What do I need to know about minor hockey in Winnipeg?
By Scott Moore, realtorIf you are considering relocating to Winnipeg from another city, or moving from one neighbourhood in Winnipeg to another, the question of where your kids will play hockey is important for many families. My kids all play hockey and if I was moving to a new area, the impact on their hockey would be a factor.
Below, we’ve done our best to pull a whole lot of information about hockey into one place, imagining that you are thinking about moving to Winnipeg and wanting to get the lay of the land for how that will work for your kids’ hockey.
Is this everything there is to know about minor hockey in Winnipeg? Not a chance. One of the biggest challenges I’ve noticed as a hockey parent over the last 10+ years is that the system is constantly changing, so there’s always new information as things change. But I think it is a good place to start.
The bottom line is that if hockey is an important factor for you in picking a home, you’re in the right place. Three of our five realtors at The Moore Group are hockey parents and coaches. We know minor hockey and we can help.
Where will my kids play hockey?
The teams your kids will play for is determined by where you live, not by where they go to school, or by what team they used to play for.
If you move outside the boundaries of your association, your kids will need to switch teams. If you want your kids to play outside of your home association, this is possible (but rare). This requires a transfer request through Hockey Winnipeg.
Minor hockey in Winnipeg is organized by age level, from U7-U18. U7 means that players have to be under 7 years old (so 4, 5 and 6 years old), U9 means they are under 9 years old (ie 7 & 8 years old) and so on.
There are different options for minor hockey depending on age:
At U11 and under, the only option is community hockey via your local association.
At U13, kids can decide whether they want to stay in community hockey, or tryout for AA.
At U15, kids have the options to stay in community hockey, tryout for AA, or tryout for AAA.
At U18, they have all the same options as in U15, however they might be able to tryout for a high school team as well if they go to a school that offers a team.
U7, U9, U11 Levels
Local associations offer community hockey for kids from age 4 (U7 or Timbits) all the way to age 17 (U18). Community hockey is the only option for U7, U9, and U11.
At the U7 level (AKA Timbits), associations run identification skates to create balanced teams, with players of equal skill on each team. Games are played on half-ice with timed two-minute shifts. Each team’s line of strongest players play against each other, and likewise the lines of developing players play against each other.
Fun fact: Joe Mullen, who played for the Penguins, Flames, and Bruins, didn’t start skating until he was 10, yet went on to have a thriving NHL career as both a player and a coach.
At the U9 and U11 levels, associations start to run evaluations with the goal of creating tiered teams of similarly developed players— A1, A2, A3, etc. Games are still played on half-ice at U9 but at U11 they are played on full ice. Playing on an A1 team is the top level of hockey available for these two age groups.
Most local associations offer two options— co-ed, and girls-only. It’s entirely up to the families which option the prefer for their daughters.
U13 and the start of AA Hockey in Winnipeg
At U13, AA Hockey starts, offering co-ed and girls-only teams at U13, U15, and U18 levels. AA is the top level of hockey for the U13 age group (11 & 12 year olds).
Kids have the choice to tryout for AA hockey, or play community hockey for their local association, which they can do all way to U18. Tryouts for community teams are competitive and geared towards placing kids of similar skill levels on A1, A2, A3 level teams, etc. Many kids start in community hockey in kindergarten and play for the same association all the way to grade 12.
At both the AA and AAA levels, there are three different districts for co-ed hockey — Wild, Bruins or Thrashers. For girls-only hockey, there are two districts - Avros and Ice.
U15 and the start of AAA Hockey in Winnipeg
At U15, AAA hockey starts, which is the top level for the age group (13 & 14 year olds). AAA is also ran through the Wild, Bruins and Thrashers organizations (co-ed) and Avros and Ice (girls-only). At this age, most girls (but not all) choose to play in the girls-only stream.
If your child tries out for AAA and is released, they move to AA tryouts, and if released from that, then to local association tryouts for A1, A2, A3, etc.
Your child can start the tryout process at whatever level they want — either at AAA, AA, or at the local association for A hockey.
How do I find what hockey association serves my address?
Here is a list of the local associations, which offer U7-U11 exclusively (all players from 4-10 years old), and U13-U18 (12 to 17 years old) at the A1-A5 levels. If you click through to their websites, you will find their boundaries.
Where will my child play AA or AAA Hockey?
If your child chooses to move into the AA or AAA co-ed hockey system, they will play in one of three main districts based on where you live and your local association.
Co-Ed Hockey Catchments:
Bruins (yellow) – Includes St. Boniface, St. Vital, and Transcona
Thrashers (orange) – Includes Seven Oaks, Lord Selkirk, St. James, and River East
Wild (green) – Includes Assiniboine Park, Fort Garry North, and South Winnipeg
Within each district, there can be multiple teams at the same level. For example, U13 AA Wild includes Wild Gold, Wild Red, Wild Green and Wild White teams.
Girls-Only Hockey Catchments:
If your child chooses to move into the AA or AAA girls-only hockey system, they will play in one of three main districts based on where you live
Ice (blue) - Includes Assiniboine Park, Fort Garry North, South Winnipeg, and St. James
Avros (red) - Includes Lord Selkirk, River East, Seven Oaks, St. Boniface, St. Vital, and Transcona
Are there any Hockey Academies in Winnipeg?
For families with kids who are passionate about hockey, there are a number of hockey academies where students can focus on developing their skills while attending school; three that I’m familiar with are: Starbuck Hockey Academy (in Starbuck), Churchill Hockey Academy (in Winnipeg), and RINK Hockey Academy (in Oak Bluff off McGillivray).
These academies are designed for middle school and high school students and allow kids to combine their education with regular on-ice and off-ice hockey development. This can be a good option for players who are looking for more training or enjoy being on the ice during the day.
What about spring hockey?
Registration for spring hockey isn’t related to your home address in the same way as community and AA/AAA hockey are. You can register for whatever program you want, regardless of your address.
My kids have played with Manitoba Junior Ice and the Pilot Mound Buffaloes, but Evolution Hockey and PHD also offer spring hockey teams in Winnipeg and I know lots of parents that have enrolled their kids on these teams too. Of note, the Manitoba Junior Ice fields the team that goes to the Brick Tournament.
How do I register my child for hockey?
First, determine their age.
If they are U11 or under, register directly with your local association.
If they are U13, U15, or U18, and they want to tryout for AA or AAA Co-Ed hockey, register directly with Hockey Winnipeg AA/AAA Council.
If they are U13, U15, or U18, and they want to tryout for AA or AAA girls-only Hockey, register directly with High Performance Hockey Council.
If they are U13, U15, or U18 and they want to play A1-A5 hockey, register directly with your local association.
Should I sign my kids up for hockey?
Hockey parents are some of the best parents around— clearly if you’ve read this far, you’re in that group. If you’re moving to Winnipeg, hockey is a great way for both kids and parents to join a community and make friends that will last a lifetime. Regardless of what area you choose, or what level your kids will play, I really recommend that you sign your kids up. Winnipeg is a winter city, and playing hockey makes the winter go by faster and more fun.
Any other questions, give me a call: 204-995-7355.