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Where to Play Youth Hockey in the DMV
Lawrence Cutlip-MasonAs a youth hockey coach in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia), I’m often asked about the different options for kids to get involved in hockey. Whether your child is just starting out or aiming for higher levels of competition, there’s a program for everyone.
First, I’ll explain the different options, and then I’ll provide a list of teams and leagues. (If you’re already familiar with the options, feel free to skip to the second half.)
Age Groupings
Some people might not know about youth hockey age groups in the U.S. They are organized by birth year to ensure generally fair and safe competition. Here's a simple breakdown:
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6U (Mini-Mites): For players aged 5-6
- Non travel only, limited to Learn to Play and internal house options.
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8U (Mites): For players aged 7-8
- Travel Hockey Kind of starts here, but it's not real travel hockey it's more like tournaments/mini tournaments and they still usually play house as well.
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10U (Squirts): For players aged 9-10
- Full on Travel hockey options begins here.
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12U (Peewees): For players aged 11-12
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14U (Bantams): For players aged 13-14
- This is the Age group Checking starts for programs that are not at a House Level.
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16U (Minor Midgets): For players aged 15-16
- At this Age group there starts to be less playing options, such as one less travel team per organization (no B level), and very few places to play House level hockey.
- Unfortunately many Travel B and House C/D level players get pushed out of hockey at this group due to less playing options.
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18U (Major Midgets): For players aged 17-18
- At this age group there are very few places to play, Travel teams are usually 1 per organization, sometimes 2 for bigger organizations. House options are near non-existent.
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6U (Mini-Mites): For players aged 5-6
Levels of Hockey
While the terminology for hockey levels is fairly standard across the U.S., the actual "talent floor" can shift depending on where you are. For example a AAA player in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) faces a different level of competition than one in like Upstate New York or Minnesota.
Tier 3
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D Level: Learn to Play
- This is the entry point. It’s comprised of new players who are still mastering the foundational mechanics of the sport.
- Skill Level: Whether you are in Virginia or Canada, "Learn to Play" looks the same: a lot of falling, a lot of focus on standing up, and getting comfortable on edges.
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C Level: House League
- This includes internal club programs or recreational "travel-lite" leagues like the CCHL.
- Skill Level: These players have the basics down and are learning the flow of a real game. There can be really skilled house players that for one reason or another stay in house and never do travel or drop travel and go back to house level play.
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D Level: Learn to Play
Tier 2
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B Level: Entry-Level Travel
- This is often the first step into competitive travel hockey.
- The Litmus Test: I classify a B-level player as being proficient in at least one core skill (Skating, Shooting, or Puck Movement) while maintaining average ability in the others. This is usually where the "best" house players move to.
- The End: There is no B level hockey in the region starting at 16U and up.
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A Level: Competitive Travel
- In the DMV’s CBHL (Chesapeake Bay Hockey League), this level is frequently split into Lower A and Upper A. The jump from B to A is often the most noticeable "skill wall" for developing players.
- The Split: The difference between Upper and Lower A usually comes down to physical size, age (Major vs. Minor birth years), and overall pace of play.
- The Litmus Test: An A-level player is typically great at one core skill, with all other skills being consistently "good" or above.
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AA Level: Elite Travel
- In the DMV, AA is primarily AA National. (Note: AA American typically only exists at the 16U level in this region). While some clubs differentiate between Minor (younger birth year) and Major (older birth year), they generally compete in the same division.
- The Difference Maker: AA is often defined by Hockey IQ. These are usually the better, players from the "Upper A" bracket who can play true team-level tactics and systems.
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B Level: Entry-Level Travel
Tier 1
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AAA Level: Tier 1
- This is the highest level of youth hockey, but options in the DMV are very limited.
- The Reality: The gap between a top-tier AA National team and a AAA team in this region can be surprisingly small; it isn't uncommon for a strong AA team to upset a AAA squad.
- Regional Variance: AAA sees the most "skill drift." A DMV AAA team may have a very different skill than a AAA team from a different region.
