Don’t Miss Your Kids Registration this Year!

Published February 13, 2012 at 5:16 am

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When I was a kid, I remember having the choice to play organized hockey, baseball or soccer. There was one association for each. It was very straight-forward and simple. For the youth of today, there are countless competitive and fun activities and associations. There are premier gymnastics, aquatics, and figure skating clubs Insauga. There are also lacrosse, curling, dance, martial arts and other activities in which the little ones can participate.

Parents can get competitive, the teams can get political and costs can hurt the pocket book. If you want to enroll your kids in an activity, where do you start?  There are 8 options for kid’s hockey alone in Mississauga. Below are my choices for favourite children’s activities.

Baseball and Soccer

With the soccer and baseball seasons fast approaching, you can register for the Dixie Soccer Club or the Forest Glen Baseball Association, and personally, I have had a positive experience with both. Attention is placed on fun and participation. 

Forest Glen is the only association Insauga to offer BlastBall. A variation of T-ball, BlastBall moves more quickly which keeps 4- and 5-year olds engaged. Scores are not kept and the attention is on introducing kids to the basic concepts of baseball. In-person registration starts on Feb 25. Here are other baseball associations in Mississauga: Mississauga North Baseball and Mississauga Majors Baseball Association

The Dixie Soccer Club introduces 2 to 5-year olds to the game. The fields are sectioned into quadrants with a game going on in each. With such a small field of play, all the kids are kept involved. 

For those that have children that may be a little more attached to their moms and dads, parents are allowed on the field to encourage their children to engage. Registration opened on Feb 1 and there is a $25 discount for House League registrations before Mar 1.

Hockey

As the father of a little one who won’t be dragged off the ice, I am partial to the Applewood Coyotes Hockey Association. The Coyotes’ focus is on having fun and fair play. The coaches are great. My son’s participation in both house league and select provides a good balance of excitement, practice, strategy and fun! 

If you plan to have your child make it to the NHL one day, Applewood is probably not for you. In my experience, Applewood’s select teams are a fraction of the cost of some of the other associations in the GTA. That is not to say that any of the other associations’ sole focus is on winning, or that Applewood couldn’t produce stars. But for young children, Applewood is an excellent organization to introduce kids to hockey.

The Mississauga Hockey League and Hockey Canada are putting forth a tremendous effort on refocusing the game towards fun and safety. Head to the MHL site for more info on how to register your child for any of the Mississauga Hockey Associations.

Curling

Combining power, balance, precision and strategy, curling is actually pretty exciting . While some may find it boring to watch on television, it is quite fun and challenging to play. The ‘little rocks’ can begin their curling career at 7 years old. 

All can curl at the Dixie Curling Club as a separate membership is not required. This makes curling accessible to everyone at a reasonable price. The curling season runs from October to April.

Lacrosse

While it may be considered a rougher sport, lacrosse is a great way to provide kids with increased physical fitness and help improve hand to eye coordination. Hockey parents take note; the Mississauga Tomahawks have such alumni as John Tavares, Jason Spezza and Matt Moulson.  As early as 3 years of age, kids can register to learn how to cradle, pass, and catch the ball. The basic rules are explained in a fun way with participation encouraged.

Practices and games are held in different arenas insauga. Registration takes place in mid to late February with early bird registration fees offered.

 Whatever you decide to choose for your children, it is important to encourage them to participate as it increases fitness levels, and gets the kids away from TV and video games. Self-esteem and team work improves while simultaneously building a better understanding of fairness.

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