Troy Albany Jr. Engineers

The goal of the Jr. Engineers 8u Program is to build a love of the sport with children under the age of eight while developing the fundamentals of the sport. The program is comprised of four levels - Learn to Skate, Learn to Play, Advanced Cross Ice Mites and Travel Mites. We also offer a supplemental 8U Ice Cats team for girls registered for ACIM. Each level focuses on overall player development while providing the opportunity for each child to enhance his or her skills in a positive environment, creating an enjoyable experience for the entire family.

This is the first step in a player's development and is for children as young as 3 years old who have never skated before or who have limited skating experience. The program focuses on basic skating skills and is designed to be fun and build confidence on the ice. It will provide the fundamentals to transition into the Learn to Play program.

The Learn to Play program is designed for players ages 5-8 years old with some skating experience. Players will work on improving their skating and learn more about the game of hockey. Each session focuses on skating, puck skills, hockey fundamentals and exciting, min-games in the cross-ice format. The program runs for 18 weeks and families can choose to participate in two or three days per week.

The Advanced Cross Ice Mites (ACIM) program is for players 5-8 years old that have solid skating skills and are ready for more advanced skating and hockey skills. Focus is on skating skills, stick handling, passing, shooting and cross-ice game play with the goal of preparing players for full ice games in the 10U season. The program is 3 days a week for 20 weeks, 2 are skills sessions and the other is cross-ice game play beginning in October.

The Travel Mites program is for player 8 years old and under that are ready to play cross-ice games against other opponents within about an hours travel distance from the Capital Region, and tournaments that may require hotel stays. An ID skate will be held on Sunday, October 19th from 2pm - 3:20pm at the Frear Park Ice Rink to determine team level placement, and the number of teams we will field, based on participation. All travel players must first register for ACIM. Interested players should fill out the interest form HERE.

Final cost will be determined after the ID skate. Players with a 2017 birth year will have the opportunity to play in full ice games, starting in January of 2026. This will also be based on participation and availability.

Calling all ACIM girls! TA Hockey is excited to offer an 8U Ice Cats team for the 25/26 season! The 8U Ice Cats will have one practice per month, sharing ice with our 10U and 12U Ice Cats teams. We plan to play about 3-5 games over the course of the season, and attend 1 tournament.

This program is meant to create camaraderie and build skills as an Ice Cats team, as our players move up through the levels. Interested players should fill out the interest form HERE, but must also be registered for ACIM through TA Hockey. Final cost will be determined after the number of players is finalized, but should be less than $100, not including the tournament.