Ice Dogs CSDHL Travel Hockey

The Ice Dogs Hockey Association is a Tier II youth hockey club based out of Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills, Illinois. We welcome new and returning families to the 2026-27 Fall Travel Hockey season as we continue our commitment to providing a complete youth hockey experience built on healthy development and a strong club culture.

Our club is for families who value:

• Long-term growth over short-term labels
• Coaches who teach and mentor
• Smaller rosters and meaningful opportunities to grow
• Character development alongside skill development
• Team-first culture
• Multi-sport participation
• Family time and life balance
• Players who continue to love the game of hockey years from now

The Ice Dogs Way isn't a destination. It isn't a standard we claim to have fully achieved. It’s the culture we continuously pursue as a club.

The Ice Dogs Way is a growth mindset that shapes how we coach, compete, and support one another.

The Ice Dogs Way is about showing up every day, with every team, for every season, with a commitment to doing the hard things, doing them with full effort, and doing them while demonstrating respect for all.

The Ice Dogs Way teaches our players to always:

Represent our club with pride and integrity.

Play with class and respect everyone.

Compete with fire in your heart and mind.

Embrace adversity and continuous improvement.

Lead by example.

Put the team above self and elevate those around you.

FALL SEASON | TEAM DEVELOPMENT & COMPETITION

SPRING SEASON | SKILL DEVELOPMENT & CONFIDENCE

SUMMER DEVELOPMENT | ATHLETIC GROWTH & PREPARATION

We understand every family's hockey journey is different and that players develop at different speeds. Youth hockey is not a race. Early labels and rankings don't define long-term potential. We think beyond each season.

That’s why our year-round development approach balances competition, skill development, and long-term athletic growth.

May 22 Fall Registration Opens

August 17-23 Pre-Season Training Camp

August 23 Ice Dogs Kick-Off BBQ

August 24-25 CSDHL Major/Minor Tryouts

August 26-31 CSDHL Prospects Tryouts

First Week of September Team Practices Begin

September 18 CSDHL Regular Season Begins

September TBD Ice Dogs Golf Outing

November 14 Big Dog Bash

Support Local Youth Hockey. Build Your Brand. Make a Difference.

The Ice Dogs Hockey Association is seeking community partners who want to invest in the next generation of athletes while gaining valuable exposure to hundreds of local families throughout the season.

As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, sponsorship contributions may be tax-deductible. More importantly, your support helps provide quality coaching, player development opportunities, equipment, and memorable experiences for young athletes in our community.

Why Sponsor the Ice Dogs?

• Support youth development, teamwork, and leadership
• Help keep hockey accessible and affordable for local families
• Gain visibility through events, social media, team communications, apparel, and community initiatives
• Connect your business with a trusted, family-focused organization

Whether you're looking to sponsor a team, event, tournament, fundraiser, or become a season-long partner, we'd love to discuss opportunities that fit your goals.

Join the Ice Dogs family and make an impact both on and off the ice.

Contact us today to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

CSDHL DIVISIONS

The Central States Developmental Hockey League (CSDHL) organizes teams into three divisions:

• Major Division: Typically consists of older players within a level (e.g., squirt, peewee, etc.)
• Minor Division: Typically consists of younger players within a level
• Prospects Division: All other teams within a level that are not in the Major/Minor Division

CSDHL TEAM PLACEMENT PROCESS

Minor and Major Divisions: CSDHL currently requires an application process for placement of any team into major/minor CSDHL divisions. This process happens in the spring prior to the upcoming fall hockey season. 

Prospects Divisions and Tiers: All other teams not competing in the CSDHL Minor/Major Division compete in the CSDHL Prospects Division. Within the Prospects Division there are three separate levels (RED, WHITE, and BLUE) with each level contains three possible tiers (Tier 1, 2, and 3). 

The IDHA Board and Glacier Hockey Office submit a recommended placement for each IDHA team’s prospect level placement (e.g., IDHA Squirt AA will compete in Prospects RED Division, Tier 1). These recommendations determine the Division and Tier each of our IDHA teams will compete at during the 8 game seeding round. At the conclusion of the seeding games, CSDHL will make necessary adjustments for the most competitive seasons as possible within the various Prospects Divisions and Tiers.

Coaching matters. Not just what is taught, but how it’s taught. Our dedicated Ice Dogs coaching staff creates an environment where players are challenged, supported, and encouraged to grow both on and off the ice.

Ice Dogs Head Coach Lineup

Doug Placko

Jake Pfeiffer

Geoff Shewmake

Jess Verne

Cam Schneider

Cole Schneider

PJ Eberhardt

Michael Goldfine

Jason Wright

Aidan Vettraino

Ralph Menotti

John Harris

Trevor Harris

Anthony Lagori

Matteo Menotti

Roger Holeczy

Ian Sheppard

Chad Himley

Ice Dogs coaches take a team-based approach to tryouts, ensuring that player selection is thoughtful, well-rounded, and based on a wide range of insight and experience. To maximize development opportunities for each player, we strive to offer smaller roster sizes. Final roster sizes are contingent on registration numbers and are part of the overall team evaluation process.

Our goal is to place every player in an environment where they can thrive alongside their teammates.

PRE-SEASON TRAINING CAMP

August 17-23, 2026

TRYOUTS

August 24-25, 2026 CSDHL Major/Minor Tryouts

August 26-31, 2026 CSDHL Prospects Tryouts

Mandatory Uniform Requirements

• Navy Blue Gloves or Custom Ice Dogs Gloves
• Navy Blue Hockey Pants
• Navy Blue Hockey Helmet
• Neck Guard

The Ice Dogs uniform package costs $350 and includes premium custom gear designed to inspire pride throughout the club:

• Home and Away sublimated game jerseys
• Custom game socks
• Custom embroidered warm-up jacket and pants
• Custom hockey bag
• Custom shells
• Puck Cancer jersey

All new players are required to purchase a custom Ice Dogs uniform kit. Returning players may purchase replacement items, as needed.

Returning players are expected to have a complete and presentable Ice Dogs uniform for the upcoming season. Families are responsible for purchasing any replacement uniform items their player may need.

All players will receive the following items as part of their annual registration:

• Home game socks
• Away game socks
• Puck Cancer jersey

All other uniform components, including jerseys, shells, warmups, and replacement apparel, must be purchased separately if needed.

Please note: Replacement items requested after registration closes will be subject to inventory availability and production timelines. Ice Dogs uniform components may not be purchased or sourced independently, as all players are required to wear official club-issued uniforms and apparel to maintain a consistent team appearance and branding standard throughout the organization.

We strongly encourage families to review all uniform items before registering and order any needed replacements during the registration process to ensure availability prior to the start of the season.

For the 2026-27 Fall Travel Hockey season, all Ice Dogs teams receive:

• 3 on-ice practices per week
• Off-ice training every other week
• Access to supplemental off-ice training
• CSDHL season, playoffs, and state tournament games
• Smaller roster sizes
• Experienced coaching staff
• Practice jerseys