Registrations Open for 2023-24 Season!
Dear AHA Families,
We are pleased to announce that registration for the 2023-24 Andover Hockey Association season is now open for our Coed and Girls full season youth travel teams! Please read this note carefully as it contains important information concerning the registration and placement process, as well as information on AHA’s refund and installment payment plan policies.
Which AHA Programs Are Now Open for Registration?
Registration is open now through Friday, March 17th for the following 2023-24 full season youth travel programs:
• Mites/U-8 (Birth Years 2015-2017)
• Squirts/U-10 (2013-2014)
• PeeWees/U-12 (2011-2012)
• Bantams/U-14 (2009-2010)
Registration for 2023-24 Learn to Skate (LTS), Learn to Play (LTP), Mite House League (MHL), High School Half Season (HSHS), and Rec Hockey programs will open at a later date.
What is the 2023-24 Tuition for AHA Full Season Youth Travel Players?
· Mites/U-8 - $1700
· Squirts/U-10 - $2300
· Pee Wees/U-12 - $2300
· Bantams/U-14 - $2500/$2300
· Full time Goalies - $500 (see below for more details)
What Payments Are Due Now?
A fee of $200 will be charged to all full season players at the time of registration. This non-refundable fee will be applied in full to tuition for all players who participate with AHA for the season.
Please review AHA's refund and installment payment plan policies and contact treasurer@andoverhockey.org should you have any questions. For families who utilize the installment payment plan, an initial tuition payment will be charged once the teams are announced this spring. The balance of the tuition will then be charged in installments before the start of the season this fall.
What is New for AHA in 2023-24?
AHA is constantly striving to enhance and improve offerings for our members based on feedback from membership and the recommendations of our coaches and Board of Directors.
Following a successful pilot season with our girls’ program, the Board has approved opening registration to gauge members’ interest in a potential new supplemental “game only” program at the Squirt, PeeWee, and Bantam age levels for the 2023-24 season.
The goals of such a program, in keeping with AHA's mission to provide a fun, safe, and developmentally rewarding hockey experience, are to provide members of our community with an opportunity to play hockey with their friends, neighbors, and classmates in a fun, convenient, and flexible setting - and showcase some Andover town pride! Both full time AHA and non-current AHA players are eligible to participate, subject to applicable rostering rules. It is our intent that this program attract, and shall be composed of, highly skilled players, and that it shall compete against highly challenging opponents.
Based on registration data, if there is sufficient interest at each age level, tryouts will take place (at a later date, after AHA “full season” tryouts). All AHA protocols with respect to the evaluation, placement, and team formation process shall apply.
Following tryouts, the AHA Board and Placements Committee will finalize details of the program, including the number of teams to be formed at each age level, the roster composition and coaches for each team, the number of games/length of the season, in which leagues or tournaments the teams will participate, and the tuition for the program. Please note that the above may vary by age group and/or skill level.
Registration for this program will be opening shortly so please stay tuned! A fee of $100 will be charged to all players at the time of registration; in the event AHA does not offer a supplemental program in any given age group, such registration fee will be fully refundable.
What does AHA Offer for Goalies?
In recognition of the extra expenses incurred by our goalie families, AHA has a significantly reduced tuition for full time goalies. We also have an arrangement for special discounts and other offers from our goalie skills provider, GDS. For more information about the AHA Goalie program, please contact placements@andoverhockey.org.
What Will AHA’s Girls Program Offer Next Season?
As always, we plan to offer our traditional full season girls program, composed of a full game and practice schedule as well as sessions with AHA’s skills vendors. In addition, once again next season alternate players will be permitted on girls U-10, U-12, and U-14 teams. Please see AHA’s Alternates Policy for more information. Finally, we plan to continue with our supplemental “game only” girls teams at the older age levels. Registration for this program will be opening shortly. A fee of $100 will be charged to all players at the time of registration; in the event AHA does not offer a supplemental team in any given age group, such registration fee will be fully refundable. For more information about the AHA Girls program, please contact placements@andoverhockey.org.
Should My Mite/U-8 Player Sign Up Now?
Boys and girls birth years 2015 through 2017 need only to register now if they would like to be considered for placement in our Mite/U-8 travel program and have at least one year of experience in the MHL or an equivalent program. If you intend for your player to participate in the MHL, there is no need to register at this time; MHL registration will open by the summer and payments will be due in the fall.
If you are uncertain whether your player would be ready for Mite/U-8 Travel, please contact your current AHA coach or mitedirector@andoverhockey.org. Note any 2015-2017 players who are not selected for a Mite/U-8 travel team will automatically be registered for, and placed onto a team in, the MHL.
My Son/Daughter is a 2009 Birth Year Player Who Will Also Be a High School Freshman in the Fall. For What Program(s) Should They Register?
· Male 2009s (second year Bantams) who will be entering their freshman year in high school must participate as full season AHA Bantam players in order to be able to participate in AHA’s HSHS program; in doing so they will be permitted to participate in the AHA HSHS program at no additional cost.
· Female freshmen 2009s (second year U-14s) who participate as full-time AHA U-14 players may participate in the AHA HSHS program at no additional cost while female freshmen 2009s (second year U-14s) who are not full-time AHA U-14 players are invited to participate in the AHA HSHS program at full cost.
Please see AHA’s policies with respect to high school players with Bantam / U-14 eligibility for further information. As noted above, HSHS registration will open at a later date.
When Are On-Ice Evaluations?
In recognition of scheduling conflicts including the timing of some private school spring breaks, on-ice evaluations for AHA’s full season youth travel teams will take place beginning the week of Monday, March 20th. Specific dates and times for each age group will be posted in advance of each session. Evaluations for other programs, including HSHS and supplemental “game only” teams, will take place at a later date.
The AHA Board will host a virtual parents’ meeting on Wednesday, March 15th at 8pm. The meeting will consist of a recap of highlights of the 2022-23 season, plans for the 2023-24 season, and a brief overview of the AHA evaluation, placement, and team formation process. All current and prospective AHA families are invited to attend. Registration information for this meeting will be forthcoming. Please submit any questions in advance to placements@andoverhockey.org.
Who Can I Contact With Questions?
If you are a new AHA member, please set up an account through our website, www.andoverhockey.org. Please make sure each player is registered only once.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to direct them as follows:
• General evaluation/placement/team formation process: placements@andoverhockey.org
• Registration questions: registrar@andoverhockey.org
• Website/technical difficulties: webmaster@andoverhockey.org
• Financial including refund and payments: treasurer@andoverhockey.org
We look forward to a successful completion of the current season and an even better experience next year!
Sincerely,
AHA Board of Directors