Pittsburgh Penguins Learn To Play

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    Little Penguins

Learn to Play is a program that provides a unique opportunity for families to join the hockey community and for participants to develop fundamental skills to help them succeed both on and off the ice. Created jointly by the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL). Learn to Play’s goal is to inspire youth and welcome more families into the hockey community.

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    Open Registrations

Rink & Address Locations

1st Summit Arena
326 Napolean St Johnstown, PA 15901
Alpha Ice Complex
66 Alpha Dr West Pittsburgh, PA 15238
Baierl Ice Complex
103 Marshall Dr, Warrendale, PA 15086
Belmont Ice Complex
415 Butler Rd Kittenning, PA 16201
Brady's Run Park Ice Arena
121 Brady's Run Rd Beaver Falls, PA 15010
Palmer Imaging Arena (formerly Center Ice Arena)
100 Center Ice Drive Delmont, PA 15626
Deep Freeze Ice Arena
360 McClurg Rd Boardman, OH 44512
Erie Bank Sports Park
8159 Oliver Rd Erie, PA 16509
Frozen Pond Arena
118 Sylvan Spring Ln Valencia, PA 16059
Galactic Ice
750 Park Ave Altoona, PA 16602
George S. DeArment Ice Arena
800 Thurston Rd Meadville, PA 16335
Hess Ice Rink
3365 Mitchell Rd New Castle, PA 16105
Ice Castle Arena
990 Castle Shannon Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15234
Kirk S. Nevin Arena
520 New Alexandria Road Greensburg, PA 15601
Morgantown Ice Arena
1001 Mississippi St Morgantown, WV 26505
Mt. Lebanon Ice Center
900 Cedar Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15228
North Central Recreation Center
186 Schoolhouse Rd., Ebensburg, PA 15931
North Park Ice Rink
1101 Pearce Mill Rd Allison Park, PA 15101
Pittsburgh Ice Arena
700 Craigdell Rd New Kensington, PA 15068
Printscape Arena at Southpointe
114 Southpointe Blvd Canonsburg, PA 15317
RMU Island Sports Center
7600 Grand Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15225
Rostraver Ice Garden
101 Gallitin Rd Belle Vernon, PA 15012
S&T Bank Arena
497 East Pike Rd Indiana, PA 15701
South Park Ice Rink
30 Corrigan Dr Bethel Park, PA 15102
Spencer Family YMCA
305 Church Rd Bethel Park, PA 15102
The Ice Mine
5001 SR 1051 Connellsville, PA 15425
Wheeling Park
1801 National Rd Wheeling, WV 26003
UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex
8000 Cranberry Springs Dr Cranberry Township, PA 16066
Shady Side Academy - Roy McKnight Hockey Center
423 Fox Chapel Rd Pittsburgh, PA 15238
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    Little Penguins News & More

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    Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about the Little Penguins!

The Learn to Play initiative aims to be the gold standard for youth hockey programs with the goal of inspiring more families to join the hockey community. Learn to Play changes the way youth hockey is offered by providing first-time participants FREE head-to-toe equipment, eight (8) weeks of age appropriate on-ice instruction, and certified coaching in a fun and safe atmosphere.

The program provides FREE head-to-toe equipment for your child to keep as they continue exploring youth hockey. However, there is a participation fee associated with the program which offsets ice and coaching expenses. The participation fee may vary by facility.

The Little Penguins Learn to Play program is offered to new, first-time participants (boys and girls), between the ages of five (5) and nine (9). First-time participants are those who have not have previously been registered with USA Hockey or previously participated in a hockey league/program (house/rec league, learn to play, mini-mites, camps, etc.). It is strongly encouraged the participants complete a Learn to Skate class through their local rink prior to enrolling in Little Penguins.

* If the host facility becomes aware that a registered child has previous hockey league/program experience, the child will be removed from the Little Penguins program and the guardians will be charged the full retail price for the equipment.

The program provides head-to-toe equipment, however, there is a nominal participation fee associated with the program. The participation fee may vary by market and facility.

It is strongly recommended that children complete a “Learn to Skate” class through their local rink prior to enrolling in Little Penguins. Most rinks have regular ice skating sessions which are open to the public and are a great way to gain experience and confidence on the ice. For those looking to register for a “Learn to Skate” program, please contact your local rink.

The Little Penguins Learn to Play program is offered at over twenty local rinks throughout Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia area. Although, not every rink hosts each session (Fall, Winter, Spring). A list of locations offering the current session, can be found under the “open registrations” section.

Registration

We are sorry to hear that! If you are able to give notice prior to picking up your equipment, you are able to cancel your registration, and our staff will work towards processing your refund. Please e-mail littlepenguins@pittsburghpenguins.com with any cancellation requests .

We have waitlists for all Little Penguins programs. If you are interested in a session that is full, please register for the waitlist. We will do our best to contact participants on the waitlist should a spot become available.

If you successfully registered your children for the same session, then yes. All participants will be on the ice at the same time. Coaches may split the class into groups for drills throughout the program.

USA Hockey is the national governing body of ice hockey in the United States (https://www.usahockey.com/). USA Hockey provides a number of resources for the Learn to Play program, including; age-appropriate training modules and practice plans, coaching certification, background screening and insurance for all Learn to Play participants. Each Little Penguins participant receives a free USA Hockey player membership for the season in which they complete the program. The memberships are typically processed during the latter half of on-ice sessions. Once processed, the membership confirmation email is sent directly to each participants’ primary e-mail used during registration. This e-mail includes the participants USA Hockey confirmation number.

On-Ice Sessions

It is strongly recommended that participants arrive 30-60 minutes early to the first on-ice session. Please arrive in enough time to ensure that your child is able to get checked in, dressed, and on the ice on time. Please be aware that it can take longer than expected to get your child dressed, especially in the first few sessions.

Please make sure to let your Coach know that you will not be attending a certain class.

Equipment

Upon registration, each participant will receive complimentary head-to-toe CCM equipment. The equipment provided includes: a helmet with cage, shoulder pads, elbow pads, hockey pants, shin guards, gloves, hockey skates, a hockey stick, jersey, socks, and an equipment bag. USA Hockey strongly encourages participants to purchase their own athletic supporter (jock/jill), mouth guard, and neck guard. All equipment is required to be worn during on-ice sessions. Participants keep the equipment upon graduating from the Little Penguins program.

Next Steps / Continue to Play

The Pittsburgh Penguins encourage all Little Penguins participants to continue playing hockey! Talk to your Coach or Rink Director for the best next step program.

Unfortunately, no. The Little Penguins program is offered to only new, first-time participants. Sessions are not progressive and participants may only register for one session (Fall, Winter, or Spring). Host facilities/organizations will provide participants with direction on transitional, next-step programming available.

The program provides FREE head-to-toe equipment for your child to keep as they continue youth hockey. However, there is a participation fee associated with the program which offsets ice and coaching expenses. The participation fee may vary by facility.

Any questions? Contact us at:

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