FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What programs do you offer and who are they best suited for?

The Junior Tigers offers a number of different programs to suit all ages and abilities. Our team is able to offer advice on what program would best suit your child. Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com to book a complimentary consultation. Please send your child's skating or hockey videos for review by our coaching staff. Generally speaking, the Junior Tigers offers a few different streams of programs:

Learn to Skate: for beginners learning to skate and for players who want to further focus on their skating skills.
Learn to Play: introductory programs to learn the basics on how to play hockey.
Island League: put all the skills learned in Learn to Skate and Learn to Play in action with our popular league. Players of all abilities are welcome and each player receives equal playing time.

Greater Bay Hockey League: an elite travel league with players competing in Shenzhen against teams from Southern China. Players must also take part in the weekly team practice for this league.
Tournaments and Camps: a number of different tournaments and camps during holiday periods and at other select periods during the season. These camps and tournaments are a great way to work on a skill intensely over a short period of time or participate in a fun regional tournament.

2. How many programs should my child sign up for?

We generally recommend at least two programs a week to see steady improvement (one training and one game), but many children do more - especially skating and edgework. Please see our guidelines below. More hockey equals more fun! Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com for a complimentary consultation from one of our coaches.

3. What program options do you have for a competitive U9 player?

For U9 competitive players, please see our guidelines below. Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com for a complimentary consultation from one of our coaches.

4. What program options do you have for a competitive U11 player?

For U11 competitive players, please see our guidelines below. Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com for a complimentary consultation from one of our coaches.

5. What program options do you have for a competitive U13 player?

For U13 competitive players, please see our guidelines below. Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com for a complimentary consultation from one of our coaches.

6. What program options do you have for a competitive U16 or U20 player?

For U16 or U20 competitive players, please see our guidelines below. Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com for a complimentary consultation from one of our coaches.

7. How old does my child need to be to start?

We welcome kids from age 3 and suitable programs for that age group would be our Learn to Skate and Kerry Cubs U7 programs. Both of these programs can work together, but to join the Kerry Cubs, children need to have a minimum of one year of skating experience. Please contact us directly if unsure whether your child meets the prerequisites for Kerry Cubs U7.

8. My child is 10 and has never skated before. Is this club only for children who start early?

No, the Junior Tigers welcomes players of all ages and abilities. We provide introductory programming for kids of all ages – it is never too late to start – and we pride ourselves on creating a fun environment for kids to develop a passion for the sport. If your child hasn’t skated before, you would be looking at the Learn to Skate program, but please also get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com and we can provide some guidance on what would best suit your child.

9. How do I register?

The Junior Tigers accepts registrations only online. Please go to our website www.juniortigershockey.com/registration to register. Please note that all registrations are on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority for existing Junior Tigers players.

10. Why are programs so expensive?

Running a successful ice hockey program in Hong Kong can be a significant challenge, especially for grassroots organizations. The cost of ice time alone can be daunting, with rates hovering around HKD 10,000 per hour. This means that nearly 90% of the program's revenue goes directly to covering the cost of ice time and coaching. Despite the high costs, we have remained committed to providing a high-quality hockey program for young players in Hong Kong.

However, this dedication has come at a cost. Since its inception, the group has run a deficit of HKD 6 million, making it difficult to sustain the program in the long term. Compounding the challenges faced by the Junior Tigers is the fact that we receive no direct or indirect support from the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association. This means that we are entirely reliant on our own fundraising efforts and the support of its members and community to keep the program running.

Despite these challenges, the Junior Tigers remain committed to providing a safe, fun, and supportive environment for young hockey players in Hong Kong. Through hard work, dedication, and the support of their community, we hope to continue growing and developing the sport of ice hockey in the region. Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com to discuss any concerns.

11. What is your refund policy?

We are unable to offer refunds for non-participation. As a not-for-profit organization, the Junior Tigers budget is based on initial registrations and our most significant cost – ice-time – is paid well in advance of the start of the season.

Our full Terms and Conditions can be found here at www.juniortigershockey.com/terms-conditions

Our full Release and Waiver can be found here at www.juniortigershockey.com/waiver

Refunds will only be issued if the China Hockey Group cancels the program. If your child registers for a program and does not meet eligibility (for example age or prerequisites), we will first look at suitable alternatives. If in doubt, please also get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com and we can provide guidance on what would best suit your child. In the event that this is not possible, we will offer a refund (pro rata and less a 10 per cent administration charge).

12. Does my child need to wear full hockey equipment? Where can I buy gear?

Yes. A full equipment list is available for review online at www.juniortigershockey.com/shop. You are welcome to source gear from a number of retailers and the China Hockey Group also has a dedicated showroom and online shop, staffed by hockey experts who will be pleased to guide you through the process. You can find details to the Showroom here: www.chghockeyshop.com The Showroom is open Mondays through Fridays from 10-6 pm and by appointment on Saturday afternoon. You can book an appointment here: www.chghockeyshop.com/pages/contact-us

13. How does the Junior Tigers communicate with parents throughout the season?

The Junior Tigers was founded by parents, so we know how busy everything can get. The history of Junior Tigers can be found at www.juniortigershockey.com/our-values

Our schedules are found on our website and we are careful not to schedule any regular programming during normal holiday periods. Each program (training or league) also has a dedicated Parent Communication WhatsApp Group. If you are not a part of this WhatsApp group please see your group’s parent coordinator or talk to the coaches next time you see them.

Please download the Junior Tigers App at the Apple App store - type Junior Tigers and download App for our Island League game schedule. Please download the GBHL App at the Apple App store - type GBHL and download App or go to the GBHL website www.greaterbayhockeyleague.com for GBHL games.

