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{{Short description|Amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level}}
{{distinguish|Minor league ice hockey}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Youth ice hockey|junior ice hockey}}
{{Multiple issues|
'''Minor hockey''' is an [[umbrella term]] for [[amateur sports|amateur]] [[ice hockey]] which is played below the [[junior ice hockey|junior]] age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from class to class. In [[North America]], the rules are governed by the national bodies, [[Hockey Canada]] and [[USA Hockey]], while local hockey associations administer players and leagues for their region. Many provinces and states organize regional and provincial championship tournaments, and the highest age groups in [[Canada]] and USA also participate in national championships.
{{more citations needed|date=April 2022}}
{{Essay-like|date=April 2022}}
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'''Minor ice hockey''' or '''minor hockey''' is an [[umbrella term]] for [[amateur sports|amateur]] [[ice hockey]] which is played below the [[junior ice hockey|junior]] age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from class to class. In North America, the rules are governed by the national bodies, [[Hockey Canada]] and [[USA Hockey]], while local hockey associations administer players and leagues for their region. Many provinces and states organize regional and provincial championship tournaments, and the highest age groups in Canada and the United States also participate in national championships.
 
Minor hockey is not to be confused with [[minor league]] [[professional ice hockey|professional hockey]].
 
== Canada ==
[[File:Hockey win Kawartha Lakes Ontario.jpg|thumb|Minor hockey players in [[Kawartha Lakes]], [[Ontario]], celebrate the third goal of the game in [[Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League]] action]]
In Canada, the age categories are designated by each provincial hockey governing body based on [[Hockey Canada]]'s guidelines,<ref>[http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php?ci_id=7534&la_id=1 HockeyCanada.ca]</ref> and each category may have multiple tiers based on skill.
 
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To qualify in a category, the player must be under the age limit as of December 31 of the current season.
 
* U7 (formerly Initiation, Mini Mite, Tyke or H1/H2, Pre-MAHG ({{lang|fr|Méthode d’Apprentissaged'apprentissage de Hockeyhockey sur Glaceglace}}), MAHG 1 and 2): under 7 years of age<ref>{{cite web|title=Skills Development: Initiation – Player Development Essentials |url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Hockey-Programs/Players/Essentials/Categories/Initiation|publisher=Hockey Canada|access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref> In some larger areas with multiple associations in close proximity, Tyke is broken up by age into U6 (minor U7 or H1) for 5-year-old players and U7 (major U7, major tyke, orH2) for 6 years old players. In the Province of Quebec, players start in Pre-MAHG to initiate skating techniques. Over the next two following years they are in levels MAHG 1 and MAHG 2 to develop a sense of the game.
* U9 (formerly Novice or Mite or H3/H4 or MAHG3/MAHG4): under 9 years of age<ref>{{cite web|title=Skills Development: Novice – Player Development Essentials |url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Hockey-Programs/Players/Essentials/Categories/Novice|publisher=Hockey Canada|access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref> In some larger areas, U9 is broken up by age into U8 (minor U9 or minor novice or H3) for 7-year-old players and U9 (major U9 or H4 or major novice) for 8-year-old players.
* U11 (formerly Atom): under 11 years of age<ref>{{cite web|title=Skills Development: Atom – Player Development Essentials |url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Hockey-Programs/Players/Essentials/Categories/Atom|publisher=Hockey Canada|access-date=4 June 2015}}</ref>
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* Junior: under 21 years of age<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Development Model: Parent Information Handbook|url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/24419/la_id/1.htm|publisher=Hockey Canada|access-date=31 January 2013}}</ref> Junior: divided into Major Junior ([[Western Hockey League|WHL]], [[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]] and [[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League|QMJHL]]), Junior A (Tier II Junior), Junior B and Junior C (in some locations).
* Senior: No age limit
 
===Skill categories===
There are two broad grouping of skill levels: competitive and non-competitive. From house league/recreation hockey, progression is made to competitive travel hockey. A competitive team will hold tryouts and players will be selected for the roster depending upon skill level and fit. At this level, players chosen to compete experience a higher level of on-ice competition and coaching. Players learn systems; coaches maximize his/her potential and train them to work together as a unit.
 
