Mite Full Season Skills Program

After two successful seasons, our inaugural player group will be graduating to formal teams at seasons end. For the 2026–2027 season, Mark Zarbo Hockey is excited to reset our Mite Full Season Foundational Skills Program with a brand-new group of 16 full time players.

This program is currently filled for the 2026 – 2027 season. Information regarding the following 2027 – 2028 season will be posted in February! Email mark@markzarbohockey.com with any questions!

🏒 Program History & Purpose

This program is designed as a two-year foundational skills program, though players are not required to commit to both years. The difference between Year 1 and Year 2 is the entry-level skill requirements.

Year 1 players are only required to have at least one year of hockey experience, be able to move comfortably around the ice, skate using both feet, demonstrate passion for hockey, and show good listening skills. Program is 3x per week for a total of ~70 hours of ice. All game play is inter-squad.

Year 2 spots are filled by returning Year 1 players first. Any remaining spots are filled by players who meet the same skill level that the Year 1 group finishes at. This allows us to continue seamlessly in Year 2 without resetting progress. Program is 3 – 4x per week with a total of ~90 hours of ice. Basic formal game play vs other programs is added.

The overall goal by the end of Year 2 is to have developed players with strong skating and puck-control foundations, an understanding of basic battling and puck protection skills, and the confidence and skill set needed to transition successfully onto formal teams.

YEAR 1

The purpose of Year 1 is to introduce foundational skating and puck skills. By the end of the year, our goal is for players to:

• Skate with pace while crossing over smoothly around a circle
• Perform controlled hockey stops
• Execute proper two-foot tight turns
• Recognize and perform basic edge drills by name
• Skate forward confidently while stickhandling the puck

YEAR 2

The purpose of Year 2 is to continue sharpening foundational skating and puck-control skills while increasing overall complexity. There is a greater emphasis on backward skating, more advanced puck-control skills, and the introduction of basic battling and puck protection skills.

🏒 2026 – 2027 Program Basics (Year 1)

AGE GROUP

• 2020 – 2021 birth years  

   

  NOTE: If your child’s birth year is outside this range but you feel they are at the appropriate skill level, please contact mark@markzarbohockey.com to discuss placement.

YEAR 1 REQUIRMENTS

• At least 1 year of hockey experience
• Ability to comfortably around the ice
• Skate using/pushing with both feet
• Demonstrates a passion for hockey
• Shows good listening skills

SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

• Sundays: 4:00 – 5:30pm @ Riverside Rink
• Tuesdays & Thursdays: 5:00–6:00pm @ Nichols Small Rink

ICE BREAKDOWN

• 3 ice times per week (3.5 hours/week)
• 61 total practices = 71 total hours (September – March)
• 15 total player spots

No Ice: Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, February Break, or Super Bowl Sunday. See below for full schedule.

PRACTICE DESCRIPTION

Tuesday / Thursday:

• Tuesday and Thursday practices are 1-hour ice times at Nichols Small Rink. These practices are for the Mite Program player group only (15 players total) and are dedicated skill-development days.

Sundays:

• Sunday practices are 1.5-hour ice times at Riverside Rink. The Sunday ice time is our weekly Mite Skills & Scrimmage session. All players in the Mite Program receive an automatic full-time spot on Sundays for the season.

In total, we take 24 players on Sundays (4 groups of 6 players –> 15 are from full time mite program). Sundays are a mix of skills, battling, and scrimmage play. The general plan is approximately 50–60 minutes of skills/drills followed by 15–20 minutes of scrimmage (3v3 cross-ice or half-ice).

EVALUATION & TESTING

• We perform and track a timed skating test both with and without the puck. We use this testing to track player progress as well as be able to split players up into ability-based groups when needed.

🏒 Staff

Head Instructor: Mark Zarbo

Assistant Coaches: Parent Coaches. No coaching experience is needed. Message if interested!

PARENT COACH INCENTIVE PROGRAM

• Earn back up to half tuition. –> Coach every practice and earn up to $497 credit!

• Each attended practice earns a credit equal to half that session’s cost.

