TimBits & Beginners

News Flash: (dateline - Trenton Michigan 2008-2009) Michigan's oldest and most storied Instructional Hockey program is now FREE!  Please note that participants must still join the Trenton Hockey Association, which requires an $80 membership fee.

Unfortunately, due to this season's unprecedented growth, we can not accept any new children from outside of the Trenton, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile or Riverview school districts!

Please feel free to contact Director Kevin Begeman at (734) 479-4095 or Keith Kloock at (734) 692-5158 for information on this program.

Please note our schedule changes below!
Our Beginner Program's normal ice will now be on Mondays @ 5:20pm and generally on Saturdays @ 9:20am. However, dates and times are subject to change so please check the complete schedule below.
Our TimBit Program's normal ice will now be on Saturdays @ 10:20am. However, dates and times are subject to change so please check the complete schedule below.

Complete Ice Schedule  (187KB.pdf) This schedule is of course subject to change. Revised as of 10/25/08

Our TimBit and Beginner programs were first developed by Frank Murphy during the 1980's and have evolved over the years.  Coach Frank's early program lessons were used in part by USA Hockey during the development of it's nation-wide Initiation Program (I-Program).  And his masters thesis detailing the methods of creating and implementing these programs is extremely informative, even today.

We encourage parental participation within these programs.  Both programs serve very well in developing THA's future coaches for our Mini-Mite and Mite programs.

Instructional Hockey. THA has one of the oldest Instructional Hockey programs in the USA.  And although USA Hockey only requires a Level 1 coaching certification for instructors of an I-Program, we have Level 4 (Advanced) and Level 5 (Master) coaches who have coached District and State Championship teams.  We offer a two-tiered I-program, which provide both learn-to-skate and fundamental hockey instruction for boys and girls ages 3 and over.  These are our Tim-Bits and Beginners.  Players in both of these programs are required to wear full hockey gear (this includes a helmet, shoulder, elbow and knee pads, hockey pants, hockey gloves, a neck guard, mouth guard and hockey skates along with a hockey stick).  All on ice parents and coaches will also be required to wear HECC approved helmets.  Both regular season programs begin in late August and end in mid March.  But new kids are always welcomed throughout the season.  All must join the THA (requiring an $80 fee) and USA Hockey (which is free for players 6 years old and under).  The emphasis is placed on having fun and on making new friends.

Our Tim-Bits program (sponsored by Tim Horton's) meets once per week (generally Saturdays at 9:20am) and is for 3-5 year olds (however, 3 year olds must be accompanied by an adult skater).  This program is intended for our first-timers and for those who can not yet skate on their own.  All players will receive their own jersey.  There is no longer any monthly ice-fee for this program, although there may be minor costs for parties and/or other events.

Our Beginners program (sponsored by Sports Services) meets twice per week (generally Saturdays at 8:20am and Thursdays at 5:20pm) and is for 4-14 year olds (generally most are 4-5 year olds).  This is a more advanced program and is intended for those who can already skate on their own and for older kids, because they will learn faster.  All players will receive their own jersey.  There is no longer any monthly ice-fee for this program, although there may be costs for parties, tournaments and/or other events.

Come check us out.  The Trenton Hockey Association is located in the Kennedy Arena at 3101 West Road in Trenton.  Or just visit one of our regular THA meetings, which are always open to the public and are held in the basement of Mr. Nick's at 1926 West Road in Trenton.  Meetings begin 7:30pm on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.