2009-2010 Mite/Mini-Mite Teams Are Posted Here

(Scroll down for all of the teams)

Mite Schedule (thru January)

Mite/Termite Practice Plans

 I. Objectives

·         Enjoyable, FUN introduction and experience in hockey.

·         Teach basic fundamental skills. Focus is on individual skills.

·         Keep them coming back!

II. Philosophy

Our philosophy will follow the principles that promote the development of fundamental skills, habits, and hockey intelligence set forth by the Cottage Grove Hockey Association.  These principles include, but are not limited to:

• Stressing proper skating techniques through balance, form, and edge control.  Skating is the one critical skill in hockey.  Everything builds off of that.
• Emphasis on puck handling.
• Consistent emphasis on good habits.
• Implementation of drills with less structure allowing for plays to “read and react”.
• Utilize small ice games to allow player creativity.
• Create a fun atmosphere for the players.
• Be positive with the players, offering encouragement.
• Provide fair playing time for the team.
• Show respect for the rules, referees, opponents, coaches, and parents.

Creating a positive, healthy environment for the youngest members of CGHA is essential to a player’s long-term participation, growth and successful experience in hockey.

Core Values

Enjoyment – It is important for the hockey experience to be fun, satisfying, and rewarding for the participant.

Sportsmanship – Learn a sense of fair play.  Become humble in victory, gracious in defeat.  We will foster friendship with teammates and opponents alike.

Respect For the Individual – Treat all others as you expect to be treated.  This includes players, coaches, parents, and referees.

Teamwork – We value the strength of learning to work together.

Pursuit of Excellence – Each member of the organization, whether player, volunteer or staff, should seek to perform each aspect of the game to the highest level of his or her ability.

Develop important life skills – skills that will enable kids to be successful at whatever they choose to pursue in their lives:

• Do your best to make yourself better – give maximum effort

• Importance of school and academics

• Positive attitude

• Genuine enthusiasm

• Respect for others – parents, coaches, teammates, opponents

• Responsibility

• Teamwork - team first

• Sportsmanship

• Hard work

• Discipline

• Determination

• Play with Heart – passion for the game 

III. Season Structure

The structure of the program is important in creating a successful participation experience for players and parents. The Mini-Mite/Mite program is designed to provide the players and coaches the fundamental tools and experience to develop their skill and understanding of hockey and to grow within CGHA.

The season will begin the first weekend in October and go through February.  The first two months of the season will be clinics focusing on skating (stride, edgework, agility, and balance).  During the clinics, we will be evaluating the players so that we can do our best to create even teams for the Mini-Mites/Mites as well as to make sure kids are placed at the appropriate levels based on their skill. 

CGHA is an in-house league for this level with games against others of the same skill level with continuous teaching. The kids love these games. They are played cross ice or on the South rink (a shorter distance from goal to goal) to allow more game like action and opportunity to be involved in the games.

MINI-MITES (A.K.A Termites)

Mini-mites are generally first year skaters, ages three to five, that work on basic skating skills, including ready position, forward skating, stopping, etc., and having fun. The mini-mite program usually has 15 players on each team. The mini-mite season will begin the first week in October and continue through February.  The first few weeks of the season will consist of clinics that will work on fundamentals of skating.  At the end of the clinics, players will be placed on teams and assigned a Head Coach.  You will be called/e-mailed by your coach when the first scheduled team practice will take place.

Mini-mites will learn the game through small area games (e.g. 3 on 3) with focus on skating fundamentals, stickhandling, and learning the game.  Mini-mites are given a jersey at the first team practice, which they can keep.  Bags of equipment are available for new players in the Mite/Mini-Mite program.  This equipment is for use during the year and returned to CGHA after the season is done.

MITES

Mites are ages six through eight years old and will typically have had at least one full season in the mini-mite program or a program similar to a mini-mite program; if the child is entering from an outside program. Mites work a great deal on skating skills, stick handling, as well as reacting to the game. The Mite program usually has 12 players on each team. The season will begin the first weekend in October and will through February.

During these clinic sessions, we will conduct a time trial of a select amount of drills.  These times will be done at the beginning and end of the season to provide a comparison of the player’s improvement. 

You will be called/e-mailed by your coach when the first scheduled team practice will take place.

HOCKEY FEST

At the end of January, the CGHA Mini-Mite/Mite/U8 programs host Hockey Fest.  This is a one day jamboree showcasing all of the teams in our program.  Each team will be playing a game on the main rink with various activities throughout the day.  Each team will also be responsible to volunteer some time throughout the day to help with running the activities.

HOCKEY DAY MINNESOTA

Saturday, January 23^rd is Hockey Day Minnesota.  The Mite/U8 program has reserved the rink and warming house at Peter Thompson Park for this day.  This will be structured much like Hockey Fest where teams will be paired up and play games throughout the day.

IV. Player Development

Players/children are the reason this association exists. In everything we do as adults, we must put the children and their well being above our own desires and aspirations.

CGHA is committed to developing the hockey skills of all players.  Along with the hockey skills that are being taught, CGHA is committed to developing the life skills that are listed in the Philosophy section of this document.

Participants will be taught the proper way to perform skills. Practice makes permanent, not perfect. By learning to perform skills correctly, players will eliminate the formation of bad habits.