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AAA Level: Tier 1
Different Tiering System:
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Junior Level (Jrs)
- Junior hockey bridges the gap between youth hockey and college. It spans ages 16U to 20U, meaning players often stay in Juniors after they "age out" of the 18U AAA level.
- The Landscape: While the skill level generally hovers between AA and AAA talent, the physicality is much higher due to the age range. There are currently very few Junior programs based directly within the DMV.
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Junior Level (Jrs)
Different Level and School Options
House League - (D to C Level)
For players new to hockey or looking for a more casual experience, house leagues can be a great starting point. Some rinks offer house programs, while others do not. Some rinks only participate in the Capital Corridor Hockey League (CCHL), and others may offer both house and CCHL play.
By the 14U level (ages 13-14), most standalone house programs outside of CCHL phase out, though some rinks still offer mixed-age teams like 12U+13U or 14U+16U. Unfortunately, some of these mixed-age house programs do not include full-ice games or consistent practices, which can limit development opportunities.
Some house programs offer "Selects Teams" or "Tournament Teams" during the regular season, these are only for youth hockey players who have been playing for a while and can compete at B Level hockey! These extra programs end after 14U.
You can play in House, CCHL, and Middle or High school Leagues at the same time.
Capital Corridor Hockey League (CCHL) - (C to B- Level)
Some clubs don't have a "House" League at all or only at 8U, instead they participate in the CCHL. CCHL starts at 10U and is a "House" type of league, but with slightly more structure and competition. Clubs in the CCHL don’t hold tryouts (generally) and don't travel outside of Maryland, Virginia and DC rinks, making it accessible to players of all skill levels. However, roster spots can be limited as most clubs have 1 or maybe two teams only per age group.
At the 16U and 18U levels, CCHL becomes a primary option for players who want to stay in the game without committing to the travel schedules of other leagues or who get pushed out due to 16U CBHL having no B level hockey and only one or two 18u Travel teams per rink. These age groups are typically combined into one team, ensuring older players have a place to continue playing. This age division can be very competitive as there are kids that drop out of Travel at 16U and 18u due to Highschool commitments or doing another sport.
A common set of questions I get about 16/18U is:
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- Is there checking: Yes, although it is frowned upon and discouraged for 15 year old's to get checked by 17/18 year old's. More of an unwritten rule that 18U players need to be mindful of.
- How many 18U players are there: There are usually a few 17 year olds per team and very few if any 18 year olds. This is due to kids dropping hockey in their Senior year or at 18 they are heading to college and thus not around anymore. It is common in even 18U Travel hockey to have 16U kids playing on 18U teams due to there being a lack of 18U kids.
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You can play in CCHL, House League, and Middle School or Highschool Leagues at the same time.
Chesapeake Bay Hockey League (CBHL) - (B to AA Level)
For players ready to push themselves further, the CBHL offers competitive hockey at the B, A, and AA levels. Clubs in this league hold annual tryouts, which are often highly competitive. It’s important for families to plan ahead, as tryouts for most clubs are scheduled at the same time usually in March or April (yes 4-5 months before the season actually starts in Late August), making it challenging to explore multiple options.
Not all clubs field teams at every level or age group each season—it depends on player turnout and ice time availability. For players in less densely populated areas, some clubs have supplemental tryouts due to lower numbers.
CBHL starts at 10U, there is an 8U group, but it's just House Players playing in Tournaments and Jamboree's in addition to House. At the 16U Age group, there is no B-level hockey anymore and thus all clubs go from having up to 4 teams per age group to up to 3 teams, which causes kids to start dropping out of hockey at 16U (fewer places to play and don't want to go back to house). At 18u many kids are exiting for senior year in high school and/or college so there are even fewer teams to participate (1-2 maybe 3 if the program is big enough).
You can play in CBHL and Middle school or High school Leagues at the same time. You cannot play in CCHL or House and CBHL at the same time.
Triple-A Teams - (AAA)
For the most elite players in the area, there are three AAA programs:
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- Team Maryland (Co-Ed)
- Little Caps (Co-Ed)
- Washington Pride (Girls Only)
- Team Maryland (Co-Ed)
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These programs demand significant commitment but offer exceptional opportunities for skill development and exposure. Each team might have limits on playing in Middle or Highschool leagues.
Middle School Hockey
Middle school hockey is a recreational league often described as “beer league hockey for kids” (minus the beer, of course). Most teams don’t practice, and those that do might only have a session or two before the season starts. Participation can vary wildly, with some teams existing one year and disappearing the next. To field teams, schools often combine their rosters or recruit kids from schools that don't have a team.
8th graders dominate this group due to size, while 6th graders can struggle due to size unless they are really good players. The skill level also varies widely with AAA, AA, A, B and C (house) players all mixing together. This variation can lead to wild things, such as one side having 7 skaters for a game due to tournament weekend, certain players dominating the opposition, wildly lopsided games, etc.
What is great about Middle School is the kids meet other kids that play hockey that go to their school(s) that they normally would not meet at all allowing the forming of new friendships. It's really about meeting other players and playing with friends.
High School Hockey
High school hockey offers similar recreational opportunities to middle school but in a slightly more organized format. Players come from various skill backgrounds, ranging from house to AAA travel programs and even Jr's programs, creating diverse rosters. Some schools have practice and some don't. In the DMV area High School hockey is not a big deal like in some other areas, there are no college scouts coming, most don't have any practices and games can have short benches when kids have other conflicts for their real teams (Travel/CCHL/House). It is also not a school sport in this area, so no varsity jacket or promotions by the school. Seriously, it's not remotely special in anyway whatsoever.
Teams are sometimes traditionally divided into Junior Varsity (JV) and Varsity levels. Not all schools can field both JV and Varsity teams consistently, as turnout can vary from year to year. Some high school teams are also formed by combining multiple schools. Varsity Teams are checking, JV can sometimes be checking if agreed to by the coaches (usually involves not having Sr's or Jr's playing the game). Yes this means if your 14yr old is playing a varsity game, they can get checked by an 18yr old. Yes, I know of and have witnessed more than a few injuries each year from this age disparity.
A couple of programs started to have tryouts back in 2024, which has led to some very weird events such as games with to few people to play, perfectly fine kids that can skate in JV being dropped, older AA Players playing in JV, etc.
Beyond these levels, there are Prep School leagues and Girls Leagues. Often these players will play on multiple teams (ex. Highschool Co-Ed and Girls team), each club and league has different rules on this dual rostering.
In the Spring some high schools join other leagues/combine with others or don't run at all, but this is when 8th graders can play Highschool hockey prior to their 9th Grade start. The main leagues aren't officially run during spring and instead all the games are played at specific rinks. The spring season is NOT representative of the regular season as there are a lot of kids that skip the season altogether or rarely show up due to playing other sports.
Girls-Only Programs
As a coach, it’s exciting to see the growth of girls’ hockey in the area. Girls now have access to CBHL travel teams and high school girls’ leagues, though the number of teams depends on turnout each season. Generally speaking Dual rostering is allowed, so players can participate in both girls-only and co-ed programs if they wish.
Where to Play?
Internal House Programs (All Co-Ed):
| Virginia (as of 2025/2026) | Maryland (as of 2025/2026) |
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CCHL List (All Co-Ed) - (as of 2025/2026):
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Bowie Bruins Baltimore Stars D.C. Titans Easton Ice Hawks Frederick Victory Hagerstown Hammerheads Howard Huskies Junior Black Bears |
Northern Virginia Ice Dogs |
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Special Exceptions:
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CBHL List - (All Co-Ed) - (as of 2025/2026):
Middle School List - (All Co-Ed) - (as of 2024/2025):
All teams play in Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League (NVSHL). If your school doesn’t have a team, you can join any Fairfax team. Arlington does not have individual school teams; instead, two organizations manage combined teams.
Ice Hockey is not an official school sport in Virginia, they are clubs run outside the school as such finding contacts can be difficult. Your best bet is to ask around your hockey program for contacts!
| Alexandria Titans Arlington Admirals Arlington Knights Battlefield Brambleton Briar Woods/Riverside Broad Run/Dulles South Colgan Fauquier Bulldogs Gainesville/Patriot Herndon/Reston Lake Braddock |
Leesburg |
High School
Virginia - (All Co-Ed) (as of 2024/2025):
Many high schools combine with other schools to form teams, and these combinations can change from year to year depending on the league. Ice Hockey is not an official school sport in Virginia, they are clubs run outside the school as such finding contacts can be difficult. Your best bet is to ask around your hockey program for contacts!
In Virginia, there are two main leagues:
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Capitol Scholastic Hockey League (CSHL): This league features Varsity 1 teams, and some programs also field an exhibition-level Varsity 2 team.
- Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League (NVSHL): This league includes both Varsity and Junior Varsity divisions.
The list for teams can vary year to year especially for JV, this is due to changing number of players available to form teams. There is a CSHL JV, but it's known as Varsity 2 and are exhibition games against other CSHL teams.
| CSHL Varsity | NVSHL Varsity | NVSHL Junior Varsity |
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Alexandria City Bishop Ireton Hayfield WT Woodson/Robinson Washington-Liberty West Potomac Colgan FP Hockey Club Lake Braddock/Centreville/Fair West Springfield Woodbridge |
Chantilly/McLean Herndon/South Lakes Langley Madison Oakton Briar Woods Broad Run Dominion/Potomac Falls Independence Riverside Stone Bridge Battlefield Fauquier/Patriot Gainesville John Champe/Lightridge Kettle Run Flint Hill Heritage/Rock Ridge Loudoun Valley/Woodgrove Tuscarora/Loudoun Yorktown |
Battlefield JV Bishop O'Connell JV Independence JV Langley JV Madison JV Yorktown JV |
Maryland - (All Co-Ed, except for MSHL Girls) - (as of 2024/2025):
Many Maryland high schools combine with other schools to form teams, and these combinations can change from year to year. Your best bet is to ask around your hockey program for contacts!
There are three main leagues in the DMV area:
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Maryland Student Hockey League (MSHL): General league for high school teams containing a Varsity and Junior Varsity division. Baltimore Schools are in the MIAA.
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Maryland Student Hockey League Girls (MSHL Girls): Dedicated league for girls' high school teams.
- Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA): A separate league for schools in the Baltimore area. (See the other league list for details.)
| MSHL Varsity | MSHL Junior Varsity | MSHL Girls |
| Arundel/Annapolis/Chessie Broadneck Crofton Dulaney Easton HarCo Kent Island Queen Anne's County Severna Park South River St. Mary's Annapolis Glenelg Howard HS Marriotts Ridge Mt. Hebron River Hill Royals Wolves Carroll County Frederick County Middletown Oakdale Urbana Washington County Bethesda/Chevy Chase DC Stars Montgomery Blair NWQO Richard Montgomery Rockville/Magruder Sherwood Upper Montgomery Walt Whitman Walter Johnson Winston Churchill Varsity Wootton Central MD Charles County Huntingtown La Plata Leonardtown Northern St. Mary's Ryken |
ANA/ARU/CHE Broadneck Harco KI Severna Park South River Glenelg Hammers River Hill BCC Blair DC Stars NWQOSHER RAM RM UML WJ Whitman Churchill Wootton |
Eastern Howard Monocacy Valley Montgomery North Eastern Southern |
Other Leagues:
There are additional leagues for girls' hockey, prep hockey, Catholic hockey, and more throughout the area. The following list provides links to their respective leagues, so you can explore and find more information. Many players participate in these leagues alongside other programs.
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Mid-Atlantic Girls Hockey League (MAGHL)
- Girls League for the DMV area, not all schools have a team.
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Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League (MAPHL)
- As the name applies it's for the Prep Schools of the area.
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Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA)
- This is for the Baltimore Area High Schools that split off from the rest of the MSHL.
- Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC)
Where the rinks are:
I host a rink list on another article: Hockey Rinks in Virginia, Maryland, and DC (DMV)
Last Update: 07/01/2026
