Girls Try Hockey for Free Day & Learn To Play Program
The Reston Raiders Hockey Club is growing girls’ hockey! It begins with our Try Hockey for Free Day and Learn to Play program, which each year introduce hockey to more than 100 area girls ages 4-10. Both programs have received praise from USA Hockey and are viewed as models that can be followed by other hockey programs throughout the region and the country.
Girls Try Hockey for Free (GTHFF) Day is an opportunity for young girls to try the game, whether or not they have prior skating or hockey experience. There is no cost to participate, and players receive a free hockey stick along with loaner equipment. The program is offered during the fall and includes a family education session, an on-ice practice, an opportunity to meet and skate with girls currently playing for the Raiders and to see a girls’ travel team in action, as a girls’ travel hockey game is held in conjunction with GTHFF Day. At the conclusion of GTHFF Day, all participants have an opportunity to enroll in one of the Club’s hockey programs. Many current Raiders started playing hockey with GTHFF Day!
Learn to Play (LTP). The Raiders’ Learn to Play program is the premier program in the region teaching hockey to those who are new to the game. The program is led by a team of experienced USA Hockey Certified coaches and is based on USA Hockey’s American Development Model, teaching players the fundamentals of the game in a fun and supportive environment. LTP is open to players ages 4-10 and each year enrolls approximately 150 players, including as many as 50 girls!
The program is designed for children who have little to no experience ice skating or playing organized ice hockey and is intended as a prerequisite for those children who wish to join the Raiders recreational House league and/or our Girls or coed Travel programs.
The Raiders LTP season runs from late September to early March (approximately 20 weeks) and includes LTP1 (players new to hockey/skating) and LTP2 (players with prior experience or in their first few years of hockey). Both LTP 1 and LTP 2 feature skill development sessions and small area or cross-ice games. Visit the LTP section of our website for additional details.
