Amateur Hockey 101
Everything you need to know about how youth amateur hockey works — age levels, skill divisions, the season, and how to get your child started with the SHAHA Panthers.
How Amateur Hockey Works
If you're new to hockey, welcome — you're in the right place. Most families who are interested in youth hockey have lots of questions about how the amateur league system works. This guide will walk you through everything from age levels and tryouts to the season schedule and how to get started.
SHAHA — the South Hills Amateur Hockey Association — is a member of the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL), whose territory covers an enormous region of western Pennsylvania and parts of neighboring states, stretching as far as Erie to the north, Morgantown to the south, State College to the east, and Youngstown to the west.
Through PAHL, SHAHA falls under the guidelines of the Mid-American District of USA Hockey — the national governing body for the sport. This means our players are registered with USA Hockey, our coaches are certified, and our programs meet national standards for player safety and development.
Have a question not answered here? Email communications@shaha.org and it will be routed to the right board member. Learn more about PAHL at pahockey.com and the Mid-Am District at midamhockey.com.
Age Levels
Amateur hockey divides players into age groups based on birth year (January 1 through December 31). Players compete with and against others of the same age, ensuring fair and appropriate competition at every level.
The entry point into team hockey. Focused on fun, fundamentals, and falling in love with the game. Follows USA Hockey's American Development Model (ADM) with cross-ice and small-area play.
Full-ice play begins. Players develop positional awareness, skating power, and team systems. Two practices per week plus weekend games.
Advanced puck control, hockey IQ, and team strategy. Competition intensifies and team identity deepens at this critical development level.
Body contact is introduced in co-ed play. Stronger team systems and physical play push players to a new competitive level. Girls programs available.
High school-age players. Elite players compete at Tier I AAA. Scouts, showcases, and junior hockey opportunities begin to enter the picture.
The pinnacle of SHAHA competition. 18U AAA Tier I competes at the highest amateur level. 19U Girls provides an elite pathway for SHAHA's top female athletes.
Not sure which age group your child falls in? Age is always based on the birth year — a player born in 2015 plays 10U (Squirt) in the 2026-27 season regardless of when during the year they were born. Contact us at communications@shaha.org if you have questions.
Skill Divisions
Within each age group from 10U through 19U, players are further divided by skill level. These placements are determined by PAHL each September based on tryout results and placement games. There can be multiple teams within each skill level depending on the number of players in that age group.
Skill placements are set by PAHL each September after tryouts and placement games are complete. Players are placed based on their ability relative to all players in their age group across the entire PAHL territory — not just within SHAHA.
How the Season Works
The amateur hockey season follows a structured calendar from spring tryouts through winter playoffs. Here's how the year unfolds for a SHAHA Panthers player.
SHAHA holds tryouts in April for all teams 10U and above. Players are evaluated and placed on rosters. Rosters may still be added to through December 31st of the current season.
8U Mite tryouts are held in August, allowing additional development time so children are properly placed. Official team practices for all levels begin the first week of August.
PAHL conducts placement games in September and October to finalize skill division assignments. Teams are placed into their AA, A+, A-, or B divisions for the regular season.
The regular season runs from October through the end of February. Games are scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays — no weekday games. Teams typically play 35–55 games including league play and tournaments.
Playoffs begin in March. Practices for the current season conclude one week after the end of PAHL playoffs — typically late March or early April.
Practice, Games & Fees
Home Rink
All SHAHA team practices are held at the Spencer Family YMCA in Bethel Park. This is also where most SHAHA home games and many events take place.
Practice Schedule
10U and above: Two set weeknight practice times plus one weekend slot. Weekend slots rotate between full-ice and shared ice with another team.
8U Mites: One weeknight practice and one Saturday practice slot.
Away Games
Since SHAHA is part of PAHL, games are played at rinks throughout the entire PAHL territory. Families should expect travel to other Pittsburgh-area rinks for away games throughout the season.
