By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

PELHAM—Are you a hockey fan hoping to learn to play the sport, or a new player looking to polish your skills? The Pelham Hockey Development Academy’s Adult Learn to Play Hockey program is for you.

The six-week program is designed to introduce adults to hockey, from learning the basic concepts to developing specific sport-related skills, such as stick handling and shooting, Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena Hockey Director Randy Murphy said.

“It will vary depending on skill level,” Murphy said, noting program coaches are certified to teach everything from basic skating to technical skills. “We want to teach them the skills needed to play hockey.”

The program will begin Jan. 14 and continue through Feb. 18 at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena. The program costs $100 per person. Adults 18 and older can register by calling the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena at 621-2639.

Modeled after the youth Learn to Play Hockey program, the adult course is designed to be a feeder to Pelham’s adult hockey league.

The adult league features two levels, silver and bronze, with four teams at each level. Each of the season’s 18 games is officiated by a USA Hockey trained and certified referee, and all of the league’s roughly 140 players are registered with USA Hockey.

“(USA Hockey) is the top governing body of youth and adult hockey in the country,” Murphy said.

Additionally, players can track individual and team stats throughout the season at Bahahockey.com, a new feature this season.

Murphy said he plans to introduce a summer hockey league and hopes to see the adult hockey program continue to grow.

“My goal is not just to say, ‘Here’s a hockey league,’” Murphy said, explaining the association with USA Hockey, stat tracking and trained referees make Pelham’s league stand out. “It is a competitive league, we’re quite proud of it.”