While a minimum age of 4 is recommended, younger skaters can join at their parent's discretion.

The LTS program emphasizes building strong basic skating skills like balance, stride, edges, and stopping. 

The program aims to be a fun experience that builds children's confidence on the ice and prepares them for more advanced hockey programs. 

No prior skating experience is needed, and children are grouped by ability during sessions. 

There are typically three skater levels in LTS:

1. CRATE CREW- Learning to walk all over again.

2. BALANCE BUDDIES- Slowly developing more skills.

3. STICK AND PUCK*- The name says it all, bring your sticks and pucks!

CRATE CREW- 

These kids are most comfortable with crates most or close to most of the time initially.

These children may have little or no experience on skates who are challenged simply to stand.

These kids will need to practice pushing the crate around like a walker and will be getting used to the feeling of pushing off with both feet and gliding on the ice to simply get them where they want to go. 

The objective in this group is to learn balance, recovery, and introduction to stride.  Remember, it will be an objective to get the kids off the crates.

There will be games and FUN! 

• Falling down and getting to their knees and learning to stand-up

• There will be falling (which is why it is nice to have the kids in full hockey gear or pads)

• Red-Light Green Light

• Freeze Tag

• Collecting Balls on the Ice

• Other game that can be played on the ice are all great ways to distract them from using the crate

BALANCE BUDDIES- 

Once your skater is balancing and moving without the crates, we move them to the Balance Group.

At this level, it’s more of the same fun and games but we start to layer in more technical skills like proper strides, having a straight ‘glide foot’, using their inside and outside edges and of course, stopping.

Again, we will typically teach all these skills by having fun and playing games. Most kids don’t even realize they are learning the fundamentals of skating.

There will be games and FUN (fun will be a common theme)!

• A lot of the same games are still used in this group too

• There will still be falling in this group too (pads are your friend)

• Focus on more technical skills while skating

• Learning to stop

• Straight foot glide

STICK AND PUCK*-

* This group will typically form later in Fall Session 1 or Winter Session 2. 

After your skater has shown improvements in their balance, strides, stopping, etc., we will move them to the Stick and Puck Group.

This group is typically not formed until the second half or later in the session. Once the volunteer coaching staff feels we have enough skaters and are ready to start skating with a stick, we will
start inviting kids to bring their sticks to the rink if they want.

If your skater is content staying in the balance group and doesn’t have an interest in playing hockey, they can just continue in the Balance Group.

You guessed it...

There will be games and FUN (yes, again)!

• A lot of the same games are still used in this group too

• There will STILL be falling in this group too (pads are still your friend)

• Focus on more technical skills while skating

• Learning to hold their sticks

• Intro to passing

• Touching the puck with the stick

LTS serves as a stepping stone to the Mite Development Program (MDP), which utilizes USA Hockey's American Developmental Model (ADM)

Typically around 60 skaters in each group is preferred! 

We offer two days of Learn to Skate and we run two sessions. Fall and Winter.

There will be falling, so gear is your friend! 

1. Hockey Helmet with Cage (tape your child's name to the helmet, the coaches love this). Helmets are often adjustable, so they can grow with your child. 

2. Skates

3. Knee and Elbow Pads. Ice is hard and there will be falling. Let's keep the kids protected!

4. Water bottle (please label with your child's name. It will not stop them from leaving it at the rink, but it will make it easier to find). 

5. Comfortable clothing. Remember, you may be cold sitting on the bleachers, but they are working up a sweat on the ice; don't be surprised if they prefer short sleeves!

6. Hockey Gloves (Skates are sharp, lets keep those fingers safe!​​​​

7. Crates- brand new skaters will use crates 

Munroe Dairy sponsors these for Crate Crew kiddos, and we'll have them available at the first skate

THERE WILL BE FALLING, SO THINK PADS (did we say there will be falling?)...

1. Hockey Pants. Did we mention there will be falling? If you are in this to play hockey it is better to get the gear now and keep the kids protected!

2. Neck Guard (see article here). Again, if your kiddo is here to play hockey, this is required so may as well get them used to it!

3. Chest Protector (if your kid is in it to learn hockey, may as well look into this as well. They will need it for MDP.

4. Shin pads

Make sure you have your child try on their gear. The main reason for a child to be uncomfortable is due to equipment that does not fit correctly. 

Try before you buy! If you borrow or have hand me down gear, TRY IT ON! 

Take it from an old pro, have the kids try on their skates with skate guards on and walk around the house for a few minutes. It helps the kids to know a little what to expect BEFORE they are on the ice. 

Also, try on any gear they may be wearing. This will not only help them understand what they are wearing, but it will give you an idea of how long it will take to put on their gear. 

You want to arrive with time to park and walk in plus dressing time.

Also, have the kids try to use the bathroom before they get changed, so if needed, add time in to do this as well. Nothing is fun when you finally get your kiddo dressed and then you hear, "I need to go to the bathroom...".

2025 Details