Try Learn To Skate for Free
-
Come to any session / any lesson (arrive at least 15 minutes before ice time)
-
Equipment: skates, helmet, and gloves (a bike helmet and any protective gloves will work to try a session of Learn to Skate) are required at a minimum to try Learn to Skate.
Enrolling in Learn To Skate/Learn To Play
-
Registration and payment:
For the registration form and other important documents please go the Documents menu (on the left side of the homepage) and find the "Learn To Skate/Learn To Play Information" folder. All of the required documents can be found there. You can pay cash, on-line via Venmo after registration, or mail your payment to: Connecticut Jr Huskies, PO Box 1494 Vernon, CT 06066.
-
Schedule:
We offer 5 five-week sessions of Learn to Skate. Each session costs $200 for a full weekend (Saturday & Sunday) or $100 for 1 weekend day ( Saturday OR Sunday). In February or March we host a tournament to celebrate the end of the season. This is great fun for all. Coaches will get all kids, regardless of ability, involved as long as they are willing! All players will receive a trophy! Parent volunteers will be needed for various tournament related tasks.
- Practices are Saturday and Sunday mornings at 7:15am for session 1.
- For Sessions 2-5, Saturday's will reamain at 7:15am but Sunday's time will change to 11am.
- All practices are one (1) hour long.
- You can access the schedule by going to the website; www.ctjrhuskies.org Click on the “Team” tab and then use the drop down menu for LTS/LTP.
We encourage you to check the schedule often--skate times do change often with ice availability—and you can sign up for text alerts.
-
Equipment (in order of importance):
- Skates: hockey skates, used are fine, make sure they are sharp. Skates can be sharpened at most rinks for a nominal fee. New skates are not sharp so be sure to have them sharpened after your purchase.
- Helmet: hockey helmets can be purchased at many different sporting good stores or hockey shops. It must have face cage or shield and fit firmly to the head.
- Gloves: hockey gloves can also be purchased at most sporting goods stores, mittens are also fine for little ones. Hockey gloves are most necessary once stick skills begin.
- Knee pads: hockey knee pads (shin guards) can be purchased at most sporting good stores or online.
- Elbow pads: can also be purchased at most sporting good stores or online.
- Hockey pants: these provide padding for the backside! These are more likely to be found at hockey stores or online.
- Chest/shoulder pads: available at most sporting goods stores or online.
- Neck guard: can also be purchased at most sporting goods stores or online.
- Hockey socks/jersey: eventually (not immediately), your player will need to have socks and a jersey. These are lighter weight and allow for better ventilation once they really get moving.
- Where to find equipment:
- On Facebook please join our Connecticut Jr Huskies- Hockey Equipment Swap for all gently used gear from fellow families!
-
Dressing Your Skater:
Dressing your skater will be time consuming--be sure to allow at least 15 minutes. Keep your little one in PJ’s for those early AM practices. Put on long socks--they do not have to be thick--actually, the thinner the better. Put pads (knee pads, elbow pads) over PJ’s. Then light weight sweat pants over legs if not using hockey socks. Next, chest pads & pants if you have them. Next, jersey or light weight long sleeve shirt. Skates, helmet and gloves last!
-
What to expect:
Do not be discouraged if your little skater melts into tears and tantrums the first few times on the ice. This is expected of such little kids in a new and often frustrating situation with new adult faces to respond to. Let the coaches assist your child as much as possible, they are used to this! Try to be invisible and not hang out by the rink door. If your child can see you, he or she is more likely to give up and want to come off the ice.
It may take a while for your skater to develop some on-ice stamina. They may require breaks where they come off the ice for a brief rest or water break. It is up to you to get them back out there! The coaches will have water available. As the season continues, try to encourage your child to take their water breaks with the team when the coach offers them.
-
Interested in coaching?:
For parents genuinely interested in coaching be sure you have the following before stepping onthe ice:
- Register with USA Hockey as a volunteer coach and complete liability waiver
- Complete Safesport Training
- Complete the Background Check
You will not be permitted on the ice without these items. As the season progresses, we expect your child to become more confident in their abilities and comfortable with the coaching staff, and thus allowing you to be an active spectator!
For parents genuinely interested in coaching we strongly suggest you have some skating skills already. The Connecticut JR Huskies would ultimately like all coaches to obtain at least a Level 1 certification in order to coach. This is absolutely necessary to coach above the Learn To Skate level. Please see submit your coaching application to your team manager .
