This age has an important place within the development of young players. Children are very capable of implementing feedback and have developed their coordination to be able to execute more complicated motor skills. Although broad motor skill development is still highly recommended at this age, this is the age group where the foundation of all basic skill will be cemented for future purposes.

Children in this age group are in the stage of ‘learn to train’. Talent and early ability at this age are no guarantees for future success. There are many reasons why success might fade over time, one of which is the relative age effect. On the other side there is just as much evidence that talent for some will start to show only at a later age, your so-called late bloomers. For this reason WHA aims to treat all players at this age equal and provide all the players in this age group with equally good coaching. It is WHA’s aim to allow players to grow at their own pace and keep early talent as well as late bloomers engaged in hockey for a lifetime, whilst providing an opportunity to excel when the time is there.