Saturday / September 13, 2025
The GENESEE AMATEUR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (GAHA) invites children to the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street on Saturday, September 13th, for a Try Hockey for Free event as part of “USA Hockey Week Across America” which is celebrated at over 285 ice areas across the entire United States.
Beginning at noon to 1:30 p.m., area local youth ages 4 to 9 are invited to the rink to experience getting on the ice, learning how to skate, get up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick and shooting pucks into a hockey net and at goaltenders (all while being guided by the head coach and on-ice helpers).
“At our Winter USA Try Hockey for Free Event in February 2025, we welcomed families to from Batavia, Brockport, Albion, Le Roy, Oakfield, Java Center, East Bethany, Rochester, Attica, Byron, Medina, and Darien Center to try our great sport of ice hockey” said Sharon Gray, Coordinator of the “Try Hockey for Free” event.
“Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces and for the youngsters the on-ice experience.”
The head coach for this event will be Erik Triftshauser – Erik played with the Ramparts from youth until he aged out, was an Assistant /Head Coach within the Rampart Association and served as a Board Member for several years. The on-ice helpers are from this year’s Batavia-Notre Dame United high school team along with their coaches – Marc Staley and John Kirkwood. The youngsters will also be assisted on the ice by other coaches and players from the GAHA organization
The event is hosted by the Try Hockey for Free Coordinators – Sharon and Bob Gray and the GAHA Beginner Player Coordinator – Marcia Barnes on behalf of the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association who provided the ice and the McCarthy Rink Staff – Katie Murray (General Manager), Matt Gray (Rink Operating Manager) and their great staff. It is the team’s goal to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and encourage them to participate in the GAHA Timbit Beginner Program which starts the first week of October. The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session.
USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge. Pure Hockey (sponsor of USA Hockey) will provide “free” USA Try Hockey jerseys to each child.
What to bring: We encourage those who have equipment to bring it. If you do not have any equipment, you will need to bring:
A loose-fitting pair of sweatpants or snow pants
A pair of gloves (they don’t need to be hockey gloves –mittens or winter gloves are fine)
A helmet (hockey or bike) – we’ll have some “extras” available!
A SMILE
What we provide: Rental Skates will be provided for “free”, courtesy of David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena. Hockey sticks will be given out for use but MUST BE RETURNED.
ON-ICE EXPERIENCE: We will have plenty of coaches on hand to give your child a great youth hockey experience. They will get an opportunity to learn the basic skills of youth hockey. Your child does not need to know how to skate – we’ll have them up on their feet by the end of the session.
Registration is OPEN. Please register at: Try Hockey
TRY HOCKEY FOR FREE.COM (Zip Code 14020)
Registration limited to 40 participants
For more information contact:svgray@rochester.rr.com / 585-344-2248