OVERVIEW | SCHOOL | EQUIPMENT | ORIENTATION CLASSES | CLASS SCHEDULE | CLASS SIZE | INSTRUCTORS | COST | DETAIL SUMMARY REGISTRATION FORM
Thank you for contacting the Pacific Hockey Association regarding our Beginner Program. This detail sheet will act as a guide to the operation of our Beginner Program and will spell out the benefits of this type of program over a teach-yourself method. The Beginner School Program for the Winter 2007-08 season was full, with a waiting list. From preliminary registrations, we anticipate the Summer 2008 Beginner School will fill up fast, so please get your registrations in as quickly as possible.
The coordinators for the PHA Beginner Program are Russ Hughes and Mike Benesh. If you have any questions, you may contact the PHA office at 925-634-7427or email us at pha@playpha.com. We will be happy to answer any questions that you might have that are not answered in this informational package.
The Pacific Hockey Association currently operates a Winter League and a Summer League for experienced players, with teams divided into several Conference levels. At the PHA, parity within a conference is a very important company philosophy, as is the fair and equitable distribution of ice time. While we attempt to be as flexible as possible regarding the scheduling of teams, we do not adhere to the idea that the best players get the best ice times. This is a no-check, safety oriented recreational adult league at all levels of play. Each conference plays on a designated night of the week.
The PHA is the original adult league in the Bay Area. Our longevity is due to a company wide, customer oriented business philosophy. Last year, we fielded four Beginner teams, with players just like yourself. Those teams played in their first experienced season, mostly together in what we call the D Conference of the Winter 2007-08 season.
Our Beginner Program stresses building a solid foundation of fundamentals in a school-type environment, giving you the tools to work with to enjoy a lifetime of playing recreational ice hockey. Our experience has taught us that this method allows all participants to learn at their own speed while maximizing the time actually spent ON THE ICE.
Generally, the Program is divided into three broad areas of attention, namely skating, stick handling and positional play. Toward the end of the Program, you will also get some game experience playing in controlled scrimmages; the instructor has you participate in a game setting where the action might be stopped at any time to stress a certain point or answer questions. There are a total of 15 on-ice sessions, on the average of once per week.
Skating is the one fundamental necessity in ice hockey, and as such is stressed throughout the Program, especially in the first several sessions. Proper skating technique, which covers all aspects of skating, is taught at these sessions. The concepts will be discussed and demonstrated for the class, but individual instruction will also be used to pinpoint problem areas for each participant. For all subsequent sessions in the Beginner Program, skating will be reviewed and some drills undertaken in order to keep the proper techniques in mind.
Stick handling is the focus of the next several sessions following skating. Again, this is a combination of class and individual instruction, with the goal being the establishment of solid puck control skills for each individual participant. Of course, the puck control skills will be taught in combination with skating skills, so that by the end of these sessions each participant should have a grasp of the individual skills necessary to play recreational ice hockey.
The remaining sessions will include positional play instruction and controlled scrimmages. Here, you will be learning the team concepts necessary to enjoy playing in a game situation. You will be able to use your individual skills learned in the previous sessions and apply them to team play.
Like many sports, ice hockey requires the proper equipment, fitted to each individual, for the most complete enjoyment. A complete list of equipment is available on our web site, in the Beginner section.
The Pacific Hockey Association, in conjunction with Ice Center Enterprises (owner of the rinks in San Mateo and Cupertino) offers our Beginner students an excellent Equipment Package. The Package includes CCM brand Gloves, Pants, Elbow Pads, Shin Guards, and Shoulder Pads for one low price of $199.99. In addition, when you purchase your equipment package, you may purchase any additional hockey equipment items in the Pro Shop at a 10% discount. This would be an excellent time to pick up a pair of CCM skates for 10% off the retail price, and you might also want to purchase a helmet/face mask, sticks, a bag and tape.
We would like to make your equipment purchasing experience as easy as possible. Once you are enrolled in the PHA Beginner School, you may contact us to let us know that you wish to purchase an equipment package, and give us your size. We will have a package waiting for you to pick up before or after your orientation class. Fitting for skates, however, can only be done in the Pro Shop, so please allow some extra time for skate purchases.
The Equipment Package offer for PHA Beginner Students is as inexpensive as possible, while at the same time being an excellent value. This is 2008 equipment direct from CCM/Reebok, and not some previous years equipment that you may find on the Internet.
At your orientation class (discussed below), we will discuss the full range of equipment, its function, and sizing and proper placement. It is our opinion that you will get the best value locally, especially when you consider overall price, service, sizing and speed of delivery
The orientation classes are off-ice sessions held prior to your school. While we hold several classes, you should sign up for, and attend, only one. At these classes, we will discuss equipment topics, hand out information, answer any questions and finalize your paperwork so that, when the first on-ice session begins, you will spend your entire time out on the ice. We try to limit the orientation classes to 15 people each so that we can cover all the information and answer individual questions in 90 minutes or so. Orientation dates are posted on our web site.
The class schedule will be posted on our web site shortly and then distributed again at your orientation meeting. You can expect almost all of your instruction sessions to be on Sunday evenings. In general, the Beginner Program receives some of the best ice times, with no sessions starting after 8:30 pm. We will utilize 2 rinks for the Beginner Program, namely the Ice Center at San Mateo and the Ice Center at Cupertino.
We do not limit the size of the class, but we will deploy instructors according to the number of students, ensuring enough instructors are on the ice at all times.
The instructors are the backbone of any Beginner Program. Many of our instructors have been with us for several seasons and have developed this program to best meet the needs of the beginner player.
The total cost for the Beginner Program is $399.00. In addition to the aforementioned instruction sessions, this cost also includes two jerseys (home and away) that have the PHA logo and a number, suitable to be used as a team set of jerseys in your next season of play. Your deposit of $100.00 secures a place on the Beginner Program roster.
Your final payment of $299.00 will be due at your orientation meeting. If needed, we can set up a payment schedule of $100 a month. The PHA accepts checks, Visa, Mastercard and cash. Credit card payments may be made over the telephone, by fax, or in person. Please note that your deposit and payment ensure your place in the Beginner Program, and the PHA has excluded others from the Program based upon enrollment. Therefore, your deposit and full payment for this class should be considered non-refundable and non-transferable. Refunds will only be made if and when the PHA has found a suitable replacement participant. Due to the nature of the program, all deposits and full payments are considered non-refundable and non-transferable 30 days prior to the first class meeting.
| BEGINNER | |
| REGISTRATION FORM | P.O. Box 1433, Alameda, CA 94501 |
| 1-800-PLAY-PHA | Fax: 925-634-7429 e-mail: pha@playpha.com |
Name: ___________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________
City: __________________ State: ______ Zip: _________________
Home Phone: _______________ Work Phone: _________________ Email: _________________
Please indicate the method of payment enclosed with application: Check ____ Credit Card____
Visa ___ MasterCard ___
Name as it appears on the card: _____________________________________ Exp. Date: __________
Amount to Charge: $__________________
Card Number:
For credit card payments: Please fill out the Registration Form and send it via: Fax: 925-634-7429 Voice Mail: 1-800-PLAY-PHA Email:pha@playpha.com U.S. Mail: below For payment by check:
Please fill out the Registration Form and send it, along with your check made payable to the Pacific Hockey Association or PHA, to: PHA Information: Email:pha@playpha.com
PHA
P.O. Box 1433
Alameda CA 94501
Phone:800-PLAY-PHA
FAX:925-634-7429
Contents copyright © 2008 Pacific Hockey Association. All rights reserved.