AMHA offers hockey for all ages and levels. Starting with our U7 program for 5 and 6 year old’s right up to our U18 AAA team that competes at the highest level of minor hockey in Alberta.
Our season starts in late August where we offer Prep skates, as per the Hockey Alberta Intro to Hockey and U11 Pathway requirement before the start of school for our U7, U9 and U11 divisions and optional Prep Skates, Goalie Skates or Checking Skill camps for our U11 to U18 divisions.
In September, we complete evaluations for all of our players and goalies to place them on the team best suited for their skills and abilities.
For our U7 and U9 divisions we offer a City league program that has the teams playing each other throughout the season, with options to set up exhibition or tournament games at the team level.
The U7 program includes 4 pre-season Prep Skates in August and the season will typically run from mid October to mid March. There are 2 (45 minute) sessions per week which will be held on most Saturday and Sunday mornings. Full hockey player equipment is required for all sessions. Tim Hortons supplies each U7 player in Airdrie with a Timbits jersey that they get to wear for the season. The jerseys must be worn during each practice, game and tournament that the team takes part in and will be collected back at the end of the season.
The U9 program includes 4 pre-season Prep Skates in August and the season will typically run from mid October to mid March. There are typically 2-3 (1 hour) sessions per week which may consist of practices, power skating, goalie development and a game. Most practices and games will be held on Saturday and Sunday mornings with an additional practice mid week. Full hockey player equipment is required for all sessions.
Our Recreation program for players age 7 to 14 can offer another option for people that want to try hockey but don’t have the time to commit to multiple games or practices a week. The Recreation program includes 1 game per week on Sunday and some other fun social activities throughout the season.
In the U11, U13, U15, U16, U17 and U18 divisions, we offer a variety of options. Rockies Hockey League (RHL) for less competitive, Central Alberta Hockey League (CAHL) for competitive hockey within southern Alberta, South Central Alberta Hockey League (SCAHL) for AA hockey in southern Alberta, and for U15 and up AAA hockey which is the highest level of competition in the province for these age groups. Depending on the league, the season will consist of 2-6 sessions per week that include practices, goalie development and a weekend game(s). AAA teams are regional teams and are made up of players from a larger draw zone than just Airdrie, Beiseker and Crossfield. You can find the full draw zone here.
Hockey Alberta is continuing to run a Hockey Alberta Development Pilot program again this season for our U11 AA players. This team will be called a U11 HADP team and Airdrie will host one team. These teams will continue to play out of the Central Alberta Hockey League (CAHL). AMHA will be accepting players to tryout from towns that are not hosting a U11 HADP team as there is no draw zones for this age. HA has stipulated that there are no second tryouts. For more information on this pilot please refer to Hockey Alberta.
In Airdrie our AA and AAA teams are coach picked. When trying out for AA teams or higher there are no guarantees on the number of try out skates you will get, you could be released after only one skate.
For Female hockey players that want to play in the female program we offer female only teams in the U11 division right up to U18 Female AA Elite. After registration closes, if we determine to have enough females in the U7 and U9 City divisions we will look at also offering female only teams for those age groups. This season we are also adding a U13 AA and U15 AA Female teams.
Our season typically runs until the end of February and then playoffs start for many of the leagues. If successful, teams could be playing until the end of March depending on how far they go in the playoffs. Once a team loses out in playoffs their season is finished and ice times are cancelled and this could be as early as the end of February.
Please review our Policies and detailed overviews of the specific Division you are wanting to register your child in to familiarize yourself with how each program operates.
Find our Divisional Policies here.