Asked constantly, answered once
Frequently asked
questions.
Everything families ask, straight from the league. Can't find it? Try the search in the menu, or the contact form.
New to this? Start here
What skills or experience are necessary?
None. While the ability to skate is obviously helpful, most age groups run from players who have never skated before to players who have skated for years. During the spring and fall seasons a skating clinic open to all age groups is typically offered one day per week outside of normal team practices, focused on skating fundamentals for ALL levels.
Are there skating classes to learn how to skate?
Yes. During the regular seasons a weekly skating clinic is open to all age groups, outside normal team practice schedules. Coaches teach the fundamentals of skating and help skaters at every level improve.
My kid played ice hockey. How similar is inline?
The transition is pretty straightforward. Most ice skating technique carries over (with some exceptions), and the rules and penalties are very similar. Inline is played 4v4 plus goalies; the Termite division, our youngest group, plays 3v3 with no goalies.
Is there any checking?
No checking in any age group, and penalties are strictly enforced. Players will occasionally bump into one another and the league understands that. It is pretty easy to tell an intentional check from an accidental collision.
Seasons, practices, and games
When do youth seasons happen?
HIHA runs a Spring and a Fall season each year. Spring usually begins in March with registration opening in February, and the end-of-season tournament lands before Memorial Day. Fall usually begins in August with registration opening in July and wraps up with the end-of-season tournament. In Fall 2026 that is a round-robin seeding round on November 7, followed by A Tier and B Tier championships.
Is there a summer league?
If you have ever tried anything mildly active while the temperature and humidity race to 100, you know why not. On occasion the league offers a summer camp. Interested? Tell us through the contact form.
What are practice schedules like?
Normally two practices per week, Monday through Friday, one hour each. Start times run 5 PM to 8 PM, with younger age groups earlier and older groups later in the evening.
What do practices consist of?
Content varies by coach, with emphasis on touches: how often players get the puck on their stick. Most practices run on a half rink to maximize touches, with small-area games from Sharks and Minnows up to scrimmages.
When are games scheduled?
Games are played on Saturdays, sometimes with one weekday game to fit a 10-game season into 7 to 9 weeks. Rarely you may get a weekend doubleheader; makeup games often land on Sunday afternoons. Games last one hour, and players should arrive 10 to 20 minutes early.
What are games like?
Most divisions play 4v4 plus goalies on the full rink with regulation 6' x 4' goals. The Termite division, our youngest group, typically plays 3v3 with no goalies on a half rink with 3' x 2' goals.
Gear and equipment
What gear is required?
See the required equipment checklist.
Where should I go to get gear?
Play It Again Sports in Hendersonville is a great place to start. Their staff is knowledgeable and will gladly help with sizing. Online, try Hockey Monkey, Inline Warehouse, and similar hockey stores. Also check the league's used gear trade-in program.
Do goalies need their own gear?
No. HIHA keeps a full line of goalie equipment in various sizes, loaned free of charge to players who play goalie. Each team gets one set for the season. At the start of the season, goalies are fitted and the gear is signed out to a family, whose responsibility it is to return it at season's end to avoid being charged.
Age divisions
What age group will my player be in?
Age divisions start at 4 years old and run through 18. Your player's division is set by their age on December 31: fall seasons use the upcoming December 31, spring seasons use the previous one. See the division ladder.
Are there adult divisions?
Sure enough there are. See the adult league.
Sign-ups and registration
How do I sign up?
Registration usually opens in February for Spring and July for Fall. Check the registration status or the league's Facebook page for the latest.
How much does it cost?
Fees are shown on the registration form when sign-ups open; most recently registration was $225 per player. Every player receives a team jersey to keep, and first and second place teams get a trophy or medal after the end-of-season tournament. Some teams ask each player to bring a roller hockey puck for practice; ask your coach.
Can I get a discount?
There is generally an early-bird discount for the first week or two after registration opens. A discount is also offered to full-time head coaches, so if you are interested in coaching, say so when you register your player.
Player evaluations
When are evaluations?
Usually around the time registration closes, before the player draft.
What happens at evaluations, and why attend?
Coaches evaluate players on skating, passing, stick-handling, and shooting so talent is distributed evenly across teams in each division. When players skip evaluations, it is hard to gauge where they stand relative to their age group, so please make it.
See you at the rinks.
Fall 2026 is underway. Spring 2027 registration will be announced on the league's socials.