====Non-competitive====
*'''HL''' ("House League" or Recreational) teams are intra-city and players may be of any skill level.
*'''Rostered Select''' teams will consist of better House League players who in addition to HL play, will play in additional games and practices which are organized on an ad hoc basis. Also known as a taxi squad.
*'''League Select''' teams will consist of better House League Players but can also play in a league for a full season in addition to the House League Season. This is also known as Select in some area.
 
====Competitive====
Higher-skilled players will typically play on "representative" or "travel" teams that will travel to play representative (rep) teams from other areas. These teams are classified by skill. Not all cities will have teams at all skill levels, depending on size and the popularity of hockey, however even small communities may field teams at multiple levels. (For example: [[Orillia]], [[Ontario]], with a population of 30,000, has four distinct skill divisions for 7-year-olds.) The classifications are typically not certified by any external organization, so there is speculation about what levels are truly better or stronger than others. AAA, AA, and A hockey are nationally recognized as competitive levels of organized hockey, with AAA being elite competition.
*'House Level' Inter Association hockey never leaving own association
*'C' Playing other associations in a region.
*'B'
*'A'
*'AA'
*'AAA' is the highest caliber of minor hockey
 
====British Columbia====
In [[British Columbia]], [[BC Hockey]] has a different system as the province has no "B" level hockey (Rosterd select / League select). All teams are either non-competitive "C" house or competitive Rep teams "A" (Pee Wee to Juvenile). Rep teams "A' compete exclusively association vs. association under the guidance of PCAHA (Pacific Coast), OMAHA (Okanagan), VIAHA (Island), and are labeled as '''A1''', '''A2''', '''A3''', and '''A4'''. No Atom level Provincial championship exists as Atom is considered developmental. The OMAHA and VIAHA have "Atom Development" rep teams, while the PCAHA follows "A1,A2,A3, etc" similar to older ages. Midget Rep has a BC run Midget AAA league which is the highest level of midget rep, in addition to association run rep teams (A1,A2,A3,etc.)
 
"A" level teams are designated by the following tiers: Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 4. For the purposes of affiliation regulations, each Tier designation will be considered a category.
 
BC Hockey Registrations of male Midget, Bantam and Pee Wee players from the previous three (3) years with the Associations tiers are determined the according to the following schedule:
{| class="wikitable" border=1
! Average Registration of Male Midget, Bantam & Peewee Players
! Designation
|-
| 300 and greater
| Tier 1
|-
| Less than 300, greater than or equal to 175
| Tier 2
|-
| Less than 175, greater than or equal to 80
| Tier 3
|-
| Less than 80
| Tier 4
|}
 
The above chart shall be utilized to determine the tier of the "initial entry" team at each division (i.e. the association's top Midget, Bantam and Peewee team).
1.03
a) Associations may register additional teams in any Division in accordance with the following chart:
 
{| class="wikitable" border=1
!Association Designation
!Second Entry Team
!Third Entry Team
!Fourth Entry Team
|-
| Tier 1
| Tier 2
| Tier 3
| Tier 4
|-
| Tier 2
| Tier 3
| Tier 4
| Tier 4
|-
| Tier 3
| Tier 4
| Tier 4
| Tier 4
|-
| Tier 4
| Tier 4
| Tier 4
| Tier 4
|}
 
b)
Any association registering more than two hundred and fifty (250) players in any Age division of Peewee, Bantam, Midget and Juvenile shall be required to register teams in that division in accordance with the following chart:
 
First Entry, Second Entry Team Must register two Tier 1 teams
Third Entry Team Tier 2
Fourth Entry Team Tier 3
Fifth Entry Team Tier 4
 
1.04
All Winter Clubs are designated Tier 1. This designation
is to be reviewed annually by the BC Hockey Executive
Committee following consultation with the District Association.
 
====Quebec====
Quebec house leagues are labeled C, B, A. Competitive teams are urbanly known as the "double letters" and are labeled as BB, AA (Atom through Midget Levels), and AAA (urbanly considered as triple-A and higher than the double letters). AAA teams in Quebec only occur from categories Pee-Wee through Junior. The Midget category offers the 'Espoir' Level (primarily 15-year-olds) and falls between AA and AAA distinction. The following are the Levels currently played in the [[Province of Quebec]], as sanctioned by [[Hockey Quebec]]:
 
