How to start playing ice hockey at age 11?

[Anonymous]

Hi parents,
My fifth-grade son would love to learn how to play ice hockey. He's a good athlete, plays travel soccer and rollerblade-hockey in the neighborhood. But he only barely knows how to ice skate. As parents, we're not ice skaters ourselves.
Not sure how to get him started. I'm thinking maybe a week-long ice skating camp and then hockey camp this summer? I don't know that we'll become hard-core hockey family, but he's sure love to play. We live in Montgomery County, near Takoma Park, so a PG county rink might be closer.
For that matter, any tips on equipment? (Soccer is so much cheaper -- just a ball, shoes and shin guards!)
Thanks for advice, everyone.

[Anonymous]

Travel soccer and ice hockey are both significant time commitments. May need to choose one.

[Anonymous]

Saturday mornings in DC there is an inexpensive ice hockey clinic:
http://www.fdia.org/content/ice-hockey

The program is through a non profit so don't get to caught up on the dates - it will start in Sept 2016 and will be at 8:00.

They will loan you the equipment you need if you want to start with donated stuff.

IN the mean time if he wants to take skating lessons - that is probably a great start.

[Anonymous]

See this article from the Washington Post last year https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/our-10-year-old-decided-to-give-ice-hockey-a-try-what-we-encountered-was-dreadful/2015/10/05/0fe19248-6b5a-11e5-aa5b-f78a98956699_story.html

[Anonymous]

Thanks, 15:02 for the suggestion.
Yes, I read that WashPost column last year and found it a little daunting.

[Anonymous]

Check out the Montgomery Youth program. Call someone there. Do a bunch of their clinics -- skating, stick skills, etc. get on house team then tryout for travel a year or two later. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, 15:02 for the suggestion.
Yes, I read that WashPost column last year and found it a little daunting.

If you go to the Saturday morning clinics at Fort DuPont Ice Arena, you will get connected to the team that the article was about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, 15:02 for the suggestion.
Yes, I read that WashPost column last year and found it a little daunting.

If you go to the Saturday morning clinics at Fort DuPont Ice Arena, you will get connected to the team that the article was about.

Is the team a Fort DuPont team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, 15:02 for the suggestion.
Yes, I read that WashPost column last year and found it a little daunting.

If you go to the Saturday morning clinics at Fort DuPont Ice Arena, you will get connected to the team that the article was about.

Is the team a Fort DuPont team?

Yes

[Anonymous]

Ballston's Kettler Center has classes. They fill up fast so google right away. Your kid starts with "how to hockey skate" and then moves into "how to play hockey." Then there is house league. Things don't fall apart for learning until 14, so you are ok but you better start now.

This is an expensive endeavor. At a minimum your kid needs a helmet and a stick. You can get away with rental skates for a bit, but not for too long.

My son had a blast in two sessions, but he was too late at the starting gate and gave it up.

[Anonymous]

Gardens Ice House in Laurel - Lets Play Hockey. Runs all year long and they loan you all the equipment. He can try a rec team in the fall if he likes it. Huge program at that rink that is affordable and well run.

[Anonymous]

I know a kid who switched from soccer to hockey at that age, and he couldn't even skate backwards at the start... He is in high school and a travel hockey player now. He worked hard.

[Anonymous]

At Kettler you have to do the learn to skate classes first, then learn to hockey skate, then learn to play. THEN you can placed on a team. If he has good skating skills already you may be able to get them to let you skip the first set off classes. Takes dedication from the player. My son did it and loves it.