Dear Rockets Families,

Thank you to all who have reached out over the past few weeks.  Your support and care for the Rockets coaches and staff has been a great reminder of how special our families are, and this is greatly appreciated.

Following the abrupt end to the season, postponement of the tryouts and closing of our facilities there was much discussion amongst the clubs and rinks as to how to manage the 2020-21 season.   The Rockets spearheaded and participated in panel of owners to find the best resolution possible. Our first objective was to find a date when one ice tryouts could proceed.  After a lengthy dialogue we arrived at the conclusion that this might be unfeasible and ill-advised for two reasons.  First, the state authorities are controlling the business reopening timetable and we had little confidence in predicting when this would occur. Secondly, and importantly, the thought of reopening and having 50 kids on the ice for a tryout at one time did not seem prudent.  For these reasons we sought an alternative solution.

The Rockets play in USA Hockey’s Atlantic District and are governed by the Atlantic Affiliate (the AAHA).  The club owners group proposed to the AAHA Executive Counsel, for the reasons mentioned above, that they be permitted to sign their players without the benefit of on ice tryouts and evaluations. 

Following a parent survey conducted by the AAHA that supported this proposal the Executive Committee approved a process for signing players without on ice tryouts.  A copy of their rule can be found here.  We would like to applaud the AAHA Executive counsel for showing leadership and thoughtfulness in their decision process. 

Per the AAHA guidelines the Rockets Signing Process will be as follows:

Step 1: Registration:       All players must register [REGISTRATION BUTTON ABOVE] for the 2020-21 season by Friday May 15th.  The registration is free and will provide us with your indication of interest and critical contact information.   If you have previously registered and paid for tryouts you must register again. The funds will be placed towards your tuition. Please keep in mind registration does not guarantee your child a roster spot.

Step 2: Communication: It is our intention for our Tier 1 and Tier 2 Directors and coaches to communicate with our prospective players prior to contracting.  We hope that this will answer any questions and reduce any anxiety.  Our directors and coaches will make commitments to our players well before contracting so that families have certainty and can plan.  The goal is for everyone to find the best team possible under the circumstances.  We have given direction to our staff to make sure all players have a place to play. Any questions or concerns can be emailed to either our Tier 1 Director Noel Rubin noel@rocketssportsgroup.com, Tier 2 Director Dave Ball dave@rocketssportsgroup.com or anything else to info@rocketssportsgroup.com.  We will respond as quickly as possible.

Step 3: Contracting:        Contracts will be sent via email to be signed electronically on June 1st for Tier 1 and June 11th for Tier 2.  A deposit will not be required upon signing. You will be invoiced later.

Over the next few weeks, there will be many questions regarding the upcoming season. We anticipate the list will be long. We will plan for normal and prepare for abnormal. There is no greater time for us to act as a community than now.

Rest assured that The Rockets Sports Group and The Rockets Hockey Club will continue to adhere to local, state, federal and CDC guidelines.  Our mission has always been to insure the highest level of safety for our players, families, and staff. We will monitor all guidance and adapt our schedules and programming, if required, to ensure that we remain compliant, while providing the best possible development for our players.  As always, we will work with our families, so our children collectively grow, learn, and are happy and healthy- with the great sport of hockey as a cornerstone of their foundation.

We miss seeing you at the rink and cannot wait to get everyone back on the ice. We thank everyone for their loyalty and support and look forward to the next chapter.

Welcome to the Rockets Hockey Club, the most successful hockey organization in the Metropolitan New York area.

The Rockets organization is committed to providing leadership, focus and the drive to push each player beyond their perceived limitations in order to maximize their abilities and potential as complete hockey players. The organization also places a strong emphasis on skill development, sportsmanship, teamwork and a thorough understanding of, and appreciation for the sport of hockey.