* '''Pre-MAHG or Mini-MAHG (4 Years of age)'''
* '''Pre-Novice 1 (5 Years of age):''' MAHG 1
* '''Pre-Novice 2 (6 Years of age):''' MAHG 2
* '''Novice (Ages 7 – 8):''' N4 -N3 - N2 - N1
* '''Atom (Ages 9 – 10):''' C – B – A – BB – AA
* '''Pee-Wee (Ages 11 – 12):''' C – B – A – BB – AA – AAA
* '''Bantam (Ages 13 – 14):''' B – A – BB – AA – AAA
* '''Midget (Ages 15 – 17):''' B – A – BB – AA – AAA
* '''Junior (Ages 18 – 21):''' B – A – BB – AA
 
=== Controversy regarding age distribution in Canadian minor hockey ===
 
In a 2001 study published by the University of Toronto Press, the effects of minor hockey players who are born in the first half of the year (January–June) were directly compared to those who are born in the second half of the calendar year (July–December). The study aimed to determine how age affects a young player's probability of playing at a higher level in the future. Given the relatively short age brackets in Canadian minor hockey (players move up one league every two years before the age of 15), it was hypothesized that players who are born in the latter part of a calendar year are at a disadvantage (theoretically, a child could be playing with peers who are 2.5 years older than themselves under the current Canadian Minor Hockey system). The findings in this research were consistent with the hypothesis; upon extensive testing throughout several leagues and age divisions in Canada, Hurley, Lior and Tracze concluded that age plays a significant factor in a players ability to excel in hockey beyond the house league level.<ref name="Hurley et al.">{{cite journal |title=A Proposal to Reduce the Age Discrimination in Canadian Minor Hockey |first1=William |last1=Hurley |first2=Dan |last2=Lior |first3=Steven |last3=Tracze |journal=Canadian Public Policy |volume=27 |issue=1 |year=2001 |pages=65–75 |doi=10.2307/3552374 |jstor=3552374}}</ref>
 
The findings of this study resulted in the proposal for redistribution of player slotting in minor hockey under a new "quarter" system. The system proposed would split a year into four-quarters, consisting of three months each, for example,1992(3) for players born in 1992 sometime in the third quarter (i.e., sometime in the months July, August or September). Under this proposed system players would play against players of a similar age, never playing opponents who are over 24 months older than them as the current system allows. The proposed system would operate under an 8-year basis, moving players from division to division each year.<ref name="Hurley et al."/>
 
== Finland ==
In [[Finland]], the [[Finnish Ice Hockey Association]] roughly categorizes minor hockey players to ''under school-ages'' and ''school-ages''. Children over 16 are considered as ''juniors'', although the youngest juniors are still at the school-age.<ref>[http://www.finhockey.fi/junnut/juniorikiekon_ideologia/ Juniorikiekon ideologia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504204037/http://www.finhockey.fi/junnut/juniorikiekon_ideologia/ |date=2010-05-04 }} Finnish Ice Hockey Association {{in lang|fi}}</ref>
 
Starting of season 2020-21 names of the minor and junior levels has been changed to represent the standards used in international competitions and other minor hockey leagues. New minor and junior hockey levels, reference to old level in parentheses:.<ref>https://www.finhockey.fi/index.php/ajankohtaista/sarjatoiminta/item/4303-ikaluokkamerkinnat-muuttuvat-kansainvalisiksi{{in lang|fi}}</ref>
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== Germany ==
In Germany, German Ice Hockey Federation designates the following levels:<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.deb-online.de/service/infos/ | title=Infos &#124; Deutscher Eishockey-Bund e.V. }}</ref>
 
* '''Kleinstschüler (Bambini)U7''' (ages 97 and younger)
* '''KleinschülerU9''' (ages 119 and younger)
* '''KnabenU11''' (ages 1311 and younger)
* '''SchülerU13''' (ages 1513 and younger)
* '''JugendU15''' (ages 1715 and younger)
* '''JuniorenU17''' (ages 1917 and younger)
* '''U20''' (ages 20 and younger)
 
All levels are administrated by the respective sub-federation in each province except for the federal leagues which are administrated directly by the German Ice Hockey Federation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deb-online.de/index.php/nachwuchsligen.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-01-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101002062739/http://www.deb-online.de/index.php/nachwuchsligen.html |archive-date=2010-10-02 }}</ref> Ages were raised in 2010/2011.
 