Muscle memory is developed through repetition – the more times players practice the fundamental skills, the more success they will experience and success translates into fun. Skills must be practiced repeatedly until performing each skill becomes second nature. For that reason, the number of games played at the Mite levels should be limited.

Participants will be asked to focus on what they can control – their own performance and effort. We encourage parents to find 3 things positive that their child did at each practice.

Limited “Games”. As stated previously, the Mite program is all about individual skill development and fun. Competitive game situations are not the best way to develop skills and often end up not being as “fun” as people hope. We will have limited game time so that players and parents can experience that, but it will be through small area games (e.g. 3 on 3 small rink).

The USA Hockey Players Code of Conduct will be stressed throughout the year and is an integral part of player development.

• Play for Fun.

• Work hard to improve your skills

• Be a team player – get along with your teammates.

• Be on time for practices and games.

• Respect your coach, your teammates, your parents, opponents and officials.

V. Coaching Development & Support

For many players and parents, the coach will be their first contact with the sport of hockey. The impression the coach makes upon players and parents will have a lasting effect on their perception of the game of hockey. It is critical to have coaches who can relate to children and teach the skills that will ensure ALL participants are successful and enjoy their experience playing the game.

The Coach:

• Plays a prominent role in the lives of the kids in the program.

• Helps to shape the views of the kids by his/her actions and attitudes.

• At times, plays a more important role than the child’s parents.

• Is a teacher, a leader and a role model.

The Coach should teach players to:

• Play for the love of the game.

• Respect the opponent.

• Work for the good of the team.

• Play within the rules of the game.

• Be generous in victory and graceful in defeat.

• Always conduct themselves with honor and pride.

Volunteering to coach children is a worthy task that demands responsibility. CGHA is committed to working with and supporting all individuals willing to take on the responsibilities of the coaching role. To fulfill that commitment, CGHA will:

• Train coaches how to teach skills properly.  There will be an off-ice meeting at the beginning of the year, as well as, some on-ice clinics for Mini-Mite/Mite Head and Assistant Coaches.

• Create a resource directory for coaches to use in teaching skills - tapes, books and other coaches. Check out the Player and Coach Development links on the www.cghockey.com website for additional resources.

• Take advantage of resources and tools provided by USA Hockey to aid coaches.

• Hold a meeting, both on and off ice, prior to the season to explain the program and what is expected of them as coaches and role models.

• Provide a mechanism throughout the season to review progress, answer questions, and keep coaches on track and enthused about the program.

• Encourage coaches to stay the course – skill development is the single most important aspect of the program. At the Mite level, hockey games don’t develop skills. We will develop skills through small area games.

• Develop a coaches’ curriculum that will give all coaches a series of exercises that will help them teach the specified skills.

CGHA Will Adopt and Promote USA Hockey’s Coach’s Code of Conduct

• Hockey is fun.

• Honest representation and skills should decide the final outcome of games.

• Both players and opponents are to be respected and complemented.

• Rules and regulations are to be respected and followed by all participants.

• Officials are to be viewed as honest arbitrators.

• Winning is a consideration, but not the only one nor the most important one.

• Hockey is for all to enjoy.

• Set an example of good behavior.

VI. Parents

The success of our organization very much depends on the commitment and conduct of our parents. You are the support structure to our program and players. We encourage you to help us enforce the guidelines we have laid out in this document and expect you to always conduct yourself in a positive, healthy way. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to raise them first with your team’s coach, then the Mite Director, and ultimately the CGHA President; if necessary.

CGHA Will Adopt and Promote USA Hockey’s Parents’ Code of Conduct

• Players require a good example as opposed to criticism.

• Help make your child’s participation rewarding for all participants.

• Be understanding and supportive of the coach and the officials. The coach is a volunteer and is giving his/her personal time, at his/her expense, to help provide a positive experience for your child.

• Support and assist the program in a positive manner.

• The parent is the most important example to which a child can relate.

• Be everything you want your child to be.

VII. REGISTRATION

Register online at www.cghockey.com.  Please make every attempt to register early. If you have any questions, please call the Mite Director.

VIII. CONTACT INFORMATION

Mite Director: Kelly Hein

                        651-330-0247

                        CGHAMiteDirector@gmail.com

Girls Director: Dan Severson

                        651-459-1005

                        GirlsHockeyDad@gmail.com

CGHA Website:  www.cghockey.com

Appendix A

MINI-MITE/MITE EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

Sporting goods stores that carry hockey equipment will be able to help you with this list. There is a fair amount of youth equipment that is traded in and resold at some stores.

• Helmet (preferably black) with ear protection and with HECC approved full-faced protection, commercially manufactured and attached to helmet, with approved chinstrap
• Mouth guard must be attached to face protector with a flexible strap or cord
• Shoulder pads
• Athletic support and cup/pelvic protector
• Shin guards
• Proper fitting hockey skates
• Hockey gloves
• Garter belt or Sock Jock (to hold up socks)
• Elbow pads
• Breezers (preferably black)
  • Suspenders or belt
• Hockey stick
• Neck guard (throat protector) (optional, but recommended)
• Practice jersey – Team jerseys/socks will be handed out at the first team practice.

NOTE:  There are some equipment packages available to first time skaters.  Please contact the Mite Director and/or Equipment Manager for further information.

Skaters are assigned to a dressing room each time they skate. The room number is listed on a LCD Screen in the lobby of the arena. They can put on their equipment at home or at the arena.