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Information from a provided press release
GENESEE AMATEUR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (GAHA) invites children to the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street on Saturday, October 3rd for a Try Hockey for Free Event as part of “ USA Hockey Week Across America” which will be celebrated at 285 + ice areas across the entire United States.
From Noon to 1:30 p.m. area local youth, ages 4 to 9, are welcomed at 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, shooting on actual goalies (being guided by the head coach and on-ice helpers).
“At our USA Try Hockey for Free Event in March 2026, we welcomed families to the McCarthy Ice Rink from Batavia, Oakfield, Le Roy, East Bethany, Attica, Pavilion, Oakfield, Churchville, Mount Morris, Bergen, Medina, Holley, Albion, and Alexander 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 and on-ice helpers who make up this year’s Batavia-Notre Dame United high school team along with their coach – Marc Staley.
The youngsters will also be assisted on the ice by other coaches and players from the GAHA organization We encourage interested female youth to join this event. We will have female hockey coaches as well as many of the female hockey players from the upper levels on the ice to assist the youngsters.
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The event is hosted by the USA Try Hockey for Free Coordinators – Sharon and Bob Gray, assisted by GAHA Beginner Program Coordinator – Leslie Tanner and Player Coordinator – Marcia Barnes with the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association who provided the ice and the McCarthy Rink Staff – Kati 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.
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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! Also, 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 (Zip Code 14020)
For more information contact:svgray@rochester.rr.com / 585-344-2248