Play and Learn

Like a King

Get ready to experience hockey in a whole new way! Through our partnership with the LA Kings, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles gives young people ages 4–15 the opportunity to learn, play, and fall in love with hockey in a fun, welcoming environment designed for kids of all experience levels.

 

No ice. No skates. No hockey experience necessary.

Ball hockey brings the excitement, teamwork, and fast-paced action of hockey to courts, gyms, and other community spaces, making the sport more accessible to young people throughout Los Angeles. Whether your child has been following the Kings for years or has never held a hockey stick before, there is a place for them to play.

 

Players learn hockey fundamentals such as stickhandling, passing, shooting, defending, positioning, teamwork, and game strategy through age-appropriate practices and games. Coaches focus on helping every player improve while creating an environment where kids can try something new, make mistakes, build confidence, and have fun.

 

And because this is the YMCA, the experience is about much more than learning how to score a goal. Players develop confidence, teamwork, sportsmanship, perseverance, leadership, and respect while building friendships and discovering the joy of being active.

 

Hockey Without the Traditional Barriers

Hockey can sometimes feel like a difficult sport for families to access because of the cost of equipment, ice time, travel, and the need to learn how to skate before ever playing the game. We are changing that. YMCA LA Kings Ball Hockey gives kids an opportunity to experience hockey without many of those traditional barriers. Players do not need skates or previous hockey experience, and the equipment needed to participate is provided as part of the program. That means families can focus on what matters most: getting kids on the floor, learning the game, being active, and having fun.

 

Two Ways to Play

Our partnership with the LA Kings creates opportunities for young athletes at different stages of their hockey journey. LA Kings Ball Hockey is a great introduction to the sport. This program is designed to expose more kids to hockey, teach the fundamentals, and create a fun first experience with the game. For players ready for their next challenge, LA Kings STREET offers a more structured league experience with weekly practices and games, team competition, and opportunities to continue developing hockey skills. Together, the programs create a pathway where a child can try hockey, learn the game, build confidence, and continue growing as a player.

 

Learn From the Game. Grow Beyond It.

Young athletes will develop skills with a stick and ball, but some of the most important lessons happen away from the scoreboard.

 

Players learn how to:

• Work together as a team
• Communicate with teammates
• Show respect for coaches, officials, opponents, and one another
• Compete with good sportsmanship
• Handle winning and losing
• Stay determined when something is difficult
• Encourage teammates and celebrate each other’s success
• Build confidence through practice and improvement

 

Our goal is for every child to finish the season not only as a better hockey player, but also as a more confident teammate and young person.

 

Connected to the LA Kings

Playing YMCA Ball Hockey means becoming part of the growing hockey community in Los Angeles. Through our partnership with the LA Kings, young people get to experience the excitement of one of Southern California’s most recognized professional sports franchises while learning the game right in their own neighborhoods. For a child who has watched the Kings play, wearing LA Kings gear and stepping onto the court can make the experience feel even more special. For a child who has never watched a hockey game, this may be the experience that creates a brand-new fan.

Either way, the goal is to introduce more kids and families to the game of hockey.

 

No Experience Necessary

Never played hockey? Perfect. Our programs are designed to welcome beginners as well as returning players. Children do not need to arrive knowing hockey terminology, positions, rules, or how to handle a stick. Coaches introduce those skills throughout the season and help players develop at their own pace. What matters most is that your child arrives ready to move, learn, try, and have fun.

 

Positive Coaching and Sportsmanship

YMCA coaches understand that how we play matters. We want our young athletes to compete, work hard, and challenge themselves, but we also expect our teams to demonstrate respect, sportsmanship, and YMCA values. Coaches work to create an environment where every player has an opportunity to participate, contribute to the team, improve their skills, and feel like they belong.

 

A Place for Every Kid to Discover Hockey

For some children, this will be their first season of hockey. For others, it may be the beginning of a sport they play for years. Either way, we want young people to discover that hockey can be for them. By bringing the game out of the ice rink and into YMCA communities across Los Angeles, we are creating more opportunities for kids to pick up a stick, join a team, make friends, and experience everything that makes hockey special. From the first practice to the final game, YMCA LA Kings Ball Hockey is about opening the game to more kids and giving every young person an opportunity to play, belong, and discover what they can do.

 

Sign up for the next season today—we can’t wait to see you on the court!

For more information, email: [email protected]

 

Volunteers Make it Possible

Our volunteers are vital in helping us teach strong Y values through sports. Through positive coaching, young athletes learn the fundamentals of the game while building their confidence, getting them active, and helping them learn valuable lessons in teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership.

Must be 18 years of age to volunteer as a coach or assistant coach.

To learn more about becoming a volunteer coach, visit: ymcala.volunteermatters.org/project-catalog