Mighty Mites is a co-ed introductory level for players born between 6/1/2017 – 5/31/2019 (i.e. generally Pre-K and Kindergarten), but may also be the right fit for any beginner player 8 or under with minimal to no skating or ice hockey experience. If generally a two-year program for those who begin in Pre-K.
Within the Mighty Mite program, we do host a girls-only team (dependent on even coach resource allocation). If this interests your family, please select 6U Girls during registration.
Mighty Mite curriculum starts with USA Hockey Learn to Play instruction, then introduces basic hockey skills as the season progresses. Coaches use station based drills that get players to build their agility, balance and coordination on skates in a fun way. Games of freeze tag, sharks and minnows, clean your room, and ships across the ocean are also common. Plenty of hockey is mixed into practices as well. In the second half of the season, coaches organize “game days" where the ice will be split into thirds and teams will play cross-ice games of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 against each other.
Ice times are usually an hour long, most Saturdays AND Sundays beginning the first weekend in November through early March. In total, expect about 32 ice times. Most ice times are at Parade Ice Garden.
Registration for Mighty Mites typically starts in August and remains open through the end of October. Teams are formed the first week of November. Team formation is determined with the following considerations: 1) separating first year players from second year players, 2) equal distribution of coaching resources and team sizes, 3) grouping players by school affiliation. Players may also request one friend to be paired with, if desired (Friend Request Form).
Required Equipment
Each must player must wear the following equipment whenever on the ice:
HECC-approved helmet with full face guard and chin strap (place a piece of masking tape on the helmet with your child’s name on it so the coaches can call him/her by name during practice)
Mouth guard
Shoulder pads
Elbow pads
Hockey gloves
Protective cup (boys) or pelvis protector (girls)
Shin pads
Breezers/hockey pants
Skates
Hockey stick (must have an enclosed butt end)
In addition to the required equipment above, we strongly recommend that you provide your player with the additional following equipment:
Neck guard
Water bottle (with long straw to fit through face guard and labeled with player’s name on it)
Bag to carry equipment
Skate guards
You will receive the following from Storm Hockey:
Storm jersey
Hockey socks
Rental of some of the equipment is available for Mighty Mite players. Contact equipment@mplshockey.com for more information.
More Resources
Go to http://newtohockey.com/hockey-equipment-buying-guide-for-kids/ for a good explanation of each piece of hockey equipment, so you understand why it's necessary and how it should fit on your child.
Great information on hockey stick basics are at http://usahockey.cachefly.net/Coaching/AppMaterials/SkillsAndDrills/OffIce/PuckAndSkillControlDetails.mp4.
If you have a question about the Mighty Mite program, please contact our Mite Team.