Mites Program (Ages 6 - 8)
COME BUILD GREENWICH'S HOCKEY FUTURE!
We invite all hockey-loving families to come begin their hockey journey with the Mites program at Greenwich Cardinals Youth Hockey, at Dorothy Hamill Rink!
HOW TO JOIN:
Registration for Mites opens on April 1 and we recommend registering early. There are no tryouts for the Mites – just register and you’re on your way!
First, your player will need a USA Hockey registration number. On or after April 1, please go to the link below and obtain a USA Hockey registration number before registering your future Mite with us. USA Hockey registrations run from April 1 – March 31 each year, so please do not register prior to April 1.
https://membership.usahockey.com/
Then, please come back to our website and register for the Mites:
WHO:
Our Mites program is available to children ages 6 – 8. For the 2025-2026 season, that’s children born in 2017, 2018 and 2019. All GCYHA hockey programs are co-ed. GCYHA will consider younger players on a case-by-case basis.
WHAT:
Our Mites program is a developmental hockey program. We focus on development and we’re open to players of all skill levels – we just recommend that players be able to skate and handle a hockey stick. All are welcome!
Enrollment permitting, we’ll have two Mites teams each season – one team at a more “beginner” level and one team of the older and/or more advanced Mites. All our Mites will practice together as one program, but we’ll split into two teams for games so that everyone has a chance to play games against the appropriate level of competition.
WHEN:
The season begins in September and ends in March.
Our Mites will typically have 2 practices per week. Practices are all held in the afternoon, no scary early-morning commitments!
The Mites play games against other youth hockey programs from CT and NY over the weekend.
WHERE:
All of our practices – at all levels of the Greenwich Cardinals Youth Hockey organization – are held at Dorothy Hamill Rink in Greenwich.
All Mites games are held at Chelsea Piers, in Stamford.
SPECIAL EVENTS:
Our Mites teams typically participate in one or two “jamborees” and tournaments each season (a jamboree is a one-day event where a number of teams will play short games against each other through the day). We like to take the kids to one out-of-town tournament each season – close enough to drive back and forth but most of our families like to stay in a hotel for the weekend, it’s really fun for the kids and a great team-building weekend. Our teams also hold their own holiday parties and other social events during the season.
GOALIES:
GCYHA provides professional goalie training with Pro-Crease Goaltending at 50% of our practices. At the Mite level we like to let all the kids have a chance playing goalie as many times as they’d like – our program provides goalie equipment sets to our Mites. We also like to develop one or two goalies per birth year, so if your child has an interest in playing, please communicate that to your coaches and team manager and we will concentrate on getting that future Cardinal goalie the coaching and development they need.
JERSEYS, APPAREL AND GEAR:
In the Spring, GCYHA members receive a link to our Team Store where families can order jerseys, hockey bags and all sorts of fun team apparel (sweatshirts, jackets, etc.). We also have beginner equipment kits available through our Team Store, all to be conveniently run through Pure Hockey (so you can go to the Stamford store to handle jersey and equipment sizing).
COST:
Tuition will be announced, but our Mites and other programs are consistently among the most affordable options for hockey in the area.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
To parents who don’t have experience with organized hockey programs, please don’t think your kid needs to be an experienced hockey player in order to join the Cardinals. We have room in our program for a wide range of skill levels – there’s no better way to learn to play!
Many kids play hockey and another fall/winter sport – and conflicts can be tough just like anything. While we expect our players to attend as many practices as possible, we’re a community-based program and we understand that our kids have very crowded schedules. We work with our players to make those schedules work – we’ve all been there. GCYHA players of all levels play multiple sports and make it work!
QUESTIONS:
Please reach out to us with any questions at:
We’re always happy to provide additional information, answer any questions and discuss absolutely anything about our program.