Boys Player Development
The player development program in Illinois is part of a larger national process with USA Hockey to identify and develop players for national programs. USA Hockey is the governing body for the sport in the United States and divides the country into 12 geographic districts. Illinois is part of the Central District along with Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI) is USA Hockey’s sanctioned affiliate and helps facilitate the player development program in Illinois. For more information, visit the USA Hockey website or the AHAI website.
The AHAI 2025 Player Development Process
The 2026 AHAI Player Development and Identification Tryout Camp will take place April 10–12, 2026, in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. Participation is by invitation only.
Eligibility
Players must meet all of the following:
- Birth years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
- Levels: Tier I, Tier II, Prep, High School
Invitations
Tier I players: All Illinois residents playing in-state are automatically invited.
Illinois players outside the state: Considered with a written recommendation from their head coach to playerdevelopment@ahai.org.
Tier II and High School players: Considered with a recommendation from their hockey director or head coach to the same email address.
Registration
Opens: March 9, 2026
Closes: March 20, 2026
Process: All players are reviewed by birth year and placed on camp teams through an impartial selection process.
Roster spots: Each birth year includes 60 forwards, 36 defensemen, and 12 goalies. Openings are filled from eligible players not initially selected.
Evaluation
Players are judged on:
- The body of work that earned their invitation
- On-ice skills and effort during camp
Camp Structure and Advancement
- 2012 Birth year
- Play 3 games at camp
- Selected players advance to the Central District High Performance 14 Camp from June 14–19, 2026, at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa
- 2009–2011 Birth years
- Play 3 games at camp
- After Saturday: 20 forwards, 12 defensemen, and 4 goalies return for Sunday’s final game
- Following Sunday: Selected players advance to the Central District High Performance Festival from May 8–10, 2026, at Arctic Ice Arena in Orland Park, Illinois
National Select Camps
From the Central District Festival, players in the 2009–2011 birth years may be chosen to represent the Central District and Illinois at the USA Hockey National Player Development Select 15, 16, and 17 Camps.
Questions? Please contact: