Black Bear Hockey will offer two tier placements for the upcoming season. Please note that spring tryouts are for Tier 2 teams ONLY. Placement skates for other girls' teams will take place in September.

Registration for all girls' teams will open once the Tier 2 teams have been announced. It is important to register your player as soon as registration opens, as this helps us assess the number of players for the 2025-2026 season and allows us to start planning for teams at each level.

The Vermont Girls Hockey landscape is ever-changing, and we will consider what other organizations are offering for girls' teams to ensure that our Tier 4 teams have a variety of opponents. This information is typically shared in August, prior to the scheduler's meeting. Depending on registration numbers, we may have teams at each age group (U10, U12, U14), or we may combine age groups (U10/12, U12/14), similar to previous years.

Tier 2 Teams

Offered For: U14, U12, and U10

Players are eligible to try out only for the team that matches their birth year. They are not permitted to attend tryouts for an older age group. Evaluations will focus on skating skills (forward, backward, agility), stick skills (passing, shooting, stick handling), and game awareness (offensive and defensive play, hockey sense). Team placements will be based on these assessments and coaches' evaluations from the previous season. All athletes will be anonymously evaluated by independent third-party evaluators.

After tryouts, selected players will be invited to roster with our Tier 2 team. Tier 2 participants can expect:

• Practices:
  • Begin pre-season in September with 2 skates per week
  • 3 practices per week beginning in October through mid-February, including one collegiate-level skill development instruction.
• Games:
  • U10 - target of 35 - 40 games 
  • U12 - target of 45 - 50 games
  • U14 - target of 50 - 60 games
• Base tournament budget included (this typically covers 2 - 3 tournaments); additional tournaments paid for by families
• Regular out-of-state travel. While Black Bear Tier 2 teams will list with VSAHA, we will predominantly play out-of-state competition. We will schedule double-headers when possible to minimize overnight stays/costs, and we'll make efforts to separate the games that require overnights from travel tournaments if possible. All players/families must be able to commit to an out-of-state travel schedule.
• Black Bear Hockey Teams that qualify for a USA Hockey Sectional, Regional or National tournament are required to compete in these events and will incur additional costs to families.
• Our goal at this level is to create highly competitive Tier 2 teams.  We encourage our coaches to make playing time fair, but we do not expect playing time to be equal (this includes goalies). This typically means that less skilled players get more opportunities in less competitive game scenarios.
• Team Size: 
  • U10 & U12: The top 13-15 skaters and 1-2 goalies will be offered a spot on the Tier 2 team. Depending on score differences and potential drop-offs, the roster size may be limited to fewer than 15.
  • U14: The top 14-16 skaters and 1-2 goalies will be offered a spot on the Tier 2 team. Depending on score differences and potential drop-offs, the roster size may be adjusted to fewer than 16 skaters and open roster spots may be filled at the start of the season based on coaches' and coaching director evaluations.
  • Open roster spots may be filled at the start of the season based on coaches and coaching director evaluations.

Athletes will have 24 hours to accept their Tier 2 spot. Rosters will be announced 72 hours after tryouts are completed. Registration for the upcoming season will be available after rosters are announced and is required within 2 weeks.

Tier 4 Teams

Registration for Tier 4 Girls' Teams will open in April. Evaluations will take place in September to create balanced teams, giving every player an opportunity to excel without the pressure of tryouts. The primary goal of this program is to develop individual skills, cultivate a lifelong passion for hockey, and provide an exciting competitive experience—both within our program and in games against other teams across Vermont.

Tier 4 participants can expect the following:

• Pre-season skates starting in September (1 session per week)
• 2 practices per week beginning in October, with an optional collegiate-level skill development session available at an additional cost
• 25-30 games throughout the season
• Base tournament budget included, with additional tournament fees paid by families
• Regular travel: Our Tier 4 teams will primarily compete against Vermont-based teams, but some regional out-of-state travel may be necessary to fill the game schedule

House Teams (if needed)

For 2025 - 2026, Black Bear Hockey will be offering a Girl's House program. It's the perfect progression for those who want to continue to build their skills through weekly practices but not have the pressure of tryouts or competitive travel hockey. The program's primary goal is to refine individual skills and foster a lifelong love for hockey.  House team participants can expect:

• 1-2 practices per week from October - January

Offered For: 16U/19U

After tryouts, selected players will be invited to roster with our half-season team. Half-season participants can expect:

• 2 practices per week September through November with an optional collegiate-level skill development session available (additional cost).
• 12-15 games - typically on Sundays
• Potential for 1-2 tournaments (not included in registration fee)
• Travel within New England

The half-season team will begin in early September as ice becomes available at Norwich University. The 2025-26 split-season team will be coached by Norwich University women’s team players and a Black Bear coaching mentor.