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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer 

PELHAM – Youth hockey enthusiasts will soon have a new outlet to exercise their love for the game when Pelham launches its new NHL Street program this June.

Organized by Pelham Parks and Recreation, the city’s new street hockey program seeks to provide a new fast-paced sports program that will fill the gap left by the regular ice hockey offseason.

“NHL Street Hockey was designed to grow the game of hockey in our communities while providing a safer and affordable avenue,” read an announcement from Pelham Parks and Recreation.

Without the ice, Pelham’s new NHL Street program is set to begin with a Learn-To-Play program that will introduce children to the rules and strategies of the game.

That program will then lead into a summer league of play that will run from June 25 until Aug. 8.

“We are excited to bring this new sport to Pelham and hope you join us,” the announcement read.

Starting on May 21, the Learn-To-Play program will take place on Tuesdays and will run for four weeks, with the last class taking place on June 11. The program will be held at the Pelham Recreation Center at 2020 Pelham Park Boulevard from 6-7:30 p.m. each night.

Program participants must be between the ages of 6-12 years old with a determining date of Aug. 31, 2024.

Registration costs for the Learn-To-Play program will be $15 for each child and needed equipment for involvement will be provided each day. Program spots, while still available, are limited and parents interested in registering their children are encouraged to do so quickly to ensure a spot is still available.

Registration for the Learn-To-Play program will be open until May 20 and can be found at Pelhamrec.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=969.

For the regular season, the cost for registration will run at $65 per player with the cut-off for registrations being June 12, or until all spots are filled.

Season games and practices will be held during the week and played in-house at the Pelham Recreation Center. As currently organized, the summer league will play twice per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the season.

The 2024 summer league teams will be broken up into 7U, 9U and 12U age divisions. Registration links can be found at Pelhamrec.recdesk.com/Community/Program.

Those interested in learning more about the program are encouraged to email Jared Thornton at jthornton@pelhamalabama.gov.