GETTING STARTED

5 THINGS TO KNOW

Maybe you've seen one of our ads, heard about us from a friend or recently moved to the beach. Here are the basics of what you need to know to play:

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1

How do I sign-up?

Registration is now open for the 2025 Spring Season!

Players interested in joining GSYH may choose to participate in one of our hockey leagues (ages 6-17) or in our learn to play programs (ages 4-9). Details are below:

To guarantee your roster spot for fall, the deadline to register for leagues for spring is Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, at midnight. After this, late registration may be offered as space allows through the start of games on Feb. 1, 2025.

For Learn to Play registration is open through the start of the first class on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. 

You can register for any of our programs by clicking below, read this guide on how to sign-up or contact us here for more details.

2

How much does it cost?

The cost for our leagues is $150 per player. This includes a 12-week season with eight games, plus at least one playoff game, weekly practices and a jersey.

We also offer a Learn to Play program which runs for eight weeks (one hour-long session per week). Players can drop in to any of these sessions for $15/session or register the full program for $100/player.

Our leagues run two seasons per year: Fall season begins in September, Spring season begins in January.

3

When and where do you play?

Team practices are on Tuesday and Thursday nights between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Each player in the Mites or Juniors league will be assigned to a team that practices once per week on either Tuesday or Thursday.

Games are held mostly on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Make-up games will occasionally be held on Friday evenings or on Tuesdays and Thursdays during practice times if needed, due to inclement weather during game times.

Learn to Skate and Learn to Play sessions will be held on Saturday mornings from 10-11 a.m.

All activities are held at The Market Common Rink located in the Grand Park complex near, Crabtree Gym and Savannah's Playground. 

4

What kind of gear do I need?

During the season, we require all players to wear the following equipment:

  • Helmet
  • Skates (Inline or Roller Skates)
  • Elbow Pads
  • Shin Guards
  • Hockey Gloves
  • Hockey Stick

We encourage players to bring their own equipment, but we also offer new players the opportunity to borrow from our trailer of used and donated gear. While we can't guarantee that we will have equipment available for every player and every size, we will do our best to accommodate the needs of new players until they can get their own.

For more info on where to purchase gear, click here.

5

My child has never played before. How do we get involved?

Attending an Open Skate event is the best way for new players to get started.

Prior to each season, we will hold several Open Skate events, which are designed to allow new skaters to meet coaches and get a feel for our league. These sessions include open play, drills and game-like scrimmages and allow parents to ask questions about scheduling, equipment, team placement and more.

These events are free to attend and players are welcome to drop in with no advance notice.

Dates for spring pre-season open skates are:

  • Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 - 6-8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 - 10 a.m. to Noon ( Season Kick-Off Event & Parents' Meeting )

If you have questions or would like to make arrangements to meet at the rink at a different time call us at (843)-633-3150.

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Ready to Register?

To sign-up, click the button below to access our 2023 registration form in TeamSnap. From there, just follow the instructions to enter your player info and AAU insurance details, choose an age group, sign waivers and pay league fees.

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LEAGUE INFO

FAQs

Here’s a look at some of the common questions and things you need to know about our league.

When does the season start?

Our calendar is broken up into two seasons per year — fall and spring. Each season includes 8 games, playoffs and weekly practices. The season calendar is as follows:

Fall 2024 Season

  • Fall Sign-ups Open: Thursday, August 1, 2024
  • Fall Kick-Off Event (Open Skate & Info Session): Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024
  • Practices Begin: Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024
  • Games Begin: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024

Spring 2025 Season

  • Spring Sign-Ups Open: Monday, Nov. 18, 2024
  • Spring Kick-Off Event (Open Skate & Info Session): Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025
  • Practices Begin: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025
  • Games Begin: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025

When are the games and practices?

Games are held on primarily on Saturdays. Saturday gametimes running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Players are expected to arrive 30 minutes prior to game time so they can dress, warm-up and be ready to start on time. Games consist of two 20-minute halves with 10 minutes for warmup and 5 minutes at halftime. Make-up dates for games cancelled due to rain may also occur during practice times on Tuesday and Thursday evenings or on Friday evenings.

Practice will be held once per week either on Tuesday or Thursday nights, weather permitting. Practices will take place between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., depending on team assignment. Players are expected to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to ensure they are on the rink in full gear at start of practice.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather, rink conditions and availability, however days of the week will remain consistent.

How much does it cost to sign up?

League fees are $150 per session and include rink time for 8 games (plus playoffs), weekly practices and a team jersey.

Discounts are offered for the spring session for players who choose to play in both sessions.

Our Learn to Play program costs $100 for 8 weeks of instruction. You may also drop in to a class at any time for $15/session.

These fees must be payed by your player’s first game day of the session and all payments will be handled through the TeamSnap platform.

Note: Grand Strand Youth Hockey is devoted to giving ANY child who is interested in our sport an opportunity to play. If the financial aspect of the game is an issue for your family, please contact us to arrange a payment plan and/or financial assistance.

