Owatonna Youth Hockey Association

 

The Objective of the OWATONNA YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION is to develop a competitive hockey program that will result in each player developing to the maximum of his or her ability while having fun.

 

The Program will attempt to achieve consistency in all levels.  The program will provide every youth in Owatonna with the opportunity to play organized hockey with players of comparable skill and interest. 

 

The skill level of the players, the number of youth in our program and the cost of our program will measure success of the program.

OYHA fields girls' teams at the U10, U12 and U14 levels.  The boys' teams consist of Squirt, PeeWee, and Bantam levels.  The number of girls out for hockey in Owatonna only provides for one team at each level.  On the boys' side, the numbers allow for at least two teams at each level and there have been times when there have been three teams at certain levels.  There is out of town travel involved for all of these teams throughout the season.  These teams also participate in an OYHA home tournament once a year.  Coaches at this level have to be certified accordingly for each level throughout Minnesota Hockey. 

 

As a parent of an OYHA player, you will be asked to volunteer at times. Volunteers are vital to the success of OYHA and it is one of the ways we can keep our cost affordable. Parents are required to work in the concession stand and to help out during their teams' home tournament.  Parents of Squirt and U10 players are required to work the OYHA annual pancake breakfast fundraiser. Parents of PeeWee/U12 and Bantam/U14 are required to work the concession stand during the Steele County fair. 

 

This information is meant to answer some of your intitial questions about hockey in Owatonna.  If you have other questions, be sure to check out the rest of our website and don't hesitate to contact any of our Board Members.  They are available to help you with your needs.

Just as you wouldn't jump right into life-saving if you hadn't yet learned to swim, you won't be jumping right into full-ice hockey games until you've learned the skills that you'll need in order to play effectively.   If you pay attention and work hard, you'll develop those skills relatively quickly, and you'll have lots of fun as you improve.

 

Along the way, you'll earn a stick, then a puck, then the right to play in full-ice games. You'll have several chances during the season to show what you can do, and you'll have a good time learning.

 

Level 1  shows the skills you will need to earn a stick.  Most of them involve balance and basic skating stride.  Learn to do these well without a stick and you'll have better balance than you would if you were using a stick as a crutch to lean on.  To see what the Level 1 test looks like, click on the "Level 1" link at left.  Click on each test to see a video clip of that particular skill.

 

Level 2 shows the skills you will need to earn a puck.  Most of them involve skating well with your stick.  Learn to do these well without a puck and you will have better balance, mobility, and control when you get a puck. To see what the Level 2 test looks like, click on the "Level 2" link at left.  Click on each test to see a video clip of that particular skill.

 

Level 3 shows the skills you will need to earn full-ice games.  To be effective in games, you have to skate well, take good care of the puck, look up at the game around you, and make good decisions.  Once you can skate well in all directions and share the puck with your teammates, you'll be ready to learn the game.  The games are great fun, especially if you've prepared yourself to make the plays that you see can be made. To see what the Level 3 test looks like, click on the "Level 3" link at left.  Click on each test to see a video clip of that particular skill.

 

See you at the rink.