Season Fees
SHAHA allows season fees to be paid in installments through December. Optional fundraisers are offered to help families offset their costs — some families cover their entire season fees through fundraising participation.
Tournaments
Some teams choose to enter hockey tournaments throughout the season. Tournament participation is at each team's discretion and is not included in standard SHAHA season fees.
Roster Additions
While most rosters are built during spring tryouts, players can still be added to rosters through December 31st of the current season. Contact us if your child is interested in joining mid-season.
The 8U Mite Program — ADM Hockey
SHAHA's 8U Mite program follows USA Hockey's American Development Model (ADM) — a nationally recognized approach to developing young hockey players that prioritizes fun, skill development, and maximum puck touches over traditional formats.
Instead of full-ice, 6-on-6 hockey with long stretches away from the puck, ADM uses cross-ice and small-area games that give every player far more touches, decisions, and action in every session. The ice is divided into stations with different skill activities running simultaneously.
There are no standings, no scorekeeping, and no playoffs in 8U hockey. Jamborees are limited to 10 per team, and teams may participate in up to 4 tournaments during the regular season.
The focus is simple: make it fun, build a love for the game, and develop fundamentals that every player will build on for the rest of their hockey career.
New to hockey at 8U? We recommend starting with Learn to Skate at the Spencer Family YMCA, then Little Penguins Learn to Play before joining the Mite program.
Girls Hockey — Panthers Strong
SHAHA is proud to offer a strong and growing girls hockey program. We have fielded dedicated girls teams at the Under 12, Under 14, Under 16, and Under 19 divisions — and our future foundation is strong, with a considerable number of girls coming up through the Mite level each year.
Girls begin their SHAHA journey in Learn to Play and 8U alongside all their peers. As they advance, they transition into SHAHA's dedicated girls divisions, which provide an empowering, team-focused environment built around skill, competition, and camaraderie.
The minimum age to join the 12U Girls team is to be at a Squirt (10U) playing age. For girls who are new to hockey or not yet old enough for 12U, SHAHA's Pink Panthers developmental program serves as a bridge — introducing new players to the sport and building the foundation for future girls teams.
The existence of each girls division depends on PAHL having enough organizations fielding teams at that level across their territory. SHAHA is committed to supporting girls hockey at every level we can.
How to Get Started
Not sure if your child is ready for a team? That's completely normal. Here's a simple path from your child's very first skate all the way to their first Panthers jersey.
Step 1 — Learn to Skate
Start at the Spencer Family YMCA's Learn to Skate program for children ages 3–5. Helmets and gloves required. This builds the foundation every hockey player needs.
Step 2 — Little Penguins
The Little Penguins Learn to Play program — a SHAHA, Pittsburgh Penguins, and USA Hockey collaboration — introduces kids to sticks, pucks, and the joy of the game. Full gear included.
Step 3 — Register for SHAHA
When your child is ready, register for the SHAHA Panthers! Tryouts for 10U and above are held in April. 8U Mite tryouts are in August. Registration opens on our website.
Questions? The SHAHA Board of Directors is happy to help families at any stage. Email communications@shaha.org and your question will be redirected to the right board member who will get back to you directly. We thank you for your interest in this great sport and in the South Hills Amateur Hockey Association.
Ready to Become a Panther?
From a child's first stride at Learn to Skate to elite Tier I AAA competition — there is a place for every player in the SHAHA Panthers family. Let's get started.
SHAHA Amateur Hockey 101 - The Basics
Most people who are interested in playing hockey have many questions about how the amateur hockey league works. Hopefully this document will provide some basic information about amateur hockey in general and the South Hills Amateur Hockey Association (SHAHA). If you have any additional questions after reading this, please feel free to email communications@shaha.org and your question will be redirected to the appropriate Board member that will respond to you with an answer.
