What is Manhattan Mighty Mites?
Manhattan Mighty-Mites is New York City’s first, and only, Cross Ice hockey program, designed for players ten years old and younger. All participants will be divided into four groups based on skill/experience – Learn to Play, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each group will be limited to 15 skaters. There will be one head coach and two assistants per group, and I will be overseeing the entire clinic. This means, at any given time, there will be at least one coach per six skaters in each section.
Manhattan Mighty Mites will meet from 5:00 - 6:20 PM every Monday and Wednesday, at City Ice Pavilion.
The emphasis of this clinic will be the development of game skills. Every group will have pucks on their sticks as much as possible. Obviously, the focus of each group will be slightly different, but EVERYONE who participates in Manhattan Mighty-Mites will leave with better skills, quicker reaction speed, and a better understanding of the game of hockey.
What is Cross Ice Hockey?
In a Cross Ice hockey program, the rink is divided width-wise into three, equally sized, “mini-rinks.” This makes the size of each playing area in proportion with the size of the players. Unlike traditional hockey, games are played with three skaters and one goalie per team. In a Cross Ice hockey game, EVERYONE on the ice is involved in the play and provided more exposure, more involvement and, most importantly, more FUN!
Why should my child participate in a Cross Ice hockey program?
Cross Ice hockey is a far superior training and developmental game. The traditional ice hockey game provides little benefit from an improvement standpoint for virtually all children. The main reason being most 50 minute games provide each player with approximately 15 minutes of skating time, 20 seconds of puck control time & only one shot on net!
No player will achieve any meaningful improvement from these games. However, a cross ice game gives each player exponentially more “touches” of the puck, more shots on net, and more passes. The children will need to condition themselves to skate, stick handle and shoot much quicker. It is a form of “overspeed” training! This “overspeed” training is not just physical but also mental. The players must think, react, and make their decisions more quickly than in a traditional game.
USA Hockey lists the following as additional benefits to a Cross-Ice Hockey Program:
- The children have more energy with which they can improve their skills when they are skating 85 feet across the ice surface as opposed to the 200 feet length of the ice surface.
- Group sizes become smaller which means learning and teaching will become more effective.
- The close feeling of belonging to a team will motivate a child to participate with even greater enthusiasm.
- Drills designed according to the varying skill level of players within the group are easier to organize.
- More puck contact, resulting in improved puck control skills.
- More repetition/frequency in drills in one ice session.
Registration
Mighty-Mites will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00 - 6:20pm.
Parents may register their child for either Mondays or Wednesdays, or you can register for botth days.
For more information, or to register your child, please contact Patrick Jackson at 718.505.6230, Ext. 7100.
Click for: Mighty Mites Registration!
