Let's Play Hockey
Are you thinking about having your child try skating and the sport of ice hockey? We know that once your skater sets foot on the ice, they'll want to come back for more — and we'll have a path and plan for your skater.
The Wildcat Youth Hockey Association is the place for boys and girls from Waunakee, DeForest, Lodi, Poynette and other surrounding communities to play hockey and have a fun winter on the ice.
The hockey season starts in October and runs through early March — most of our practices and home games are at the Ice Pond in Waunakee. Younger skaters have a practice in the middle of the week and another on Saturday, and they play games in the Madison area on Sundays starting in November. Older players may have multiple practices in a week and games — around Madison and other parts of the state — on the weekend.
try hockey for free
The Wildcats will host a Try Hockey For Free event with USA Hockey on Saturday, Sept. 23 (time to be announced) — we’ll provide all of the equipment for interested skaters. More information about how to register will be posted here closer to the event or you can visit www.tryhockeyforfree.com.
ready to sign up
If you’re ready to lace up the skates, registration for the 2023-24 season opens Monday, Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. — click on the “Registration” tab to get started. A USA Hockey registration number is required — find out more at www.usahockey.com.
For the 10U/Squirt age group and up (this includes kids born before 2014), registration closes on Friday, Sept. 8, at 8 p.m. Any jerseys ordered after that date will incur an additional cost to cover the shipping of your individual order, and we can’t guarantee that your jersey will be received by your player's first game/tournament.
Competitive Teams
The season for competitive teams at the 10U/Squirt(kids born in 2013 and 2014), 12U/Peewee (kids born in 2011 and 2012) and U14/Bantam (kids born in 2009 and 2010) levels begins in early September with practices and evaluations for team placements. Team practices will start shortly after the evaluations in early October, and games will begin by early November. Skaters at these age levels generally practice two or three times a week and play one or two weekend games on Saturdays and Sundays. Skaters are placed on teams based on their ability and skill level, which allows every skater to progress and have the most opportunities for individual development.
Learn to Play
Skaters can develop their fundamental hockey skills in the 8U (kids born in 2015 and 2016) and 6U (kids born after 2017) Mite programs — their season starts in mid-October and runs through early March. The teams practice once or twice a week and play games on Sundays. Skaters are placed on teams based on their ability and skill level, which allows every skater to progress and have the most opportunities for individual development. Those skaters who join the Try Hockey For Free event on Sept. 23 may still register for the season if they decide to try playing.
learn to skate
This program gives kids a chance to learn the fundamentals of skating. The Learn To Skate program has two sessions — one that runs from mid-October through December and a second that runs January through early March. Each session runs about 10 weeks with a one-hour practice session per week. Practice times and days may vary, but will typically be early Saturday mornings. Skaters only need skates and a hockey or bike helmet — no other equipment is needed. Contact info@wildcathockey.org for more information about this beginner program.
We have experts at each age level to answer your questions — here’s who to contact:
Kids born in 2009 and 2010 (Bantam level): info@wildcathockey.org
Kids born in 2011 and 2012 (Peewee level): Ben King, aldpeewee@wildcathockey.org
Kids born in 2013 and 2014 (Squirt level): Stan Johnson, aldsquirt@wildcathockey.org
Kids born in 2015 and 2016 (8U Mites): Brandon Hommowun, ald8u@wildcathockey.org
Kids born 2017 and later (6U Mites): TJ Marks, aldlts6u@wildcathockey.org
Learn to Skate (skating lessons): info@wildcathockey.org
More details about our program, what new hockey parents need to know to get involved and what equipment you’ll need is available under the Resources tab. Please reach out to info@wildcathockey.org with any questions.