HOUSE VS TRAVEL HOCKEY
How to pick the right level for your kid. Covers USA Hockey's tier system, what house and travel actually cost, time commitment, and the questions worth asking before signing up.
THE SHORT VERSION
"House" and "travel" are the two main paths in USA Hockey. House is recreational — no tryouts, teams are drafted locally, kids play against other teams in the same association or town, and the schedule is gentle. Travel is competitive — tryouts determine placement, the team plays in leagues and tournaments outside the home association, and the schedule is intense.
Neither is "better." They serve different goals. The right choice depends on your kid, your family, and what you want out of the sport. The rest of this guide walks through the system, the costs, the time, and how to think about it.
THE USA HOCKEY TIER SYSTEM
USA Hockey (the national governing body) organizes youth hockey into age divisions and four skill tiers. The terms "house" and "travel" don't appear in the official tier names, but they're how parents and coaches actually talk about the system.
The four tiers
Tier 1
AAA
Highest level. National tournaments, top development pipelines. Tryouts required. Often out-of-state players.
Tier 2
AA / A
Competitive. District-bounded tryouts (most players must live in the association's district). Strong development path.
Tier 3
B / A (lower)
Lower competitive level. Tryouts in many associations, but skill range is wider. Sometimes called "select" or "B".
House / Rec
Developmental
No tryouts. Teams formed by draft. Everyone plays. Local games only. The default starting point for most kids.
"Travel" is the umbrella term for anything above house. If a coach says "travel hockey," they could mean anything from B-level all the way up to AAA. The cost and time commitment scale with the tier.
AGE DIVISIONS
USA Hockey moved to numbered age divisions (8U, 10U, 12U, etc.) in 2016, but most people still use the old names (Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget). Both refer to the same age groups.
6U / 8U
Mini Mite / Mite
Ages 5-8
10U
Squirt
Ages 9-10
12U
Peewee
Ages 11-12
14U
Bantam
Ages 13-14
16U
Midget Minor
Ages 15-16
18U
Midget Major
Ages 17-18
Body checking: Not allowed at 12U and below. Legal at 14U and up at competitive tiers. Most associations run 12U as non-contact regardless of tier.
HOUSE VS TRAVEL: SIDE BY SIDE
Factor
House
Travel
Tryouts
No
Yes
Season cost
$300 – $1,500
$3,000 – $10,000+
Practices per week
1 – 2
3 – 5
Games per season
15 – 25
30 – 60+ (plus tournaments)
Travel required
Local
Regional + tournaments
Time commitment
3 – 5 hrs/week
10 – 20 hrs/week
Coach focus
Fun + development
Development + competition
Body checking
No
At 14U and up
Best for
New players, casual players, kids with other commitments
Committed players, kids aiming for high school/junior hockey
HOW TO DECIDE
There's no universal right answer. These are the questions worth sitting with as a family:
Is your kid asking to play more?
If yes — that's the signal. Travel is for kids who want more hockey. If your kid is happy with the current schedule, house is a great fit.
What does your family schedule look like?
Travel at 10U is typically 3-4 practices a week plus 1-2 games plus 3-5 tournaments. That's most weekends from September to March. If you have other kids in other activities, or you value family weekends, house is gentler.
What's your realistic budget?
Be honest. Travel at $5,000-$8,000 a year is a real line item. If a tournament-heavy year would strain the family, house or in-town rec is the better answer.
What are your kid's goals?
If they dream of high school varsity, junior hockey, or college hockey, the development path goes through travel. If they love the sport and want to play for life — including as an adult — house and rec can get them there too.
What does the local association offer?
Some associations have strong house programs and weak travel. Others are the reverse. A great house program is often better than a struggling AAA team. Visit practices, talk to other parents.
A note on pressure: Youth hockey has a culture where travel is treated as the "serious" path and house is treated as a way-station. That framing is backwards. Most NHL players touched a puck before they were five and had fun with it for years before anyone talked to them about tryouts. The kids who burn out at 13 are almost always the ones who were pushed into competitive hockey before they were ready. Let your kid lead.
A NOTE FOR CANADIAN FAMILIES
Hockey Canada uses a parallel structure but with different terminology. "House" in Canada is the same recreational tier. "Rep" (short for "representative") is the equivalent of travel, and tiers run from A through AAA. The age groups also use old names: Novice (7-8), Atom (9-10), Peewee (11-12), Bantam (13-14), Midget (15-17), Juvenile (18-19). Hockey Canada runs a parallel development framework called LTPD (Long-Term Player Development) that's similar in spirit to USA Hockey's ADM.
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