Camillus Youth Hockey

The CYHA program consists of teams in the Tyke, Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, and Girls divisions. There are also travel (competitive) teams in the Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, and Midget Division. Set forth below is a brief description of each division. Please note that the divisions are determined by the USA Hockey Age Classification, which is set forth at the back of this handbook. 

TYKES

This is CYHA’s initiation level program with an emphasis on fundamental skill development. This division is for first-year players and/or any player under the age of 5. Any player older than the age of 5 may be permitted to play in the Tyke program upon Board approval. Tykes normally practice twice a week at predictable days/times. 

MITES 8U

This is the next step in CYHA’s initiation program. Players participate in the USA HOCKEY Cross-Ice Skill Development/ADM Program. This division is for players 8 years old and under. Any player under the age of 5 must get Board approval to play in the Mite division. The players are divided into teams. Whenever possible teams are given at least two practices per week. Additional practice slots will be provided if possible. The CYHA Scheduler will also allocate a certain number of game slots to each team for scheduling ADM appropriate Cross-Ice Games with other Associations participating in the USA Hockey Cross-Ice Skill Development /ADM Program. Game slots are a minimum fifty (50) minutes in duration. Teams will be selected according to USA Hockey’s Red/White/Blue Development model, and games will be played according to the then current USA Hockey guidance. 

SQUIRT 10U

This division is for players 9 and 10 years old. There is at least one travel (competitive) team in this division. The remaining teams participate in the Snowbelt League. Whenever possible, the Snowbelt teams are given at least two practices per week. Additional practice slots will be provided if possible. The CYHA Scheduler schedules all Snowbelt games with the League. The CYHA Scheduler will also apportion a certain number of pick-up game slots to each of the teams. Game slots are a minimum of one hour and fifteen minutes in duration. 

PEEWEE 12U

This division is for players 11 and 12 years old. There is at least one travel (competitive) team in this division. There is only one tournament bound team in the PeeWee division. The remaining teams participate in the Snowbelt League. Whenever possible, Snowbelt teams are given at least two practices per week. Additional practice slots will be provided if possible. The CYHA Scheduler schedules all Snowbelt games with the League. The CYHA Scheduler will also apportion a certain number of pick-up game slots to each of the teams. Game slots are a minimum of one hour and fifteen minutes in duration.

BANTAM 14U

This division is for players 13 and 14 years old. There is at least one travel (competitive) team in this division. There is only one tournament bound team at the Bantam division. The remaining teams participate in the Snowbelt League. Whenever possible, Snowbelt teams are given at least two practices per week. Additional practice slots will be provided if possible The CYHA Scheduler schedules all Snowbelt games with the League. The CYHA Scheduler will also apportion a certain number of pick-up game slots to each team. Game slots are a minimum of one hour and thirty minutes in duration. 

MIDGET DIVISION 16U/18U

This division is for players 15, 16, 17 and 18 years old. All players who turn 18 during the season must complete SafeSport training prior to participating. At the Board’s discretion, CYHA can field a tournament bound team at either/both the 16U and 18U level. Such a team can be either a split-season or full-season team. The remaining teams participate in the Snowbelt League. Whenever possible, teams are given at least two practices per week. Additional practice slots will be provided if possible. The CYHA Scheduler schedules all games with the Snowbelt League. The CYHA Scheduler will also apportion a certain number of pick-up game slots to each team. Game slots are a minimum of one hour and thirty minutes in duration. 

GIRLS PROGRAM

CYHA is committed to a girls program. This division is for girls of all ages. CYHA Girls teams will be fielded in appropriate divisions as numbers permit. The goal is to have at least one active and competitive girls team in each division. The various girls teams play teams from throughout the State. If declared tournament bound, a girls team can participate in the qualifying process for States. If the girls team is not dual-rostered, then the team will be given two practices per week. If the girls team is dual-rostered, then they will be given ice time as needed and as practicable. Additional practice slots will be provided if possible. The Girls Program will try to provide an all-girls skills clinic when available. 

TRAVEL PROGRAM

CYHA has at least one Squirt, Peewee and Bantam travel team. CYHA will designate and field one tournament bound team at each level having a State Tournament. Through the season, tournament bound teams play Q (“qualifying”) games which qualify them for sectionals. The travel teams are given a minimum two practices per week. As determined by registration numbers, skill, and a majority vote by the Board, CYHA may create independent teams at any level. Any Board determination to create more than one travel team in any given division will be announced by the Board to the organization at least seven (7) days before the first day of tryouts. 

GAMES

The number of games and tournaments each team participates in should be decided by the parents and coaches, keeping in mind the costs and impact on scheduling such tournaments (subject to the practice-to-game ratio guidelines contained in III.F. herein). The CYHA Scheduler should be notified of any tournaments a team plans on participating in order to coordinate league games with tournament schedules