WPIHA - Learn to play

IIHF Coaching Course

Darryl Easson, Sport Development Manager of the IIHF spent a week in Cape Town with the players and head coaches of SAIHA namely Ronnie Wood (WP), Kieren Edge (Natal) and Eddie Compton(JHB).Darryl was kind enugh to step onto the ice and run a practise for the u18 and senior team on the Tuesday night which was a great experience.
Darryl's main objective while here was to run a coaches coaching course and Level 1 coaching course for those who were interested. The coaches coaching course took place during the week with the level one course taking place over the majority of the weekend. The SAIHA head coaches assisted Darryl in the teaching and presentation of the course material.
Friday and Saturday was in the classroom with a section on Sunday morning being on the ice for hands-on experience with Darryl, Ronnie and Eddie. Our main focus "on ice" was correct utlization of the ice, ensuring all kids are activaly busy for the entire practise and that they were being run through the correct basic techniques.
This course was an outstanding success and a great thank you do Mr Darryl Easson for his time, effort and stories.


	Getting Started
	Registration: Come on down to the Grand West Ice Arena "The Ice Station" either on a Sunday morning between 08:30am and 11:30am OR Monday night between 18:30pm and 19:30pm to register for this year's hockey season. Try-outs: Try-outs take place on Sunday mornings from 08:30 - 09:45 at the rink. Practise times: Junior practise (Sunday morning) 08:30 - 09:45. Intermediate & Senior pratise (Sunday morning) 09:45 - 11:00. Please bring along all your details for registration, ID numbers and/or date of birth, email address and all contact numbers. We will have forms at the rink as well and also try out equipment for those who don’t have equipment. This is an opportunity to bring a friend along to try outs. There is a small fee for this so please check all info on the website.

	Basic Ice Hockey Ice Times
	WPIHA runs various practices on a Sunday morning from 08:30 – 11:00am. Our seniors practice on a Thursday evening 18:30 - 19:45 (except in school holidays and the night before a public holiday). Games are played on a Monday night (except in school holidays and the night before a public holiday).

	Learn to Play Program
	WPIHA runs an Ice Hockey Academy where people who want to learn to play hockey (i.e. who have never played ice hockey before) are taught the skills of skating and the basics of ice hockey. This takes place for one hour per Sunday (08:30-09:45am) for 4 weeks, and the cost is R200 for all these sessions.

	Equipment Needed
	To take part in ice hockey games, you will need to have (borrow or buy) the following ice hockey & protective gear: - an ice hockey helmet with a visor or grid - a neck guard - shoulder pads - elbow guards - an abdominal protector (especially for guys!) - protective pants (sometimes called a girdle) - ice hockey shin pads - ice hockey skates - ice hockey socks (to cover your shin pads) - a hockey top/jersey For information about 2nd-hand equipment sales and correctly fitted kit, please contact us or simply speak to us during registration at the ice rink.