Learn To Play

Learn To Play Ice Hockey in Canterbury

Welcome to the exciting game of ice hockey! We invite players of all ages to give it a go, and we're here to help you get started.

Learn to Play (LTP) sessions for children under 18 years of age are held three times per week all year round during school terms. Adults are welcome to participate in our weekend LTP session. 

Through fun, engaging, and active games and exercises, we teach fundamentals such as skating, controlling a puck, passing, and shooting. All sessions are held at the Alpine Ice Sports Centre and we use a concession card payment system so your child can enjoy learning to play on a schedule and budget that works for your family.

If your child is new to hockey, try it for free! We offer a free LTP session, basic gear included, so you can see if hockey might be right for your child. We also offer most gear for hire for a modest fee per term, enabling your child to continue playing without investing in gear yourself. 

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And if you or your child are new to ice skating and would like to develop skating skills before giving ice hockey a go (or doing both at the same time), Alpine Ice Sports Centre offers a popular Learn To Skate program with skilled instructors that will help you advance more quickly.

Click the icons above for Schedule & Cost, information about Gear, or get started with your Free Session.

Why Ice Hockey?

2021 Schedule

Learn to Play (LTP) sessions are one hour long and held all year round during school terms. There are three sessions per week for children under 18 years of age, and adults are welcome to the weekend sessions.

THE SCHEDULE AFTER TERM 1 IS TENTATIVE

Schedule is subject to change, especially on national holidays and national holiday weekends.

*Adults are welcome to Learn To Play on weekends.

Cost

Children new to ice hockey are welcome to come try a free session, basic gear included. Just click on the "Free Session" icon and complete the form to get started. Fees after the Free Session are shown below.

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CIHA LTP Membership: $9 per year

This fee is paid once per year and provides a LTP-level membership in Canterbury Ice Hockey Association for a year.

One-hour Learn To Play Session Fees

A 10-use concession card costing just $149 is usable by Learn To Play participants of all ages. Concession cards can be purchased from a CIHA representative prior to each Learn To Play session with EFTPOS, cash, or a credit card. 

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Gear Hire: $29 per term

Should your child need ice hockey gear, we offer hire gear for $29  for players under 12 and $49 for older players. We have a very limited supply of gear for older children (15+) and adults. For more information on gear, please click the "Gear" icon. Note: gear hire requires a $50 refundable bond.

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Gear Information

Player safety comes first, and it's important that players have the appropriate protective gear. We can provide basic gear for free for the first Learn To Play session. 

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Can I Hire Gear from CIHA?

Yes, we offer hire gear for $29  for players under 12 and $49 for older players. We have a very limited supply of gear for older children (15+) and adults. Note: gear hire requires a $50 refundable bond.

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Where Can I Purchase Gear?

CIHA does not sell gear. We recommend you look into the following:

• Alpine Ice Sports Centre Pro Shop carries a range of gear and can provide friendly, hands-on assistance.

• Centre Ice is a long-established Auckland-based provider of gear and offers good service and economical shipping. 

• Overseas sellers, such as Hockey Monkey, are an excellent resource for sizing guides and understanding the range of products. Shipping costs can be prohibitive or unavailable, however.

• Used gear can sometimes be found online through sites like TradeMe.

• Finally, chat with other parents or players! Someone might be willing to part with some gear their child has outgrown.

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How Do I Care for My Gear?

Ice hockey is an active sport, and the equipment naturally captures some of that activity in the form of perspiration. Fortunately, hockey gear is durable and easy to care for: everything but your helmet and skates can be machine washed or soaked in a tub with warm water and laundry detergent then air dried. Numerous tips and guides can be found online.

Gear Checklist

Ensure your child has all the necessary gear! We would be happy to help you with gear hire or direct you to sizing information and purchase options.

Give It a Go!

We invite players of all ages to give it a go, and we're here to help you get started.

Learn to Play (LTP) sessions for children under 18 years of age are held three times per week all year round during school terms. Adults are welcome to participate in our weekend LTP session. All sessions are held at the Alpine Ice Sports Center at 495 Brougham Street in Christchurch.

If your child is new to hockey, try it for free! We offer a free LTP session, basic gear included, so you can see if hockey might be right for your child.

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Just complete the "Book Your Free Session" form to get started. Adults may use this form as well and we can help arrange your purchase of a 10-use concession card to get you started.

Book Your Free Session

Simply complete this form and someone will be in touch with you to arrange your first Learn To Play session.

Thanks we will be in touch!