As a new player entering the sport of hockey, it is important to get started at the beginning, with the basics.  The foundation for successful development in ice hockey is building strong basic skating and puck handling skills.  When those skills have developed to the point of being second nature, then a player can focus on the additional game skills to advance to his or her maximum potential.  The following steps are a framework to use as a guideline for your new player:

Learn To Skate:  These group lessons instructed by the skating professionals at the rink will get your player started with his/her basic skating skills the right way.  He/she will learn frontwards and backwards skating, pivots, stopping, crossovers, etc.  The players in the learn to skate lessons progress through the program at their own individual pace, moving on to the next developmental level when they are ready.  It is suggested that a least 6-8 lessons are taken at a minimum.

This program is put on by our home ice rink, Palmer Imaging Arena, in Delmont, PA.

Sidney Crosby's Little Penguins
Learn to Play Hockey: 

What’s included?
Free head-to-toe CCM equipment bearing the NHL brand. Each participant will receive the following new equipment:

• Hockey helmet with cage
• Shoulder pads
• Elbow pads
• Hockey Gloves
• Hockey Pants
• Shin Guards
• Skates
• Little Penguins Jersey
• Socks
• Stick
• Equipment Bag

In addition to the equipment provided, we recommend that you purchase a mouth guard and athletic supporter.

Registration Information 
Registration MUST be completed online — telephone and on-site registrations will NOT be accepted.
Following the registration period, equipment pickup will at the participant’s pre-selected DICK’S Sporting Goods location.
For questions or concerns, please contact us at: littlepenguins@pittsburghpenguins.com.

Please note:

• Participants must be ages 5-9.
• Children who previously participated in the Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey program, are not eligible to participate in the program again.
• Children who are currently playing in a mite program, and are USA Hockey registered, are not eligible to participate.

Learn To Play Hockey:  The Little Badgers and Junior Badgers programs focus on basic stickhandling, passing, and shooting skills, while continuing to reinforce basic skating skills. 

A weekend class that is taught by the staff of our home ice rink, Palmer Imaging Arena, in Delmont, PA.

AHA Mite ADM Program:  This regular season program is on the ice 2-3 times a week (every Saturday and Sunday, and alternating weeks on either Tuesday or Wednesday night starting in October).  The program gets started at the end of August and runs to the end of February.  Players practice and play game jamborees at either our home ice, Palmer Imaging Arena in Delmont, or at various rinks in the area for game jamborees against other associations (maybe 4-6 times over the course of the season).  Some teams also attend optional weekend tournaments.

AHA Travel Teams:  Teams are available at the 10U (Squirt), 12U (Peewee), 14U (Bantam), and 16U and 18U (Midget) and at various skill levels (“B” or entry level; “A” or intermediate; and “AA” or advanced).

Players are placed on teams appropriate for their skill level and developmental needs based on the results of our annual competitive team tryouts in late April / early May of each year.