Minnesota Hockey recognized four associations with a Girls’ Hockey Award at its June board meeting. Chaska Chanhassen, Osseo-Maple Grove, St. Michael-Albertville and Worthington were presented with the awards in appreciation of their leadership in the growth, development and promotion of girls’ hockey.

Worthington Hockey Association was also honored with the USA Hockey Female Honors Award, which is an annual award provided to one association by each USA Hockey district. Worthington was announced as the honoree for the Minnesota district in early June at USA Hockey’s Annual Congress.

Each of the associations submitted an application detailing the initiatives they’ve put forward to grow and develop girls’ hockey in their communities. Key components included putting an emphasis on increasing the number of girls playing through a combination of events and keeping the game affordable as well as offering a comprehensive player development program and organizing activities that engage their girls’ hockey program with their local community.

The USA Hockey Female Honors Award was initiated in 2014. Past recipients include Tartan (Northeast Metro) and Edina.

Minnesota Hockey would like to once again thank each of these associations for their outstanding dedication to girls’ hockey!

Chaska Chanhassen Hockey Association (CCHA)

This past season CCHA formed a Girls’ Hockey Committee with the goal of overseeing and placing a focus on girls’ hockey. The committee made an immediate impact by launching a number of events in the fall including a Girls’ Hockey Day and a series of five try hockey days. They also developed a relationship with the local skate school to enhance their community’s learn to skate programs and further their efforts to get more girls on the ice.

Once the season was underway, the committee spearheaded a deep commitment to the American Development Model featuring more shared ice times, limits on game counts to reach an appropriate practice-to-game ratio and more. They even featured USA Hockey Female ADM Manager Michelle Amidon at a parent information session designed to communicate their philosophy throughout the association.

Osseo-Maple Grove Hockey Association (OMGHA)

As a self-proclaimed believer in USA Hockey initiatives, OMGHA shows its commitment to long term athlete development by providing all teams with age-appropriate practice plans, recommended practice-to-game ratios, tournament guidelines and hard dividers for high intensity small area and cross-ice games. The association has also instituted free hockey for first year girls’ players and a cost freeze that keeps the fees for girls’ teams even with the boys’ at each traveling age level. In addition, OMGHA participates in or hosts parent and coach workshops through Positive Coaching Alliance, 3-4 try hockey days each year, city parades, booths at community events and a house hockey program that reduces time, travel and cost for families.

St. Michael-Albertville Youth Hockey Association (STMAYHA)

Two years ago, STMAYHA pledged to grow its girls’ program by utilizing a holistic plan it had developed. Since then, the association has participated in and completed the 2 and 2 Challenge, hosted numerous try hockey events, lowered the cost of hockey for ALL first year skaters, increased its cooperation with local schools to promote hockey and started involving High School players with the girls in the association. The results have been astounding as the program grew from an average of 30 Girls 8U players three years ago to 80, and they will be able to field three 10U teams for the first time ever next season.

Worthington Hockey Association

As recently as 2012-13 season, Worthington wasn’t able to field any girls’ specific teams in their association. The following summer the organization decided to put an emphasis on growing girls’ hockey. They strived to increase awareness through promotions at all of the community’s major events and distributing flyers through the schools. Then, they offered local girls the opportunity to try the game at Try Hockey For Free days and several bring-a-friend events.

The association also re-evaluated its fee structure to make the game more affordable and offers the first year free to all non-high school age players, as well as supplying an extensive equipment rental program. At the travel age levels, Worthington uses creative scheduling along with games against nearby Iowa and South Dakota associations to minimize travel and provide girls the opportunity to participate in other activities.

This past season, just three years later, Worthington had teams at the 8U, 10U and 12U levels for the first time in the association’s history, and it’s 12U B team made the girls program’s inaugural trip to a Region Tournament.