Which Category

Southwest KC Minor Hockey Association (SWKC) is committed to delivering a hockey program designed to emphasize fun and progressive skill development so the player can advance their skills and become a contributing member of a team. 

To assist you in determining which category to register in, we’ve provided the following information.

REGISTRATION CATEGORIES FOR 2019-2020 SEASON

Players are assigned to a category based on their age as of December 31 of the season they are registering for:

TIMBITS program 

Our TIMBITS program is for athletes ages 4 to 6 years old. Hockey Edmonton's Initiation Program (called: TIMBITS) has been split into THREE separate and distinct programs: DISCOVERY, Junior TIMBITS and Senior TIMBITS.

Recognizing the importance of the hockey experience to be safe and positive for beginners, SWKC offers a program with the following benefits:

• Create an atmosphere of fun and fair play for players, coaches and parents allowing for a positive experience;
• Give each player an opportunity to develop self-confidence and a sense of personal achievement;
• Develop and increase skating ability (power skating, backwards, forwards, turns, etc);
• Learn introductory hockey skills (puck handling, shooting, passing);
• Introduction to team concept and team environment; and
• Introduction to positional play.

Discovery

Discovery is a program for beginning skaters who are learning to move and skate while wearing hockey equipment.

• Discovery is not a prerequisite for the JR Timbits or SR Timbits programs. 
• Discovery is a learn to skate, learn to play program and there are no hockey games played.
• This structured program teaches basic movement and skating through development drills for about 2/3 of each 1 hour ice slot.
• The remaining 1/3 of the session is devoted to playing non-competitive fun activities that develop the skills learned in the practice.
• The players are registered for group, there are no teams formed.
• Structured program (based on CHA Initiation program).
• No scheduled games throughout the season - practices only.
• 18 Skill Development Sessions 1 hour each from October to March.
• Fall Festival December 2019.
• Winter Jamboree March 2020.
• All sessions to be held on prime-time weekend ice slots.

Jr. Timbits

JR Timbits is an introduction to hockey where the children will have only practices.

• A child can register in Jr Timbits even if they have not participated in Discovery.
• This program focuses on development of forward and backward skating, stopping, puck handling, and an introduction to the game of hockey.
• All sessions to be held on prime-time weekend ice slots.
• 18 Skill Development Sessions 1 hour each from October to March.
• Fall Festival December 2019.
• Winter Jamboree March 2020.

Sr. Timbits

Sr. Timbits is an introduction to hockey where the children will have practices as well as play games.

• A child can register in SR Timbits even if they have not participated in Discovery or Jr Timbits.
• This program focuses on development of forward and backward skating, stopping, puck handling, and an introduction to the game of hockey.
• Equally skilled groups/teams of an average of 10 -12 players are formed after a preseason skate.
• Third-ice games are played (i.e. boards separate the ice surface into thirds and two games are played at the same time on the end surfaces with active rest in the middle).
• All practices/games will be held on Saturday / Sunday.
• Games are non-competitive with no score kept.
• No regular goalies - players rotate through all positions, including goaltender. No goalie equipment is used.
• Emphasis on skating and learning basic hockey skills with an introduction to team concept.
• 18 Skill Development Sessions and 18 Small Area Game Sessions from October to March.
• Fall Festival December 2019
• Winter Jamboree March 2020

Novice

• The Novice Program focuses on the Development of Technical Skills(Skating, Puck-handling, Passing, and Shooting) and the Development of Individual Tactics
• A child can register in Novice even if they have not participated in Discovery, Jr Timbits, or Sr Timbits.
• Hockey Edmonton ice allocation: 18 half-ice games and 25 half-ice practices (October 1 to March 15).
• Hockey Edmonton Equal Play Model.
• Rotate all players through all positions.
• No full-time goalies (40% maximum, goalie must also play out).
• Half-ice games ONLY.
• Half-ice/shared-ice practices ONLY.
• Novice Game Format 4vs4.
• Game Regulations: No faceoffs, off-sides, icings, 1.5-minute shift buzzers during games, etc.
• No score keeping (game sheet), no standings.
• Games - Weekend Only - can be either Saturday & Sunday.
• Practices - Weekend - can be either Saturday or Sunday and will have a few midweek practices.
• Quickcard Minor Hockey Week participation - January.
• No playoffs, Jamboree to finish.
• Competitive Tiering Model - Alberta One Standardized Tiering Model (Tier's 1-6).
• Regulation sized nets and Blue pucks only (practices and games).

Atom

Atom hockey continues with the formation of tiered teams that play city wide. The players will still vary from beginners that are learning basic hockey skills to those that have more experience.

• A child can register in Atom even if they have not participated in Discovery, Jr Timbits, Sr Timbits, or Novice hockey.
• Tiered teams of 12 to 16 players are formed after an evaluation process that occurs over 3 or more skates during the first week of September.
• The purpose of tiering is to have similarly skilled players on each team that are also playing against similarly skilled players from other clubs throughout the Hockey Edmonton program.
• Games will be held throughout the city.
• Games and practices will be held on both weekday evenings and weekends.
• Games will be played with Referees and scores are kept.
• There are regular goalies.
• 18 or more games and 18 or more practices (some will be half ice) from September to March. Most ice times will be on Saturday and Sunday but there will be weekday afternoon and evening ice times as well.
• Minor Hockey Week and Playoffs

Peewee

Peewee hockey continues with the formation of tiered teams that play city wide. The players will vary from beginner players to those that have more experience.

• A child can register in Peewee even if they have not participated in Discovery, Jr Timbits, Sr Timbits, Novice, or Atom hockey.
• Tiered teams of 14 to 18 players are formed after an evaluation process that occurs over 3 or more skates during the first week of September.
• The purpose of tiering is to have similarly skilled players on each team that are also playing against similarly skilled players from other clubs throughout the Hockey Edmonton program.
• Games will be held throughout the city.
• Games and practices will be held on both weekday evenings and weekends.
• Games will be played with Referees and scores are kept. There are regular goalies.
• 18 or more games and 18 or more practices (some will be half ice) from September to March. Ice times will mostly be on weekends, but there will be weekday evening and weekends as well.

Further inquiries can be directed to the Registrar.