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Welcome to MAHA: Brief Overview

Welcome to the Mankato Area Hockey Association

Our primary goal is to provide skaters with a healthy, safe, environment and a team sports experience. Nearly all of the hockey players selected for the Mankato High School Varsity and Junior Varsity teams developed their skills in MAHA programs.

For the hockey season, we stress the following goals to coaches, players and parents:

  • Fun in hockey and athletics.
  • Learn good sportsmanship, understand fair play, and the ability to graciously accept victory or defeat.
  • Develop each skater to the best of his/her ability.
  • Develop individual and team skills, knowledge of the game, and an attitude of team participation, loyalty, respect and responsibility.
  • Hundreds of players annually participate in MAHA sponsored programs. Programs exist at each age level, beginning with five year old Mites and continuing through the Bantam age group (14 - 15 years old).

American Hockey Development Model

This is a model MAHA started to implement in 2010-2011. MAHA will be going to more players on the ice (35-45 kids) at least once a week working on skating and puck skills. The other practice for teams will be shared ice with another team working more on tactics and team play. Practices will be high tempo and high energy without much standing around. Click on link above (admkids.com) click under coaches then practice plans and click on the video to see a similar practice MAHA will be implementing.

Hockey Season Timeframe

MAHA's season generally takes place from early September to March.  

Off season programs are made available to MAHA players throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall by third party entities. 

Fall

The Fall program provides skaters a chance to get their hockey legs back under them after a Summer off. The Fall season usually runs through the month of September and runs right up to MAHA placement. The main format of our Fall program is half ice 3 on 3 scrimmaging, combined with some tactical and skill work as well. MAHA coaches are used as instructor's and player's can plan on being on the ice 8-10 times over the four week period. This is a great way for skater's to get back into the swing of things going into placements. Registration becomes available in late July and can be found on the MAHA website.

Winter

MAHA's Winter season usually gets under way in early/mid October with our player placement process for our traveling teams. Though not all levels need a placement process (due to numbers on occasion), the process does signify the start of our Winter season. The main purpose of the Winter season is to provide MAHA player's the opportunity to become a part of a team in which they can learn the skills of the game, build some team chemistry, and of course, play some games. Once placements are completed our teams begin their regular season, which runs through the end of February unless they qualify for the state tournament. MAHA provides various age-based levels, consisting of both traveling and in house teams:

Mites in-house program Player's ranging from age 5-8 are eligible for this program (based on birth dates). The main goal of this program is to serve as an entry level skills development, and move on to continued skills, tactics, and team play. It is MAHA's philosophy that our player's need to learn the basic skills before they can move on to more advanced aspects of hockey. These teams do not travel, and are on the ice roughly 30-35 times over the Winter season.

Squirts/10U Girls Player's ranging from age 8-10 are eligible for this program (based on birth dates). Girls have the option of skating in the Squirt program with the boys, or taking part in an all girls team (10U). The Squirt/10U program is our entry level traveling team and continues the skill development of our player's while incorporating more tactics, systems, and team building techniques. These teams will usually travel to 12-17 away games and participate in one or two away tournaments throughout the year.  These teams are typically on the ice 3-5 times a week.

Peewees/12U Girls Player's ranging from age 10-12 are eligible for this program (based on birth dates). Girls have the option of skating in the Peewee program with the boys, or taking part in an all girls team (12U). The Peewee/12U program is an advancement from our Squirt program where player's will continue skill development while moving into even more advanced systems, tactics, and team building. These teams will usually travel to 15-20 away games and participate in two or three away tournaments throughout the year. These teams are typically on the ice 4-5 times a week.

Bantams/15U Girls Player's ranging from 13-15 are eligible for this program (based on birth dates). Girls have the option of skating in the Bantam program with the boys, or taking part in an all girls team (15U). The Bantam/15U program is the final step before the high school level, and combines any skill work which may need to be done with a polishing off of tactics, systems, and any aspect of the game the coach sees necessary in preparing for the high school level. These teams travel to 17-24 away games and participate in two or three away tournaments throughout the year. These teams are typically on the ice 4-6 times a week.

Spring/Summer

A variety of camps are available for your player.  Click here for more information.

 



In House Programs

MAHA's "In House" program consists of our Mite age groups.  Mites are grouped in levels 1-4.   Mite's (level 1-2) include all kids from age 4-6, with the Mite's (level 3-4) including ages 7-8. These age groups are determined by a pre-determined age cutoff as determined by Minnesota Hockey.  If you have questions as to which age group you belong in please contact the Operation's Manager on the "Contact Us" page. The In House program usually runs from late October/early November thru mid March.

Mites skate 1-2 times a week on average early in the season (usually Saturday mornings and/or Sunday afternoons from time to time), and 2-3 times a week towards the end.  In house teams DO NOT travel. On ice content includes basic skill development, skill based games, and scrimmages. Registration for this age group occurs in early September, and will be posted on the website at least one month in advance. 

Traveling Programs

MAHA's traveling programs are available to all member's aged from 9-15 (based on USA Hockey's age guidelines), and are broken down into different age groups. Squirt/10U girls are for all player's aged 9 and 10, Peewees/12U Girls are for player's aged 11 and 12, and Bantams/15U girls are for player's aged 13-15. These teams take part in a tryout process in early-mid October (when necessary by numbers) and are assigned to teams from there, running until the end of February. Each age group is broken down into corresponding "A" (higher skill level) and "B" (more emphasis on skills) teams as decided by a qualified panel of evaluators present the entire week of tryouts.

Traveling teams vary in their degree of ice time, number of games, and level of travel:

  • Squirts/10U - Usually on the ice between 3-5 times per week. They usually practice earlier in the night and play roughly 30 games per year (traveling and at home combined).
  • Peewees/12U - Usually on the ice between 4-5 times per week. They usually practice mid-evening and play roughly 32-35 games per year (traveling and at home combined).
  • Bantams/15U - Usually on the ice between 4-6 times per week. They usually practice in the later time slots at night and play roughly 32-40 games per year (traveling at home and combined).

All traveling teams partake in one home tournament and a combination of 2-4 traveling tournaments (some stay over tournaments and some drivable tournaments).


MAHA Ice Scheduling

MAHA shares its ice with with many other users, such as the Mankato Figure Skating Club, Mankato East and West boys and girls high school teams, the MSU Men's and Women's teams, three men's leagues, an intramural league, and public skating/hockey. Keeping a functional schedule between all parties involved is not always an easy one, but with the patience, understanding, and support of our members we are able to fulfill many of our members ice needs.