• All must pay by payment deadline, at season’s end all coaching credits added up and can be used to future Mark Zarbo Hockey Programs

🏒 Cost

$995 per player –> 71 hours ice –> $14/ hour ice

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Due at Signing: $200 Non-Refundable Deposit

June 1st: $265

August 1st: $265

October 1st: $265

🏒 Schedule

🏒 Presentation

We highly recommend watching the Full Season Mite Skills Program Presentation (link below). It explains program purpose, goals, weekly structure, and who best fits the program.

🏒 Player Sign Up & Acceptance

Step #1: Fill out the sign-up form at the very bottom of this page. Only 15 spots available.  

Step #2: Attend introduction ice time, Sunday February 22nd, 1:30 – 2:30pm at Nichols Small Rink –> $15 cover ice cost. Ice date/time subject to change if spots are filled well in advance of February 22nd.   Cost

Step #3:  Once player is give okay they fit the group. Pay deposit to hold spot for season.

What is the purpose of the introduction ice time? Is it a tryout?

No — this is not a tryout.

The purpose of this skate is to ensure all players fit the core skill level of the group and to allow families to see the program before fully committing. Groups like this work best when players are close in developmental needs. Once a player is seen and approved as a fit, the spot is theirs to accept or decline. Spots are filled first-come, first-served among approved players.

🏒 How Do I Sign Up for Programs?

To sign up, please complete the form below. Sign-ups are ONLY accepted through this form.

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Step 1: Fill out parent/guardian contact information.

Step 2: Select the number of players you wish to register. The corresponding number of player sign-up forms will appear.

Step 3: Complete each player’s information.

Step 4: Check the box next to each program you want the player to attend. Additional instructions or fields for each program will appear—follow these to complete the sign-up.

Step 5: Repeat Steps 3–4 for each additional player.

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After submitting the form, you will be redirected to a page to complete the liability waiver. You will also receive an email receipt containing:

• A copy of your sign-up
• Invoice and payment information
• Confirmation email is sent automatically as soon as sign up is submitted, check SPAM/Junk folders if not received right after form submitted

⚠️  IMPORTANT: Double-check, save, and print the confirmation for your records. You are responsible for all dates signed up for.

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Tip: You can register multiple players and for multiple programs on a single form—no need to complete separate forms for each player or program.

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Press Submit 1x Only:  Once you are finished with your form press the submit button only 1x.  Please give our system a second to load your form.  If you press the submit button more than once it will cause a submission failure.

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First Name
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Last Name
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Player's Birth Year
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Player's Level	AAA AA A House/Select Beginner (< 2 years hockey experience)
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Player's Current Team

Season Programs

Check mark the box next to any of the below programs you are interested in signing this player up for. Sign up information for that program will then appear below it. Follow all directions for each specific program to select age group, dates, times or other needed sign up information. You can sign up for all programs on the same form.

Full Season Mite Skills Program
Mite Program Coaching

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Please select player's age group for Full Season Mite Skills Program:

Check mark box next to full season mite program below and press submit to sign up. Confirmation invoice to be sent to your email within few minutes. Make sure to save for your records.

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Please select player's age group for Mite Program Coaching:

If interested in assistant coaching with the mite program please check mark the box below!

Youth Small
Youth Medium
Youth Large
Youth XL
Adult Small
Adult Medium
Adult Large
Adult XL
Adult XXL
Adult Goalie

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Height		feet		inches
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Weight		lbs

Full Season Mite Skills Development Program

Review your sign-up form before submitting. After submitting you will receive an emailed copy of your form as a receipt. Save or print this email for your records. Check SPAM/Junk folder if email receipt not received within 1 - 2 minutes of submission.

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Parent First Name
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Parent Last Name
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Email		Subscribe to Mailing List?
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Secondary Email		Subscribe to Mailing List?
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Phone Number

How many players are you signing up? 1 2 3 4 5

After selecting number of players, the signup forms for each player will appear.

Comments, Questions or Requests?

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Input Height and Weight

One or more players has selected a group for which players will be split into small groups by age, level of play, height and weight. Please enter their height and weight below.

Select Jerseys

One or more players has selected a group for which they need a jersey. Please select their jersey size below.

We will NOT be responsible if wrong jersey size is selected.