MYHA does an outstanding job maintaining a strong emphasis on skill development during the season. It comes as no surprise that most of the successful past and current MYHA players spent countless hours on the outdoor rinks or at open hockey with their friends honing their skating, shooting, and stickhandling skills. Researchers Frank L. Smoll and Ronald E. Smith found that “at all ages the variable that determined the skilled players from the lesser skilled players was the amount of time spent practicing/playing with a friend(s) a player spent outside of the organized practice and game sessions. In fact, the skilled players reported nearly twice as much time practicing with a friend than the non-skilled players.”

Throughout the year, MYHA provides scheduled “Open Hockey” for our players to further develop their skills and understanding of the game in an unstructured setting with friends and teammates.  The Hockey Committee continues to identify ways to offer more “Open Hockey” during the year for our players to further their enjoyment and love of the game.  It is important that players and parents understand and follow MYHA’s “Open Hockey” guidelines:

• WE WANT TO DISCOURAGE ADULTS/PARENT/COACHES ON THE ICE AND ORGANIZING THE ACTIVITIES FOR THE PLAYERS.  ADULTS/PARENTS CAN BE PRESENT TO MONITOR PLAYER BEHAVIOR, BUT WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO DICTATE THE TYPE OF GAME OR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON DURING OPEN HOCKEY.  WE WANT TO CREATE A BACKYARD ATMOSPHERE WHERE PLAYERS CREATE GAMES OF THEIR INTERST IN AN UNSTRUCTURED SETTING.  (WITH EXCEPTIONS OF ROOKIES) – PLAYERS ONLY
• Attend the scheduled time for your level.  The exception to this rule is if there is a low number of players attending “Open Hockey” for that level.  It is alright for bantams, pee wee’s and squirts to share the ice.  However, we do not want bantams and pee wee’s mixing with the mites and rookies.
• Be respectful of others on the ice.  Please divide the ice equally so all players have the opportunity to form a game or work on a skill set.  Please include all players!
• No checking or contact.
• Make sure all doors are shut.
• All players need full equipment which includes a facemask.
• No hard slap shots.
• No food or drink on the ice.
• Report any dangerous situations or behavior to staff immediately.
• If players fail to follow the above guidelines, they will be asked to leave the ice.