I have an overly ambitious daughter who wants to try everything. That should be fantastic; however, her focus already begins shifting before one season is up. We have tried soccer, gymnastics, dance, cheer, piano, ice skating, and even goat farming. Therefore, it didn’t surprise me when she asked to play hockey. Instead of saying no, I took to research because I’m equally intrigued by her desire to try everything once. That’s when I discovered the free Dallas Stars Rookies programs.
Dallas Stars Rookies Programs
What is it?
Did you know that the Dallas Stars take a stand to help fight childhood obesity? With that platform and their knowledge of hockey, they have created three Rookies programs. Through these programs, they are able to spread their wisdom and joy to boys and girls ages 4 to 14. Don’t worry if you don’t know the first thing about hockey or skating. Trained coaches will help your child despite their skill level. The Dallas Stars Rookies programs are presented by Lexus, and the programs give all participants a free 30 minute hockey lesson once a week for four weeks.
Where and when is the program offered?
This depends on your child’s age and where you are located. The sessions are either ages 4-8 or 9-12. They also offer girls-only sessions which is the program that my daughter is currently in. There are ten locations across the DFW Metroplex. You can go this link, Rookies Programs, then scroll down and select which program is for you age wise or if you would like the girls-only session. Then, click on, “Learn More”. This will pull up a list of ice rinks, which ones currently have open registration, and which ones are coming soon. Once your chosen registration is open, select “Register Now”, then create an account, and you are ready to begin. All dates, times, and information will be there for you to read over. The information will be e-mailed to you again about one week prior to your start date. At that point, you will schedule a time to go in and try on all of the gear prior to your start date. This is also a great time to ask any questions.
How much is it really?
FREE!!! Yes, I’m serious. The program provides all of the equipment. My daughter just shows up in le
ggings, socks, and a long-sleeve shirt with her hockey bag that they provided when we went in to try on the gear. Once at the rink, we open our bag that has the helmet and a million other pieces that I have no idea on the technical terms. Hockey is still new to me too. I will just refer to it as a bunch of padding, gloves, and her jersey. The skates and hockey stick are free to check out as well. What’s really awesome is that the jersey will be yours to keep at the end of the Rookies program.
What do I do after completing the Rookies program?
That’s entirely up to you. If you choose to not continue with hockey classes, make sure to turn in all of your gear and bag. If you want to continue, follow their “Roadmap to Hockey”. You can then buy or rent your gear and pay the fees to continue taking classes.
So far, my daughter is LOVING hockey. We are only halfway through the Dallas Stars Rookie program, so we haven’t made a decision yet on if she will continue to take classes or not. We are already big hockey fans attending numerous Allen Americans hockey games. Now, we want to try out a Dallas Stars game. Regardless of if she wants to become a hockey player herself, she now has a new love and appreciation for the sport. I’m curious what she will want to try next! North Texas has lots of options for kiddos who are ready to move on in their hockey career!
*For another mom’s perspective on this program, check out: “Is The Next Hockey Star in Your Home?”
