Hockey often is viewed as an expensive sport.
The Bowling Green Youth Hockey Association is trying to reduce the cost of the sport in order to increase
the number of participants in its program.
So far, the lower cost has been a success and the program is growing again.
The league has 196 players age 4-18 this season, up from 150 last season and 124 two seasons ago. The
league had at least 289 players each season from 1998-2004, including 313 as recently as 2004.
The largest increase in players has come in the program’s three youngest divisions, the Initiation
Program (ages 4-5), Mini-Mites (5-6) and Mites (7-8). The Mini-Mites and Mites have a combined 70
players, and the IP has 50.
The program’s registration fees range from $150 for the mini-mites and mites to $210 for the youngest
which is approximately half the cost of recent seasons, said Eddie Powers, the BGYHA’s coaching
coordinator. The 50 IPs have three six-week sessions, the first is free and the other two are $50 each.

The league also is reducing the cost of equipment.
It purchased 40 starter sets of equipment from USA Hockey and sold those sets to families for $65. If the
families decide at the end of the season, they don’t want to return next season, their $65 is returned.
If they play next season, the $65 will be kept by the league and used to purchase more equipment.
The starter set includes shin pads, pants, elbow pads and a helmet. The league provides socks and
jerseys. Families only have to buy a stick and skates.
"They don’t have much of a financial obligation to give our sport a try," Powers said.
The league also holds a used equipment sale at the start of the each season and quality equipment can be
bought for as little as $5 or $10, Powers said.
"We’ve tried to make it as cost effective as possible for the families," BGYHA president Mike
Furnas said. "We’ve been able to keep the cost down and help eliminate the perception that this is
an expensive sport."
In addition to the lower cost, the BGYHA believes the quality of its product has improved, thanks to its
using the new American Development Model from USA Hockey.
The ADM is a plan on how to develop youth hockey players at all age levels, with a specific plan for each
age level.
It includes practice schedules for youth organizations.
Using the ADM, the BGYHA has its 70 mini-mites and mites on the ice at the same time. The ice is divided
into three zones (one goes blue line to blue line, and the other two go from the goal line to the blue
line), with six skill stations set up. A one-hour practice consists of two skating stations, one station
for 1-on-1 drills and the three other stations for individual skills. The practices finish with
cross-ice scrimmages or other drills.

Twelve coaches are on the ice for the practices.
In the past, the younger players have played on either a full sheet ice or half ice.
"The kids are getting so many more touches of the puck than your normal practice and that
accelerates the learning process," said BG resident Scott Paluch, who is one of USA Hockey’s eight
regional managers in charge of helping local associations implement the ADM. "We’ve seen other
sports reduce the size of their fields based on the age of their players, and this allows us to do the
same thing."
In the past, teams often had just one game and one practice per week from September through February.
Now, teams are the ice an average of three times per week. Furnas said the new multi-purpose sheet at
the Ice Arena has increased the amount of ice time available.
"It’s a high-tempo practice, it keeps their attention and it teaches them the different
skills," Powers said. "They’re getting a ton of ice time."
The BGYHA has travel teams in each age group, squirt (9-10), Pee Wee (11-12) and Bantam (13-14). But it
has no Bantam house teams, and only a combined Squirt/Pee Wee house team. It is hoped the numbers will
continue to grow in each division, allowing the house league to grow.
Furnas and Powers said the numbers declined in the program because of the cost, kids have more options
when it comes to sports and activities to choose from, and the decline of the Falcon hockey program
during the last 20 years.
"We’d just like the program to continue to grow and improve," Furnas said. "We want to
keep these kids in the program and have them move up, so we can have the house leagues and that, in
turn, will help our travel program and our high school program."
The league will hold its annual Youth Hockey Day, Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. in the Ice Arena.
The BG High School hockey team hosts top-ranked Toledo St. Francis Saturday at 7 p.m.