Travel Programs

Since 1978, the Erie Youth Hockey Association has grown into one of the largest amateur youth organizations in the United States. Erie Youth Hockey offers a diversity of programs for boys ages 4-16 and girls ages 4-16.

Travel Programs provide an opportunity for the best players in our association to compete at the highest level possible. These players receive the quality coaching needed to develop the skills to play at this level…from Mites to Midgets.

The "Erie Lions" travel hockey programs play in Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League and the Western New York Amateur Hockey League. Erie teams participate in one or both of these leagues. Regular season play usually begins in October and runs through February with playoffs often extending into March. Teams are selected in the Spring for the following year and generally begin practice in middle to late August.

Travel Teams generally practice twice a week (one shared ice, one full ice) and play game(s) on the weekend.

Click for League Information:

Pittsburgh Armature Hockey League (PAHL)
Western New York Amateur Hockey League

Tryout Fee: Travel team tryout fee is $5.00 for each tryout session. Must be paid at the time of the sign-in. If more tryouts are needed or more teams are added, you will be notified.
Eligibility for travel teams: In order to be eligible to try out for and be selected to play on the second or subsequent team out in the division, the player must have tried out for the first team out in the division.
Written excuse for missing from tryouts: Only those players who have participated in tryouts shall be eligible for selection to a travel team, unless the player has submitted to the coach and travel director, before the first tryout session, for absence at one or more sessions. The excuse should set forth the reason or reasons for the absence and receive approval from the coach and travel director for the absence.
Travel team tryout form; New policy: Both player and parent must sign a travel team tryout form at the first tryout. Arrive early for this before the tryout begins.

Travel team tryout fee: All players trying out for a travel team must, before the first tryout session, deposit half of the current fee for travel, which is non-refundable unless the player is not selected to play on any EYHA travel team in his/her age division. If the player is selected for a travel team, his/her travel tryout fee shall be credited toward regular travel program fee, the balance of which must be paid at the time of regular EYHA registrations. Any player who resigns from a travel team after having been selected will forfeit the travel tryout fee. Unless the resignation is determined by the EYHA Board of Directors to be for good cause and not for the purpose of trying out for, joining or playing on a team other than the team for which he/she was selected. Cash, check or money order will only be accepted. Credit card will not be accepted.
Please refer to the orange book for travel team policy, Section XV.
Call Travel Director, if you have any questions.

Travel Hockey – Give it a "try".
Travel provides a great opportunity for children to experience excitement and a sense of accomplishment that accompanies athletics at a competitive level. The players learn a lot about competition, life, team work and themselves in a way that simply cannot be experienced to the same degree in a purely recreational program. We have found over the years that very few players and parents leave the travel division by choice once they have participated. The players thrive on the competitive experience and the parents genuinely enjoy the camaraderie and social experience that goes along with being part of a travel "extended family".

EYHA recognizes that travel is not for everybody. There are a variety of valid reasons why people either can’t or choose not to participate, including ability level of the players, parents’ work commitments, family responsibilities and financial considerations. If you want to learn more about the travel program, or if you have any questions, please contact our travel director. Also review the orange book, the section pertaining to travel teams for further information.