The Mite Skills & Scrimmage Program is designed to help players build strong foundational skating, edge work, and puck control skills. Every aspect of hockey can be traced back to a player’s ability to skate efficiently and handle the puck with confidence—these two skills form the base for all other areas of the game. Our practices and drills are structured to strengthen these fundamentals, helping players develop balance, control, and coordination while setting the stage for future skill growth.
NEW! Increased Practice Length: Practice length for the Mite and Girls Skills Programs have been extended to 1 hour and 15 minutes, allowing every session to finish with a scrimmage.
NEW! Reduced Player Maximum: We’ve reduced the maximum number of players in the Mini Mite, Mite, and Girls Only Skills Programs to 24 total (4 groups of 6 players).
NEW! Player Groupings: On Day 1, players will complete a basic skating timed test. Based on the results, players will be placed into four groups of six according to ability. This ensures each player trains with peers of similar skill level. Each group will run drills and skills tailored specifically to that group . Groups will not necessarily perform the same practice — each receives the training that best fits its developmental level.
🏒 NEW! Payment & Sign-Up Policy
Payment is now required at the time of sign-up to secure your spot. This applies to all sign-ups, regardless of how far in advance the date or camp may be. We will no longer hold or reserve spots without payment being made in full at the time of sign-up.
Payment options include Venmo, Zelle, Stripe (Credit Card, Cash App, ACH Direct Debit). Cancellation deadline for all Spring Programs (April – June Programs) is March 1st and all Summer Programs (July – August) is June 1st for a no questions asked refund. For all details please see the “How to Pay” and “Refund/Cancellation Policy” sections below.
If you have any questions, please email mark@markzarbohockey.com.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
🏒 Program Details
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Schedule: Tuesdays at Holiday Rinks
- Group #1: 4:45 – 6:00pm
- Group #2: 6:00 – 7:15pm
- Players may register for one or both groups (no discount for both)
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Dates:
- April 14, 21, 28
- May 5, 12, 19, 26
- June 2, 9, 16, 23
- Age: 2017, 2018, 2019 Birth Years
- ⚠️ 2017 Birth Years: 2017 birth years are eligible for both the Mite Skills & Scrimmage Program (2017, 2018, 2019) and/or Squirt Hockey IQ Program (2015 – 2016 AAA/AA, 2017 AAA). 2017 players MUST be AAA level for the hockey IQ program. Players who are not yet at this (“AAA”) level will struggle to keep up with the group and will not benefit from the program. If that describes your player, we highly recommend our Mite Skills & Scrimmage Program , Spring/Summer Skill Sessions (pick and choose dates, times, and topics), Mite Battling & Puck Protection Program , and/or our 3 v 3 Cross-Ice Development League to focus on strengthening their skill foundation.
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⚠️ 2019 Birth Years: 2019 birth years are eligible for both the Mite (2017 – 2019) and/or Mini Mite (2019 – 2021) Skill & Scrimmage Programs. It is suggested that lower level/newer 2019 players sign up for the Mini Mite Skills & Scrimmage Program and that higher level/more experienced 2019 players sign up for the Mite Skills & Scrimmage Program . - Total Practices: 11 practices → 13.75 hours of ice
- Maximum Players: 24 → 4 groups, 6 players → Jersey is provided
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Practice Format:
Sessions focus on edge work, skating, and puck/stickhandling skills.- 50–60 minutes of skill development
- ~15 minutes of 3v3 scrimmage
- Mini Mite Skills & Scrimmage Program
- NEW! Mite Battling & Puck Protection Skills Program
- Spring/Summer Skill Sessions – pick & choose your dates, times & topics!
- 3 v 3 Cross-Ice Development League
⚠️ No Beginners Please: These sessions are not appropriate for beginner-level players. A beginner is defined as a player who has not proficient with basic skating skills of stops/starts, crossovers, tight turns, backward skating, basic puck control, and basic edge work. We assume all participants can perform these fundamental skills, as all practices and sessions are designed with this in mind.
For any questions regarding player level or registration, please email mark@markzarbohockey.com.
Looking for more ice?! Check out:
🏒 Program Cost
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$295 (13.75 hours ice — $21/hour)
🏒 Family Discounts
Sign up one player for this program, and that player — along with all siblings — become eligible for generous discounts on additional Mark Zarbo Hockey programs.
| Program | Discounted Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3v3 Spring League | $180 | Normally $205 (12% off) |
| Spring & Summer Skill Sessions (Wed & Sun) | $18/session | Normally $25 (28% off) |
| Body Contact, Battling & Checking Camps | $125 | Normally $150 (17% off) |
| Squirt & Peewee Defense Camps | $350 | Normally $395 (12% off) |
| Offensive Skills & Scoring Camp | $350 | Normally $395 (12% off) |
| Mite Summer Camps | $125 | Normally $150 (17% off) |
| Skating & Edge Work Camps | $125 | Normally $150 (17% off) |
NOTE: These discounts will not appear on the initial invoice generated by our system. They must be manually applied. Once we receive and review your sign-up form, we will email you to confirm the discounts and provide the updated invoice total.
Build Your Own Personalized Spring–Summer Program
At Mark Zarbo Hockey, our mission is to provide players of all ages and skill levels with:
- Comprehensive training opportunities
- Flexible scheduling
- Affordable pricing and incentives
- Best-in-class coaching
No other program in the WNY/Buffalo area combines all of these at this level.
Example:
A player registered for the Mite Skills & Scrimmage Program ($295), 3v3 League ($180), and 15 Skill Sessions ($18/session) receives 38.75 total hours of on-ice training — averaging just $19.22 per hour ice!
🏒 Goalies
This program is for players only.
Goalies — please visit Bob Janosz’s website for goalie-specific training programs.
🏒 Full Season Schedule
Below is the full spring and summer calendar, NOT the currently available sessions. Sign-up form will list all currently available sessions for each program.
🏒 Payment Policies
Payment is required at the time of sign-up to secure your spot. This applies to all sign-ups, regardless of how far in advance the date or camp may be. We will no longer hold or reserve spots without payment being made in full at the time of sign-up. See refund/cancellation policy for further details.
PAYMENT METHODS ACCEPTED
Venmo: @Mark-Zarbo (3724) –> Preferred
Zelle: @MarkZarboHockey –> Preferred
Stripe Link: Credit Card, Cash App, ACH Direct Debit all accepted through Stripe Link. Email mark@markzarbohockey.com to request a payment link. We are now waiving the former 3% fee.
Cash/Check: Cash and check are accepted, but payment must be received within one week of submitting the sign-up form. If you are unable to pay within one week, please use one of the other available payment methods.
NOTE: We no longer are accepting mailed payments. Payments must either be online or given in person.
🏒 Spring-Summer Cancellation, Refund & Credits Policy
Spring Programs (April – June) Last Day To Cancel for full refund: March 1st
Summer Programs (July – August) Last Day To Cancel for full refund: June 1st
After specified dates credits, no refunds, will only be issued if we are able to find a replacement player to fill the spot. Once the program has started the roster is frozen and no refunds or credits will be issued.
Players are always welcome (and encouraged) to find their own replacement. Please notify Mark Zarbo Hockey of any substitutions. Applies to all cancellations, including sickness or injury.
If payment was made by credit card, a 5% processing fee will be deducted from any refund. There is no processing fee for refunds made from any other form of payment.
Credits Policy:
Credits never expire and can be used for any program we offer at any time.
To use an existing credit, fill out the sign-up form as normal. In the comment box, please note that you have a credit so that when the form is reviewed, we know to look up the credit and apply it to your balance.
Follow Mark Zarbo Hockey on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
🏒 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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