Do I have to bring equipment?

Grand Strand Youth Hockey is dedicated to making sure that any child with in interest in our sport gets the opportunity to play hockey. 

That's why we offer new players the opportunity to try the sport first by borrowing gear from our trailer, which is full of used and donated hockey equipment. 

While we can't always guarantee that we'll have gear available in every size, we will do our best to accommodate the needs of new players with gear including helmets, sticks and even skates.

We do encourage kids to bring as much of their own gear as possible.

Here's where we recommend getting gear from.

What kind of equipment do we need?

We require players to have the following protective gear:

  • Helmet
  • Skates
  • Elbow Pads
  • Shin Guards
  • Hockey Gloves
  • Hockey Stick

We also strongly recommend:

  • Full Face Mask / Cage (for Helmet)
  • Hockey Pants or Inline Girdle (leg pads)
  • Inline Pants or Hockey Socks
  • Shorts w/ Pelvic Protector (cup)
  • Shoulder Pads
  • Mouth guard

For those looking to purchase gear, we recommend ordering from online stores such as Inline Warehouse, Hockey Monkey or Dick's Sporting Goods — which allows for in-store returns at Grand Strand locations, even though hockey equipment isn't sold locally.

My child has never played before. Can they still join?

Yes. Our mission is to spread the game of hockey throughout the Myrtle Beach area and thus new players are always welcome to participate. GSYH accept players of all skill levels and no experience is necessary to play.

We offer Learn to Skate and Learn to Play programs, plus several open skate events throughout the year, including Summer Pick-Up Hockey , Open Practices and our season Kick-Off Events in early September and early January.

We encourage those who are new to the game to come and try skating with us before making a decision about whether to join the league. 

If you'd like to attend, please let us know by dropping us a line or calling‪ (843) 633-3150‬.

How do you split up teams / ages?

Our league is broken up into two leagues — Juniors and Mites Division — plus a pair of instructional programs. The guidelines for each program are as follows:

  • Juniors Division players must be at least 10 years old by the start of the league year and no older than 17. This division is primarily for more advanced players with some experience in hockey.
  • Mites Division players must be at least 6 by the start of the league year and no older than 12. This division is for developing players looking to hone their hockey skills.
  • Learn To Play Program participants must be at least 4 by the start of the program and no older than 8. This class is for beginning players who can confidently stand on skates, but have no hockey experience.

As a developmental league we do our best to cater to all skill levels of player and thus we will work with players and parents to get your player placed in the correct division based on age, experience and skill level. 

Certain players may be asked to practice or play with multiple teams until we can determine a full-time placement. We do our best as a coaching group to actively monitor these situations closely and work to communicate with players, teammates and parents to make sure participants are both challenged and comfortable with their position, line assignment and team.

How is inline different from ice?

Inline hockey is a team sport played on inline roller skates which looks and plays similar to ice hockey, but a variety of tweaks to the play, rules and team structure.

The biggest difference between inline hockey and traditional ice hockey is the playing surface. In Myrtle Beach, we play at the Market Common Hockey Rink, an outdoor rink with a surface constructed of hard plastic "waffled" tiles known as sport court. The surface is designed to be more shock-absorbent than concrete and just as fast as ice while providing for easy sliding of plastic pucks.

Additional tweaks include lighter equipment, a less physical game (no checking) and the number of players on the rink at one time — inline hockey is played 4 vs. 4 instead of 5 vs. 5.

How can I get involved?

Thanks for your interest in our program. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization run by volunteers and parents, we can always use a few more people who love hockey to help our program grow.

If you'd like to help out by getting involved as a coach, sponsor, donor or volunteer, please reach out to us by calling (843) 633-3150‬.

Our league organizers are:

  • JR Virgin, President
  • Chris Mowder, Vice President
  • Allen Ryals, Treasurer
  • Jon Sommeso, Board Member
  • Bill Hayes, Board Member
  • Charlie Soto, Board Member
  • Mark Jakubowski, Board Member
  • Chris Manemeit, Board Member

Is inline hockey dangerous?

The fluid teamwork of hockey players as they move skillfully across the ice is an exciting and beautiful spectacle to watch. Hockey demands strength, explosive speed, endurance, and high levels of physical conditioning and coordination. It’s characterized as a high-speed collision game with high rates of injury.

However, parents may be reassured to learn that at the youth level, hockey injuries are less common than in other youth sports, including football, basketball, and soccer. The most common hockey-related injuries are relatively minor: Bruises, Strains, Sprains and the like. See the data here.

Here at GSYH, we emphasize player safety by playing a safe, non-checking game and requiring all players to wear proper protective equipment.

Have another question that wasn't covered here? Feel free to reach out to us by clicking below.

Grand Strand Youth Hockey
‪(843) 633-3150‬
The Market Common Hockey Rink
Emmens Avenue & Crabtree Lane
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
info@grandstrandhockey.com

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