SHAHA is a member of the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL) whose territory reaches as far as Erie (North), Morgantown (South), State College (East) and Youngstown (West). SHAHA, through being a member of PAHL, falls under the guidelines of the Mid-American District of USA Hockey. You can find out more information on PAHL (www.pahockey.com) or the Mid-American District (www.midamhockey.com) by visiting their websites.
Each amateur organization will hold tryouts for their teams the spring before each upcoming season. SHAHA historically holds our placement process during the month of April (excluding 8U) so teams can begin to practice, train, develop and bond as a team on their own over the summer if they choose to do so. We hold 8U mite tryouts in August to allow further growth and development time so children are placed properly for their season. Although most teams are built in the spring, rosters can still be added to until December 31st of the current season.
Official team practices start the first week of August, and placement games occur during the months of September and October. Competition for the amateur hockey regular season typically runs from October through the end of February with the playoff season occurring at the start of March. Practices for the current season historically end one week after the conclusion of PAHL playoffs.
Amateur hockey divides their teams up by both age and skill.
Age is determined by birth year (Jan. 1st – Dec. 31st).
For the 2022-23 season, birth years are categorized at the various levels as follows:
Mite (2014 – 2018)
Squirt (2013 – 2012)
Peewee (2010 – 2011)
Bantam (2008 – 2009)
Midget (2006 – 2007)
Girls U12 (2010 – 2013)
Within the Squirt – Midget divisions, there are various teams that are placed by skill level. These placements are set by PAHL in September of each season.
Skill divisions are as follows and there can be multiple divisions within each level:
AA
A + (A major)
A – (A minor)
B
Mite Hockey follows USA Hockey’s ADM model that incorporates small ice games and ADM practices by breaking the ice into six stations. They play their games in a “Cross Ice” jamboree format that encourages more action, decision making, and touches of the puck. There are no standings, scorekeeping, and playoffs the season, and jamborees are limited to 10 per team. Teams are also limited to participating in 4 tournaments during the regular season as well. For more information on the ADM program for USA Hockey, visit http://www.admkids.com/
SHAHA is also proud to boast that we have a strong Girls program as well. In the past, we have fielded teams at the Under 19, Under 16, Under 14 and Under 12 divisions. The existence of these divisions rests solely on the decision of the PAHL as long as there are enough organizations fielding a team at each level to have a division. We have built a future foundation by having a considerable number of girls coming up through our Mite level. The minimum age for joining the U12 team is to be at a Squirt level playing age. Also, for those girls that are new to hockey, or too young to play U12, we have started the Pink Panthers program. This program will run much like a developmental program, and will serve to bring new kids into the sport of hockey and again help to create a foundational base of future U12, U14, U16, and U19 teams.
All SHAHA team practices are held at the Spencer Family YMCA in Bethel Park. Each team at SHAHA will have two set weeknight times of practice and one weekend slot (Saturday or Sunday until games begin) that will vary in time and will switch between full-ice and shared ice with another team unit. Mites will have one standard weeknight practice, and one weekend practice slot on Saturdays. Once the season begins, games will be scheduled on Saturday and Sunday with no weekday games. With our reduction to one sheet of ice after construction, our weekends will be game-only dates to accommodate the number of teams we have.
Since SHAHA is part of PAHL, games may be played at any of the PAHL organization’s rinks (PAHL Association List). In addition, some teams may decide to enter hockey tournaments throughout the season. This will be at the discretion of each team, and is not covered as part of the standard fee for playing at SHAHA.
SHAHA does allow season fees to be paid in installments through December. In addition, SHAHA provides various optional fundraisers to help reduce your costs, and some families offset their entire season fees through participating in the fundraisers we offer.
If you are not sure you are ready to join a team, we are an active participant in the Little Penguins Learn to Play program offered through Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. SHAHA also offers developmental hockey classes that meet once a week with sessions typically offered twice per season lasting 9 weeks at a time. Announcements will be made on our website as well when the programs become available.
Again, we thank you for your interest in this great sport and with the South Hills Amateur Hockey Association.
Thank you,
SHAHA Board of Directors
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