socks to go over shin pads, hockey shorts or garter to hold up hockey socks.
- Hockey stick (should be cut to the height of your player's nose when standing barefoot)
These essential items can generally be purchased at Play-It-Again Sports, Dick's, Gold Medal Sports, Pure Hockey, or other online hockey retailers.
How do I sign up and receive the gear for my skater?
Select the rental gear option during your player registration process. You will be contacted prior to the season with gear pick up time options. We strongly encourage you to bring your hockey player along to gear pickup to ensure proper fit of all equipment. Our storage unit is at Tuck-A-Way storage, 2315 Pinehurst (just south of Suter's Legacy20 Ice Arena).
What if I have gear questions?
Any questions regarding hockey gear or jerseys can be directed to our Equipment Director.
Other Costs?
We're proud to offer the first session 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
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.
All 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!
Read MoreWe 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 think that you might be able to 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 or excites you when you think about volunteering to improve our ability to serve our hockey players and our community! Email president@middletonyouthhockey.com to learn more. Thank you!
You can learn more about volunteering with Middleton Youth Hockey here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sessions should we register for?
We offer three sessions to provide flexible options. While many kids skate all three sessions - it isn't required or anything. If your new skater is four to seven-years-old and feels really comfortable after the first or second session, we like to encourage kids to try the next step up with Cross-Ice for the remainder of that season.
Session 3: Late Winter
This registration is for Learn to Play Session 3 which runs from January 4 to February 22.
Your players must be registered with USA Hockey before completing any MYH registration.
Register
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