14. What safety measures do you have in place?

All players are taught from an early age proper hockey hygiene and we ask parents to help enforce this as well. We do not recommend sharing hockey gear and please ensure that your child has all required gear before leaving the house. Good hygiene also means that all participants have their own water bottles (we ask for bottles with a tip). Do not share water bottles and make sure your child’s bottle is labeled clearly. Due to Coronavirus, enhanced safety guidelines have been implemented and distributed through program Whatsapp groups.

15. My child is sick and can’t attend. Do you have a make-up policy?

We appreciate you keeping your child away from the ice when sick and thank you for being pro-active. We are, however, generally unable to offer make-up lessons. Our programs are often full and run on a strict coach-to-player ratio to ensure all players receive individual attention. As such it is often not possible to accommodate extra players on the ice. Please get in touch with us at info@juniortigershockey.com to discuss any concerns.

16. Who are your coaches?

Our coaching team is led by Ben MacAskill, who played at the highest level of Major Junior hockey in Canada with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He arrived in Hong Kong after he completed his Bachelor and Masters degrees at Dalhousie University, where he played on the Varsity hockey team for five years. Ben also has an extensive coaching background and was selected to be part of the CHG’s Intern Program.

All of our coaches are experienced CIHL, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and Junior Hockey players interning in Hong Kong, all who have extensive coaching experience. The Junior Tigers is also fortunate to have a number of specialist advisors.

Our NHL Professional Advisor is Brad Smyth, a former NHL Player and the owner and head instructor of the NHL Alumni Camps and Clinics. He works with our coaching team on a regular basis to oversee the Junior Tigers curriculum and programming.

You can read more about the Junior Tigers coaching team at

www.juniortigershockey.com/instructors

17. Why is there not a flood before every ice time?

We have adjusted our flooding schedule in order to balance ice time with proper ice maintenance. We are continually working to optimize our ice time according to the changing ice schedules, in terms of length of ice sessions and quality of the ice. There are a number of factors that impact this, including the type and nature of the sessions taking place before and after. This includes time of day, amount of skating, stops and starts and tight turns involved, age of the players in the program, how many sessions since the previous flood, and more.

18. Why do we play a few U13 Island League games at the Discovery Bay Rink?

We only host 2 games a year at the Discovery Bay Rink for the U13 Island League. This is our community night, as games are played prior to the CIHL games which allows for the kids to experience a CIHL game and see how the best players in Hong Kong play, as well as interact with these players.

This also gives the U13 kids exposure to the larger ice surface, which has an impact on the way the game is played. Since the progression and next steps for the kids is the U16 Island League, which is also played full time at Discovery Bay.

19. How does the new age group structure impact my selection of programs for the 2023-2024 season?

The Junior Tigers has ratified age division names changes for all programs in line with IIHF and Hockey Canada. The changes create a simpler and more consistent reference for parents registering their children.

PLEASE NOTE - only the names will change. Actual divisions remain consistent with past seasons. We will continue to make player age group exceptions where appropriate - e.g. skill level, schedule or siblings playing together.

20. Return to Play: What safety measure do the Junior Tigers have in place for when players return to the rink?

The health and safety of our community is our top priority. The Junior Tigers Safety Guidelines are applicable to all players, family members, helpers, staff and coaches. The Safety Guidelines will be distributed to registered players and their families on the WhatsApp Groups prior to the start of each program.

21. Return to Play: What measures are the ice rinks taking to ensure the health and safety of participants while at the rink?

In addition to our Junior Tigers Safety Guidelines, individual ice rinks may have additional safety requirements. Once we receive notification from rink management, families will be informed through our program WhatsApp groups.

22. Return to Play: What happens if ice times are cancelled?

If the ice rink is closed, all sessions cancelled during the closure will be rescheduled. All updates on scheduling and make-up sessions will be announced via our program WhatsApp groups.

23. Return to Play: I am not receiving updates and information on WhatsApp. What should I do?

When registering for a Junior Tigers program, contact information for both parents is required. We use this contact information to set up our program WhatsApp groups. If you are not receiving updates please contact info@juniortigershockey.com

24. Adult Drop In

This program is for adult players with a reasonable level of hockey skill (D2/D3). Players will have the opportunity to work on individual skills (skating, passing, shooting, puck-handling)
https://www.juniortigershockey.com/leagues/adult-drop-in-hockey-2023-24-elements-sundays

25. Adult LTP/LTS

This program is for adult beginners. Our coaches will teach all the necessary skills to become a good team player and a well-rounded hockey player
https://www.juniortigershockey.com/learn-to-play/adult-co-ed-training-and-skating-2023-24-elements-mondays

26. Weather

The Junior Tigers weather policy follows the Rink policy which is: The Rink will cancel ice time (and reschedule) only when the Typhoon no. 8 signal or Black Rain signal is issued.
Please check the HK observatory for up to date weather information at: https://www.hko.gov.hk/en/index.html
The Junior Tigers Team will not send notifications unless scheduled classes/leagues are canceled.
Weather conditions may remain unstable in areas away from the Rink and we ask parents to exercise a degree of prudence even if training is on. Each player’s situation is different depending on age and travel location.
Please contact our team directly with any questions on WhatsApp at +85293212099.

27. Why are my child’s game stats sometimes not recorded correctly?

While every effort is always made to record each player’s stats correctly, specific issues may arise that could affect the accuracy. These issues may include difficulty in communicating through the glass between on-ice and off-ice officials, and jersey number discrepancy in LPP (Loose Player Pool) situations. Player stats are reviewed on a weekly basis. If you would like to appeal a stats record, please provide details and evidence (if possible) of the case in point.

28. What is an LPP (Loose Player Pool) situation?

This means that when a regular player is unavailable, a player from the LPP can replace that original player. Both players are usually of similar ranking/skill. In this case, the LPP consists of registered players within the league on other teams.