Mighty Mites

The DYHA Mighty Mite program consists of 6 year olds and continues the focus on skill development with more advanced skating and stick instruction provided in USA Hockey ADM (Advanced Development Model) station based practices. Players will continue to hone their basic skating mechanics, both forward and backward and transitions, while also working to improve their agility, balance and speed/quickness. 

Small area games are used to foster creativity and quick decisions and weekend cross ice play begins the introduction to basic full ice game tactics and concepts. A 4v4 cross-ice opportunity on the weekend allows your player to foster their creativity while continuing to hone their skating and stick skills in a mini-game like format. Players will also rotate playing goalie week to week.

Please see the below dates pertaining to the start of the 2023-2024 DYHA House Season

House evals: October 7th and 8th 

House Games and Mini Mites start: Saturday, October 14th

House practices start: Friday, October 20th

House practices end: Friday, March 1st

Last house games: Feb 24th-25th

Super Saturday: March 2nd

Game days and times: (these are estimates and can change. Please check website as season approaches and check your team specific schedules once posted) 

Mighty Mites is a TEAM based format typically consisting of 8 to 10 teams of 10-12 players each. Players join a team for practices during the week and then compete against other Mighty Mite teams in cross ice games on the weekend. The focus of the weekday practice is on individual skill attainment while the weekends help instruct players on game play basics so that your hockey player is ready to move to the DYHA Mite House or Travel programs in the coming year.  

Weekday practices are led by DYHA Coaches. Our coaches have many years of coaching experience and will teach your player the basics of skating and ice hockey skills by utilizing drills and small area games in a fun but challenging environment.  

During the weekends, games for the Mighty Mites will follow USA Hockey’s American Development Model (“ADM”) which emphasizes cross-ice play to maximize ice time and puck touches for all players. Volunteer parent coaches are "behind the bench" to provide basic game instruction and manage the cross-ice games with each team having parents who volunteer as Head Coach and Assistant Coach. DYHA has a number of experienced parent coaches that played the game at a high level and are eager to give back to the game they love while also being a fundamental part of their young player's hockey development.