AGE ELIGIBILITY
Boys and girls born between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2015.

SEASON SCHEDULE
*** The FYHA calendar is tentative until we communicate it's final. The Squirt/10U preseason program begins Oct. 7 and will conclude with teams being named prior to Thanksgiving.

Squirt travel program will consist of two Squirt A teams, split evenly according to talent, two B1 teams, split evenly according to talent, and two B teams, split evenly according to talent.  The remaining teams will be set up as the Squirt/10U Development Program which will play similar schedules to Minnesota Squirt C programs.

Squirt A teams will be split evenly among the top 20-24 players (estimated number – actual number will be variable) each season.  Squirt B1 teams will be split evenly among the next 20-24 players (estimated number – actual number will be variable).  Squirt B teams will be split evenly among the next 20-24 players (estimated number – actual number will be variable). 

10U teams will consist of A and B teams, dictated by skill level of the annual pool of players.

The Squirt/10U Development Program will have the mission of providing extra skill development (less game-playing emphasis), with the goal of reducing attrition and providing an environment where players, who have not developed as fast as their peers, can continue this great sport with like-skilled teammates.

The Squirt/10U programs will not have formal tryouts, rather they will begin the Fall Camp process and play “in house” until the Thanksgiving break, at which time the aforementioned teams will be put together. 

The "in-house" portion of the schedule will have a fluid movement of players between assigned groups as they progress.

The team-building process will be the result of the 6-8 weeks of Fall Camp based on ongoing evaluations from the Hockey Director, the Squirt/10U Player Development Specialist and the identified coaches who have committed during this process. 

This 6-8 week runway for team-building serves many purposes including:

• Alignment with the USA Hockey Long Term Athlete Development Model and the USA Hockey ADM program (practice to game ratio, emphasis on skill development).
• Mirrors the most successful programs in the Upper Midwest
• Incorporates culture of skill development versus travel and game play
• Provides longer runway for “late bloomer” type of players. This level is known for its highly variable levels of development for players.  Some develop slowly, some hit development spurts and others start Squirt hockey already well-accomplished.
• Provides longer runway for players who choose not to play spring/summer hockey and participate in other sports and activities. By the end of the 6-8 week process all players will be at mid-season performance levels.
• Help identify players who are willing to work at high levels in the sport, in addition to helping group players who are more recreational in their approach.  Either approach is just fine, but trying to lump the players with similar levels and approaches takes more than a three-tryout weekend.

Games to begin after Thanksgiving (most local associations do not begin squirt travel games until Dec. 1 or Jan. 1).

Squirt and 10U teams practice three times per week for 60 minutes each, and generally play games on Saturdays and/or Sundays.  For 2024-25 Mondays will consist of station-based skill development sessions with the Hockey Director, Squirt/10U Player Development Specialists and other guest instructors as the lead instructor.

The Monday sessions will not be travel team-based and assignments to Monday groups will be separate and can be fluid.

Squirt and 10U teams will play 20-30 travel games, including up to three tournaments.  FYHA will try to get each team into the FYHA Squirt & Girls International tournaments, however there is no guarantee each team will secure three events.  We focus on the 20-30 total game count including tournaments.

Travel games scheduled outside of tournaments will consist of a blend of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota teams. Travel will vary depending on the level of play for each team. FYHA will strive to keep travel at a minimum to lower the cost for families, but want to be sure the competition matches our teams. In most cases travel games will be local or day trips. However, higher level teams tend to travel farther than lower level teams due to competition levels. 

Season concludes February 23 for all Freeze Squirt & 10U Girls  travel teams.

The Squirt/10U program is our adherence to the "Learning to Train" portion of the USA Hockey Athlete Development Model.  The FYHA attempts to follow the ADM model throughout its program.

The Freeze follow the USA Hockey Skills Progression guidelines for its player development philosophy.

OTHER REGISTRATION INFORMATION

• Tournament work required (8-10 DIBS Shifts per Player).
• See our DIBS page for specifics about tournament work.
• Can do DIBS buyout for $500.
• Goalies at the 10U/Squirt level can check out a full complement of goalie equipment for the season.

USA Hockey Fees -- Paid Directly To USAH & NDAHA

• $15 for birth years 2018 and younger
• $50 for birth years 2016-17
• $61 for birth years 2012-15
• $70 for birth years 2006-11
• NDAHA:  $15

1. Pay $1275 by check and opt into selling 30 raffle tickets at $20 each.
2. Pay $1775 by check to buy out of raffle option. You must select Pay Offline for both Registration Fee and Raffle Buyout in the registration process.
   • Additional option to sell more raffle tickets to reduce your fee even further, but must commit to selling additional ticket booklets consisting of 30 tickets. Partial booklet selling is not an option.
   • Yearbooks can be purchased at time of registration ($15 per Yearbook) with Pay Online or Pay Offline options.
3. Select the Raffle or Raffle Buyout options above, but pay online in four equal payments (at time of registration and three additional installments to be automatically debited/charged Oct. 15, Nov. 15 and Dec. 15).  SportsEngine transaction fees paid by customer (3 percent plus $1 per transaction). 
4. You also have the option to buy out of the DIBS requirement for $500 to be added to the totals above.

There are no refunds or changing your payment options after registration is complete.