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Mite Coaches Corner

Mandatory MITE Coach Meeting

There is a mandatory coach meeting for any Mite coach who wishes to be on the ice during the 2023-2024 season.


USA Hockey Coaching Requirements

Steps to Become a USA Hockey Coach

USA Hockey and the Coaching Education Program require both certification and registration to be eligible to coach. Registration is done online on a yearly basis. Certification is also required. A few basic steps requirements are as follows:

USA Hockey Requirements (Must be completed before participating in any team activities)

  • Register as a member of USA Hockey. (Cost is $46 plus any affiliate fees if applicable). Click here for more information.
  • Complete the background screening. Click here.
  • Complete the USA Hockey Safe Sport Training. (Required every year and cannot be added to a roster until completed). Click here for more information. (Coaches will need to create/log in to their profiles, click the link under the home tab to the coach eLearning site.)
  • Complete the Foundations of Player Development Pre-requisite. (Coaches will need to complete the Foundations of Player Development module before purchasing their age-specific module. Once a coach completes the Foundations of Player Development module there will be a 15-minute window before they can purchase and complete their age-specific module).
  • Complete the online age-specific module(s) for the age level of play you are coaching. (Cost is $20 per module and only needs to be completed once per age level. Must be completed PRIOR to participating in any team activities and cannot be added to a roster until completed) Click here to register for the modules.

Coaching Education Program Certification Clinic Requirements (Must be completed by Dec. 31 each season)

  • Find, register and attend the required certification clinic. The Cost is $60. You can only attend one clinic per season and all coaches start at Level 1. You can take clinics from April 1-Dec. 31 each season. Click here to locate a clinic.

Coaching Education Program

This page serves as the start for all things related to USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program. Click on any of the menu items to the left to find out more information about that subject.  


District 8 Hockey 8U/Mite Hockey Guide

The purpose of this guide is to help educate associations, coaches, and managers about the expectations and restrictions required by District 8 and MN Hockey. It is positioned as “developmental” ONLY.

Associations that make up District 8: Apple Valley, Cottage Grove, Eagan, Eastview, Farmington, Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, Johnson-Como/N St Paul, Lakeville, Red Wing, Rosemount, Sibley Area, South St. Paul, Woodbury.

Resources:

District 8 – Rule Book starting on pg 19; Minnesota Hockey Handbook starting on pg 25 

I. Girls 8U Specific Information

Girls 8 & Under (8U) hockey became a formal ALL girls age division in the 2003-04 hockey season. Given the huge success and growth when the girls 10U age division was formed, it is believed extending girls hockey to 8U would further fuel the growth of girls’ hockey.

  1.  Your association player registration form should include Girls 8U as well as Mites
  2. When declaring your roster, DO NOT register them as Mites, it is important that you register them as Girls 8U. This will help the district and Minnesota Hockey better track girls’ hockey growth at this level and it will allow you to scrimmage other 8U teams within the district.
  3. 8U and under teams are allowed to scrimmage other Mite and younger registered teams within your association with association approval. Before doing so, parents and players must be made aware of these scrimmage scenarios. 

II. 8U/Mite teams within your associations

  1. To help ensure focus on skill development. Target practice to game/scrimmage ratios should be no less than ~3 to 1.
  2. Coaches are required to have a USA Hockey Level 1 CEP certification, Background Check, SafeSport, and Mite/8U specific online module. CEP certification can expire and still be eligible to coach at the Mite/8U level and lower.
  3.  Note that rosters are approved by the Associate Registrar. DOB/Citizenship must be verified before a player is allowed on the USA/MN Hockey official roster.

III. 8U/Mite scrimmage opportunities outside your association

  1. YOU MUST GET APPROVAL FROM YOUR ASSOCIATION BEFORE PLANNING SCRIMMAGES OUTSIDE YOUR ASSOCIATION.
  2. District 8 does not provide an 8u/Mite Traveling league. However, you are permitted to scrimmage 8U/Mite teams from associations within District 8.
  3. To ensure continued emphasis on development, the standard playing surface for all scrimmages is cross-ice or half-ice. After December 31st, up to TWO full-ice scrimmages are allowed with the District Director’s approval. The Director’s decision is final.
  4. Any scrimmages outside of the district require prior approval from the District Director of each district. If the scrimmage is more than 1 hour away from your home association, it is likely that your request will be rejected. This rule includes jamborees outside of the district. (see MN Hockey handbook “Levels of Play” paragraph “F”. Page 26)
  5. Scrimmaging or doing Jamborees outside of MN (e.g. River Falls, Hudson) teams must fill out and submit the interstate travel request form before approval is given.
  6. 8U and under teams CANNOT play Mite teams outside of your association.
  7. Rest-time for Mites can be reduced to 1.25 hours for on-ice activities of 60 minutes or less. For half/cross-ice activities of 45 min or less, up to four on-ice team activities can occur in a day, with a min of 45 min rest between activities. is required between the ending and beginning of the next on-ice event of 60 min or less.

IV. District 8 – Organized Scrimmaging & Jamborees

  1. We would like to see an 8U/Mite jamboree(s) hosted by associations in District 8 with invitations extended to all District 8 8U teams (i.e. end of February or early March). See rule book (pg 37) for running jamborees. If enough teams, D8 recommends an upper division and lower division jamboree (or more as appropriate). Emphasis will be on fun and promoting hockey at this level.
  2. MH does not allow for full ice Mite Tournaments. Cross/half ice Mite tournaments are allowed with restrictions

Richard "Rich" Rakness

District 8 Director

Phone: 651-455-1725