WHY CHOOSE AFHA?

With dozens of hockey organizations in Western Pennsylvania, families often ask: What makes the Arctic Foxes (or “Foxes”, as we are affectionately known) different?

 

For us, it’s simple—we’re more than just a hockey program. The Foxes are a family. While we are one of the region’s largest organizations by enrollment, we work hard to maintain a welcoming, close-knit atmosphere where players, coaches, and families all feel connected. Our Board of Directors is committed to supporting not just great hockey, but great people. Throughout the season, we celebrate the efforts of our players, coaches, seniors, and volunteers with recognition on social media, in newsletters, and on the Foxes Wall at our home rink.

 

Our home, the RMU Island Sports Center on Neville Island, is a state-of-the-art hockey facility just off I-79. It houses the Division I RMU Colonials Men’s and Women’s Hockey teams and features two full-time ice sheets plus a seasonal rink. That’s a total of 3 sheets of ice used during the main season. Families enjoy amenities such as a full-menu café, pro shop (with skate sharpening), video review room, on-site dryland training facilities – all with ample parking. For fun off the ice, the complex also includes a golf dome and miniature golf.

 

The Foxes program offers multiple teams at every age level from 10U through 18U, including both co-ed and all-girls teams. Players are placed on teams that match their skill level, ensuring the right fit for development and competition. Our AA/National Bound teams are led by experienced, professional coaches, while our teams with parent coaches receive both financial and non-financial support from the organization. To complement on-ice instruction, players also have access to specialized training tools like shooter tutors, bumpers, rebounders, stick handlers, and other agility equipment.

 

Consistency matters to families—and to us. Our teams follow a steady, reliable practice schedule all season long. At the 10U, 12U, and 14U levels, players receive 2–3 hours of weekly practice in addition to skill sessions, power skating, and goalie development led by top professionals such as Marianne Watkins and J.S. Aubin.

 

The Arctic Foxes are about more than hockey—we’re about building lasting skills, friendships, and memories in an environment where every player and family feels they belong.