Player Development
Fall Agility
Fall Agility
Get a head start on the season. Fall Agility gives Squirt, Peewee, and Bantam skaters extra ice in September, leading into travel tryouts. Sessions run on weeknights, grouped by age level, and the last sessions before tryouts are usually free.
Mite 4-on-4 Fall League
Pond-hockey-style games on the small ice for our Mites: no goalies, even matchups, lots of puck touches. Games run on weeknight evenings from mid-September through travel tryouts. Families enter their availability in Crossbar so we can set fair matchups each night.
Open Play on the Small Ice
When the small ice is open during the season, it’s yours. Open Play is available to registered FVYHA players, U6 Mites through Bantams, mostly on weekends after travel tryouts wrap up. Shoot pucks, play 2-on-2, try something new, have fun.
- Registered FVYHA players only. Ice access and waivers are covered by your registration.
- Under 12: at least one adult has to be in the small-ice area or watching from the fishbowl. One adult can supervise several kids.
- 12 and older: may skate without direct adult supervision. Be role models for the younger skaters.
- Zero tolerance for misuse. Unsafe or inappropriate behavior means losing Open Play privileges.
Watch your email. Dates, times, costs, and registration links for these programs go out by email each season, usually in late August, and Open Play times are sent before each weekend. Make sure your Crossbar email is up to date so you don’t miss them.
Ice Schedules
Click here to view Appleton & TCIA daily ice schedules and upcoming open hockey, stick & puck, and public skating opportunities.
Click here to view the Oshkosh YMCA Ice Arena ice schedule and upcoming open hockey, stick & puck, and public skating opportunities.
Skills Training
Spring Hockey
Spring Hockey
Spring hockey runs from about March to May, after the regular season ends. Two local programs serve Fox Valley families. Both are independent of FVYHA: they handle their own tryouts, registration, and fees.
Appleton Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are a competitive spring program run through Appleton Ice. Teams are organized by birth year, and the top teams play at the AAA level against strong programs around the Midwest. Tryouts are usually held in late winter, right after the regular season. Details and tryout dates are posted on the Appleton Ice website.
Fox River Phoenix
Fox River Phoenix runs spring tournament teams from Squirt through 18U, at levels from B through AAA, so there’s a fit for a wide range of players. Teams practice at the Community First Champion Center in Appleton and play a mix of local and Chicago-area tournaments. Tryouts are typically held in early March. Visit foxriverspringhockey.com for tryout dates, fees, and team info.
Spring hockey is optional. It’s a great way to get extra ice for players who want more, but plenty of skaters take the spring off or play other sports, and that’s a healthy choice too.
Camps & Clinics
Throughout the year, FVYHA offers extra development opportunities beyond regular practice: skills clinics, position-specific sessions (goalies, defense, shooting), and off-season camps. Some are run by our coaching staff, and others come through trusted local trainers and partner programs.
Offerings change every season based on ice availability and what our players need most, so there’s no fixed calendar. Our Director of Hockey sends each opportunity out by email with the dates, cost, age groups, and how to register.
Watch your email. Camp and clinic announcements come from the Director of Hockey and often fill fast. Make sure your Crossbar email is current, and check your spam folder for anything from @fvyha.com.