Greenwich Skating Club strives to have boys and girls develop a love for the game of hockey. Our programs are designed to generate self-esteem and good sportsmanship through skills development in a positive social environment, while also learning the value of sportsmanship and building character and self-esteem through athletic competition at varying levels.
The hockey programs are designed to foster children's growth throughout successive playing levels from mini mites to bantams. Our program is designed to be instructional in nature and to encourage each child to develop his/her hockey skills to the best of his/her ability within the context of the competitive nature of either house league or travel hockey.
Mini Mites (ages 3-6)
This program is designed for the younger player who is relatively new to hockey or is learning to skate and is interested in playing hockey.
Teaches the fundamentals of skating and an introduction to hockey in a game based environment.
Focus on basic skating skills (edge work, stopping, cross-overs and backward skating) as well as introduction to the basics of hockey such as passing, shooting, and stick handling.
Full hockey pads, helmets and sticks are required.
Practices are Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings and parent coaches are encouraged.
A cross-ice prime-time game is scheduled at the Skating Club once per year.
Mites (ages 6-8)
We have over 90 mites playing on 8 teams, including an all-girls team next season.
There are more than 25 coaches with a goal to have a 5 to 1 player to coach ratio. The head coaches are all ex-college/pro players.
All teams compete in the Chelsea Piers CT cross-ice mite league on Saturday or Sunday mornings.
Practices are station based, allowing more personal teaching, with focus on skating drills, following the USA hockey model. There is also a skills clinic available at Chelsea Piers on Thursday nights.
We have special guests including professional hockey players each month to teach power skating.
Our goal is to also have a 2 to 1 practice to game ratio also recommended by USA hockey over several years of youth development study.
Travel Teams (ages 9-14)
Our travel hockey program provides an environment in which players can learn and enjoy hockey while striving to compete at the highest level possible.
The teams compete in the Connecticut Hockey Conference, with the exception of the girls U10, U12B and U14B teams that compete in the Connecticut Girls Hockey League.
The program starts right after Labor Day and runs through February or March, depending on when the state tournaments for each age group are held.
Each team participates in 2-3 tournaments throughout the year, including the state tournament at the end of the season.
No practices or scheduled games over Thanksgiving or Christmas breaks but this is a great time to enjoy free hockey with friends!
Travel Development League- (ages 9-14)
Organized as a low-stress, fun program with a strong focus on skills development including backward skating, stickhandling and passing.
Teams practice twice weekly with games against other local teams on Sundays.
Games are organized to achieve a learning and recreational atmosphere featuring equal ice time for all and a spirited intramural competition amongst players of similar abilities.
