Is youth hockey for your child?

The Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association is getting ready for its yearly registration on Wednesday, Sept. 18 and Wednesday, Oct. 2 at the John Millar Civic Center from 6-8 p.m. on each of those nights.
Cost for each level of play is: Mites, ages 5-8, $223; Squirts, ages 9-10, $298; Peewee, ages 11-12, $348 and Bantam, ages 13-14, $373.
However for those who have never registered with USA Hockey, they receive a 25 percent first-time player discount.
The SAMHA committee offers an adapted list of 10 reasons to play youth hockey written and produced by the Milwaukee winter club in 2008 from the National Collegiate Athletic Association report on “Competing beyond high school.”
1. Hockey develops great athletes — Physical development, coordination, endurance, flexibility, increased concentration, speed, agility and strength. Hockey builds athletic skills that are transferable and beneficial to a number of other sports.
2. Everybody plays — Teams exist for all skill levels and ages, boys and girls ages 4 and older. No experience is necessary! Players see action in the game on a constant rotating basis.
3. Hockey is easy to work into your schedule — Hockey games and practices are generally one hour, start to end, on time and the schedule is posted weeks in advance. Rarely does anything start before 8 a.m. on the weekends and generally ends by mid-afternoon for all age levels.
4. Hockey is the ultimate team sport — Youth hockey players learn life-long lessons of teamwork, trust, responsibility, sportsmanship, pride and fair play in victory and defeat. Nothing beats the esteem developed by being part of a team!
5. It’s safe — Checking is not allowed until the upper levels and fighting is not allowed at all. High-tech protective gear is worn for all practices and games.
6. Size or gender does not matter — Skating ability, which will develop from beginning to end, hustle and spirit are what matters most. The goal is to build positive role models with a strong sense of self and pride, a player who is ready to accept new challenges and helps others. We need more girls with a lot of heart to represent in this sport!
7. Fights the winter blues — Time flies when you are having fun! The season runs from mid-October to mid-March.
8. Fun for the whole family — Hockey is a great spectator sport, and there are many opportunities to meet new people and make new friends. The whole family can enjoy this activity together — road trips add to that family bonding time.
9. Hockey is a great value — The hockey season is over five months long — players are on ice a minimal of three hours a week for the price of their registration fee. The cost depends on the player’s age levels and would be lower at the younger levels and increase accordingly. There is also equipment and scholarships that can be made available on a case by case basis.
10. A sense of community — Hockey families cheer together, travel together, volunteer together, raise their kids together and ultimately depend on each other for support. The sense of community and family is the root of this sport!
“As a parent of a SAMHA (Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association) youth hockey player for the past 10 years, I know a few things for sure,” said Darcy Lorom. “It is always a great day for hockey – so let’s rock! Don’t go through life without goals! All it takes is all you’ve got!”
Vince Lombardi said, “The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.”     “There is nothing that rings more true to this organization than that statement alone,” added Lorom. “We are all needed for any job, every job, big, small — any effort we can put in benefits everyone. The overwhelming sense of family and community is just wonderful! Oh, and lastly … I’ll see you at the rink!”
SAMHA is still in need of coaches. If interested contact Toby Henderson at the_6@hotmail.com.
Also, go to the USAHOCKEY website to register before coming to the arena and bring a printoff of your registration number with you. All players must be registered with USAHOCKEY to play for any SAMHA teams. Registration can also be done on SAMHA’s website (must have USAHOCKEY number to do so) at www.samhahockey.com.
Be sure to listen to one of SAMHA’s local sponsors, WHOU 100.1 FM, and like their Facebook page SAMHA Hockey Group to be kept in the loop on all things hockey!