Overall registration was up for both the Affiliate and the Southeastern District. The SE District had 38,015 players (paid and unpaid under 6) at the end of the 2008/09 season. The total player registration (paid and unpaid) for the District for the end of the 2009/10 season was 39,807. That is an increase of 1,792 players (+4.7%) for the District for the past season. The Southeastern District is the 6th largest district within USA Hockey.
The Affiliate numbers also showed an increase in registration for the 2009/10 season. Total PVAHA player registration for the 2008/09 season was 14,146. Total PVAHA player registration for the 2009/10 season was 15,319. That is an increase of 1,173 players over the 2008/09 season. That is roughly an 8.3% growth in player registration and it represents 65% of the District Growth in player registration.
Adults represent 33.8% of PVAHA registration. I cannot break down female registration within the Affiliate from the information that I received, but on the District level female registration was relatively flat - 2008/09 there were 2,852 female players and 2,912 female players during the 2009/10 season (+60).
Our challenge for the 2010/11 season will be to maintain growth with the closing of the Charlottesville rink and the reconstruction of the Prince William rink. Youth, adult and junior players at the Prince William rink were all registered with USA Hockey during the 2009/10 season.
As I have indicated in prior emails USA Hockey has placed great emphasis on growing the 4-8 year old registration within USA Hockey. Based on an analysis of multi year registration information it was clear that an increase in registration at the 4-8 year old age level was vital to the long term health of amateur hockey within the United States. The Member Development Department at USA Hockey has placed great emphasis on its Grow the Game initiative. Last year USA Hockey issues a 2&2 challenge calling upon all associations that register youth players to register 2 additional 4-8 year old players over their 2008/09 numbers and to retain 2 additional 4-8 year old players over their 2008/09 retention numbers.
USA Hockey issued a very detailed report at the Annual Congress with analysis of national, affiliate and individual association 8 and Under registration numbers for the 2009/10 season and for prior seasons. That report can be reviewed online . The short version of the information contained in the report is:
Nationally
-An increase of 4,153 4-8 year old players (4.5%) to 95,775 players
-There was back to back growth in 4-8 year old numbers in the 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons.
-New 4-8 year old players increased by 2,387 (6%) over 2008/09 new 4-8 year old numbers. That is 2 consecutive years of new growth at 4-8 year old level.
-Retained 4-8 year old players increased by 1,766 (3.4%) over 2008/09 numbers.
-On a national level 44% of children leave hockey before age 9. Cost, commitment and lack of fun are cited as the reasons players leave hockey.
PVAHA
-The total number of 4-8 year old children registered in PVAHA increased by 248 (14.9%) to 1,911
-This marks the peak number of 4-8 year olds playing hockey over the past 10 years.
-PVAHA is one of only 3 USA Hockey Affiliates (PVAHA, NY and MN) that has shown growth at the 4-8 year old registration over each of the past 4 years.
-New players increased by 138 from 2008/09 to 1,024
- Retained players increased by 110 from 2008/09 to 887
- PVAHA passed both the retention and acquisition goals for the 2 & 2 challenge for the 2009/10 season.
2010/11 2&2 Challenge Goal for PVAHA calls for 2,023 4-8 year old players (+112 players, 5.9% increase) for the 2010/11 season.
Nelson Hockey Association showed the highest net growth within the Affiliate. The Northern Virginia Hockey Club, Baltimore Youth Hockey, Montgomery Youth Hockey, Eastern Shore Hockey Assn., Harford North Stars and Reston Raiders all were successful in meeting the 2&2 Challenge for the 2009/10 season.