== Sweden ==
The Swedish Ice Hockey Federation designates the following levels:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swehockey.se/ |title=Home |website=swehockey.se}}</ref>
 
* '''U9''' (ages 9 and younger)
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* '''J20''' (Juniors 20 and younger)
 
Some levels (especially J18 and J20) are directly administratedadministered by the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation, while lower divisions of the Juniors and below are administratedadministered by the respective sub-federation in each [[Provinces of Sweden|landskap]].
 
== Switzerland ==
The [[Swiss Ice Hockey Federation]] designates the following levels :<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sihf.ch/fr/kids-youth |title=News {{!}} Swiss Ice Hockey Federation |website=www.sihf.ch |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917054626/http://www.sihf.ch/fr/kids-youth/ |archive-date=2015-09-17}}</ref> using terms from the national languages of Switzerland. This has nevertheless evolve recently to U9, U11 so this has to be updated.
 
* '''Bambini''' (ages 6–9), [[Italian language|Italian]] for "children". 2 categories : Bambi and Bini
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The [[Amateur Athletic Union]] has returned to licensing the sport of ice hockey.
 
DuringAAU began licensing scholastic ice hockey programs at the HS Varsity and JV classifications about 2009. Then during the 2011–2012 season the AAU began licensing junior and youth leagues as well. The Western States Hockey League (WSHL) moved their operations from USA Hockey into AAU and Hockey Michigan was formed, providing Mite (8-and-under) conventionaltraditional full-ice playing opportunities at the 7U and 8U age classifications (aka mites) in the face of cross-ice mandates adopted by the USA Hockey district affiliate. During the 2012–2013 season, AAU junior and youth operations expanded rapidly and currently span coast to coast. More recently, AAU hockey has expanded their youth and Junior programs into Canada.
 
Today, AAU is licensing playing opportunities at all youth age classifications, as well as scholastic, junior, collegiate and adult levels.
 
Although some AAU clubs still use classification terms such as "mites" or "midgets", the official AAU youth designations indicate the age group with the format "xU", where "x" is the maximum age number and the "U" indicates "and under".
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== Officials ==
[[Image:Youth Hockey Official.jpg|thumb|A youth hockey official signalling an icing call.]]
[[Official (ice hockey)|Officials]] for youth hockey are often youth players themselves, calling games in lower levels than the one they participate in themselves. JustAs aswith players who start out playing youth hockey, officials start their officiating career by officiating youth hockey, making it up through the ranks as their officiating skill increases.{{Clarify|reason=Confusing wording|date=February 2022}} USA Hockey defines certain levels of their officials<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=OF_05_01&id=20762 |title=ArchivedUSA copyHockey |access-date=2008-06-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214113727/http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=OF_05_01&id=20762 |archive-date=2007-12-14 }}</ref> and so does Hockey Canada and the [[International Ice Hockey Federation]].
 
Currently, many youth officials quit after a few games, mainly due to verbal abuse from parents, coaches and players.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} The other issue faced by young referees is a reluctance from older officials to give them more advanced games. In the US and Canada, news stories pop up from now and then that describes physical abuse on youth officials, in addition to verbal abuse. These problems were addressed in Hockey Canada's "Relax, it's just a game"- campaign, which started in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/1/0/6/5/5/index1.shtml|title = 404 &#124; Missing page for Hockey Canada}}</ref>
 
A youth official can usually move up the ladder to juniors after about 2 years of officiating, and after a few years move up to senior hockey.{{Citation needed|date=October 2015}} This is of course, just as with players, different for each individual as their skill-curves are differently shaped.
 
Many current and former officials feel that their officiating career has aided them in their professional life as well, as being more comfortable with handling critical decisions and upset individuals.{{Citation needed|date=October 2015}}{{Clarify|date=February 2022}}{{Dead link|date=February 2022}}
 
==See also==
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{{Reflist}}
 
== External links ==
{{portalbar|ice hockey}}
* [http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/1011/la_id/1.htm? Hockey Canada – Minor Hockey]
* [http://www.usahockey.com//Template_USAHockey.aspx?Nav=HO USA Hockey]
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* [http://www.dnsh.no/ Den Norske Skøyte og Hockeyskole – Norwegian skating and hockey school]
* [https://www.jstor.org/stable/3552374?seq=10#page_scan_tab_contents A Proposal to Reduce the Age Discrimination in Canadian Minor Hockey]
 
{{Ice hockey navbox}}
 
[[Category:Youth ice hockey|+]]
[[Category:Ice hockey]]
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