Junior Gold

Junior Gold provides high-school-aged players the opportunity to continue playing competitive hockey through New Prague Hockey Association. The program is designed for players who want to continue developing, competing, and being part of a team beyond the traditional youth levels.

Junior Gold teams participate under Minnesota Hockey, District 6, and NPHA rules and requirements. Because Junior Gold registration and team formation often depend on high school hockey participation, final team numbers and roster structure may not be known until later in the fall.

We are looking for individuals interested in helping make this season a great experience for our Junior Gold players.

If you would like to be considered for an Assistant Coach position, please submit a coaching application. We are also accepting applications for Junior Gold Team Managers.

Even if you have helped in the past, please submit an application for the upcoming season so we know you are interested.

Junior Gold registration remains open later than our youth-level registration because team numbers often cannot be finalized until after high school tryouts.

Junior Gold registrations are not subject to NPHA's late registration fee.

If you know you intend to play Junior Gold, we still encourage you to register as soon as you are able. Earlier registrations help us plan for coaches, ice, tournaments, and team formation.

NPHA will offer a Junior Gold Preseason Clinic prior to tryouts to give players an opportunity to get back on the ice and prepare for the upcoming season.

Dates, times, registration information, and additional clinic details will be announced soon. Once finalized, all information will be added directly to this Junior Gold page.

Following tryouts and final roster selection, every rostered Junior Gold player will receive a team sweatshirt as part of their season.

The sweatshirt order will be submitted as soon as rosters are finalized. Please keep in mind that vendor production and delivery times can vary, with an anticipated turnaround of approximately 3–6 weeks after the order is submitted.

We know players are excited to receive their team gear, and we will distribute sweatshirts as soon as they arrive.

Families whose only NPHA player is a Junior Gold player are required to complete:

11 volunteer hours per season — all 11 hours must be completed in the concession stand.

If your family has both a Junior Gold player and a youth-level player, the standard family requirement applies:

22 total volunteer hours, with at least 11 completed in concessions.

Approved Board, Coordinator, Coach, and Team Manager positions may include volunteer-hour credit according to NPHA policy.

The NPHA Raffle Calendar is a mandatory fundraiser.

For Junior Gold-only families:

10 raffle calendars — $200 total

Families are financially responsible for all assigned calendars.

For families with both an Upper Level player and a Junior Gold player:

25 raffle calendars — $500 total

All raffle calendars and payments are due January 24, 2027.

Calendar payments must be submitted by cash or check at calendar turn-in. Credit card payments will not be accepted.

Junior Gold families are required to participate in NPHA's annual Season Fundraiser. Families must meet the applicable fundraising requirement or complete the corresponding buyout/crowdfunding requirement.

Because Junior Gold teams are often finalized later than other NPHA teams, we understand that some players may not be registered before the traditional fundraiser begins. If you know you plan to participate in Junior Gold but have not yet registered, please contact communicationsdirector@newpraguehockey.com for information on participating in the fundraiser.

NPHA also offers a crowdfunding option for families who prefer not to participate in traditional item sales, as well as Junior Gold families who register after the traditional fundraiser turn-in deadline.

Fundraising Requirements:

Single-player family: $700 in product sales OR $350 buyout/crowdfunding

Multi-player family: $900 in product sales OR $450 buyout/crowdfunding

This allows Junior Gold families to fulfill their fundraising obligation even when their registration timeline falls later in the season.

Junior Gold provides players with the opportunity to continue competing, developing, and being part of a team while representing New Prague Hockey Association. While Junior Gold players are similar in age to high school hockey players, Junior Gold and New Prague High School Hockey are separate programs and operate independently of one another.

The high school hockey program is supported by its Blue Line Club, which raises additional funds to provide opportunities, events, apparel, meals, activities, and other team enhancements beyond what is provided through the school program. Because Junior Gold operates through NPHA and does not receive funding from the Blue Line Club, families should not expect the two programs to provide identical experiences or additional benefits.

NPHA provides the core Junior Gold hockey experience, including coaching, ice time, league participation, games, practices, tournaments, and other program necessities.

Junior Gold families are absolutely welcome to build upon that experience. Just as Blue Line Club families raise additional funds to support their high school teams, Junior Gold families may choose to work together to raise or contribute additional team funds for approved extras they would like to provide during the season.

Our goal is for families to understand the distinction between the programs while giving each Junior Gold team the flexibility to create a positive and memorable experience for its players.

Because Junior Gold teams are formed after high school tryouts, early registration numbers do not always give NPHA an accurate picture of how many players may participate. The Commitment Form helps us plan ahead for potential team numbers, coaches, ice time, tournaments, and other season needs.

We ask every potential Junior Gold player to complete the Commitment Form — even if your answer is NO and you do not plan to participate.

Knowing who is not planning to play is just as helpful as knowing who is. Every response helps us tremendously by allowing us to work from realistic numbers rather than projections or assumptions.

The Commitment Form is not registration and does not guarantee a roster position. It is simply a planning tool that helps NPHA and our Junior Gold coaching staff prepare for the upcoming season and communicate more effectively with families.

YES, MAYBE, OR NO — please complete the form. Every response matters.

The New Prague Hockey Association welcomes eligible players to participate in our Junior Gold program. All Junior Gold players will participate in tryouts, and final team selections will be made by the Junior Gold Head Coach based on player evaluation and the needs of the team.

Tryouts may evaluate factors including skating ability, hockey skills, positional play, compete level, effort, decision-making, teamwork, and overall team composition.

NPHA welcomes both players who have previously participated in the New Prague Hockey Association and eligible players joining the Association from outside programs.

If the number of players exceeds available roster positions and cuts are necessary, player ability and team needs will remain the primary considerations. When players are evaluated at a similar skill level and a roster decision must be made between otherwise comparable players, priority will be given to the player who previously participated in the NPHA youth hockey program.

This approach allows NPHA to field competitive Junior Gold teams while recognizing the long-term commitment of players who have developed within the New Prague Hockey Association.

All players must meet applicable USA Hockey, Minnesota Hockey, District 6, and NPHA eligibility requirements to participate.