Why play hockey?
Not every kid is cut out to play baseball, football, or soccer. Not every kid can sit quietly in class, fold their arms, and "behave" - Hockey is for the kids who have that spark inside of them that pushes them to be just a little bit different, and for some....very different. For us, the outsiders, the cast away, the kid with no country, the jock, the athlete, the nerd, the "freak", the lost kid......belongs on the ice, with a stick in their hand and a puck in their helm.
Benefits of hockey
Hockey is a high intensity sport that requires individual skill as well as cooperative team work. Among many other things, Hockey will teach:
- Agility and Balance
- Discipline and Honor
- Fueling Cardio Health
- Improving Mental Approach
- Building Muscles
- Communication Skills
- Helping kids discover who they are as individuals
- Teaching them to work in a group Setting
- Making Life Long Friendships
- Learn Responsibility, teamwork, respect, dedication, and hard work
- And most importantly, HAVING FUN
Who can play hockey?
Hockey is a coed sport. Both boys and girls find rewards from playing ice hockey at an early age. We encourage girls to come out and learn the love of hockey. As hockey may seem intimidating, our coaching staff and volunteers do their best to ensure this is a fun and safe sport for all who participate. Please keep in mind that hockey is a collision sport, and take necessary precautions such as always wearing safety gear.
All ages are welcome to come join us on the ice.
Each group is split up amongst accurate ages and teams just like any other recreational sport.
The new age classifications are as follows:
- U8 Age Category: 6 to 8
- U10 Age Category: 9 to10
- U12 Age Category: 11 to 12
- U14 Age Category: 13 to 14
High School Age Category: 15 to 18
Any high school-age child will be invited to participate on our high school hockey team, Southern Utah Independent.
Separate information is available for the high school team.
Should your kid play hockey?
Here are five compelling reasons your child should play hockey:
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Hockey Health Benefits – Thanks to cell phones, video games, and various forms of social media, modern kids are not as active as previous generations of kids, resulting in a rise in childhood obesity. Skating is a proven exercise for anyone at any age, helping to enhance an individual’s agility, balance, and leg strength. And skating speed—the fast pace of a hockey game—helps promote fitness by improving a player’s endurance.
Overcoming Adversity – There is a lot of life in hockey. Getting scored against. Getting knocked down. Being called for a penalty. It’s a sport of ups and downs, allowing second chances for players to make up for any previous mistakes on their next shift. Hockey also teaches players to work together and support their teammates.
Respecting Others – At the end of each youth match, no matter the score, players from both teams line up at center ice, shake hands, and congratulate each other for a good effort. That’s an important life skill for every child to learn.
Being Part of a Team – Communication, encouragement, and passing are big elements of being part of a hockey team. The sport has proven to be an effective way for youngsters to learn about bonding and working together for a common goal.
Developing a Solid Work Ethic – With limited ice time to practice—most practices are about an hour—youth hockey coaches teach their players to skate hard, whistle to whistle. With little time to waste, players finish one drill and quickly prepare for the next.
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Life isn’t fair. But the ability to deal with sudden changes often helps individuals deal with life’s ups and downs. Hockey for kids gives youngsters a jumpstart to succeeding as adults.