Tuition Policy

The Nashoba Youth Hockey Association, Inc. (NYHA) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. As a non-profit, all members are responsible for complying with the Tuition Policy to ensure program costs are covered and to minimize the risk of non-payment or delinquent tuition fees.

The following Tuition Policy is in effect for the 2025-2026 season, which is scheduled to run from August 2025 through April 2026.

Tuition Overview

The NYHA Board of Directors establishes tuition rates annually. Tuition fees ensure that the association can pay for the costs associated with operating the program, including but not limited to league fees, practice ice, skills clinics, goalie clinics, coaching education, league playdowns/playoffs and administrative costs.  Please see program information on the NYHA website for details on what is included with tuition.

Tuition must be paid in full by September 15, 2025. Players will not be allowed to participate in NYHA activities (practices, skills, games, clinics, etc.) until any outstanding balances have been paid in full. 

When player placement is accepted, tuition payments begin and hold a space for the player on that team. For that reason, we strongly encourage families to read and understand this policy before completing the registration process.

Registration Process

All players must complete an online registration and submit a non-refundable registration fee to NYHA before the first placement evaluation session. Players will not be permitted to participate in their age-level placement session unless both the registration and payment are completed. 

Player placement is determined by the Director of Player Development, Age Level Directors, and Coaches. Players will be assigned to the NYHA team that best matches their age and ability. Please note that roster numbers are also considered when determining team placement. This helps us to minimize the costs associated with registering a team.

Notification of team placement will be delivered by email. To be rostered on a team, players must accept the team assignment “offer” and make a deposit. 

Registration fees are applied to the tuition balance, and the tuition amount stated in the “offer” reflects a deduction for these fees. NYHA offers members the ability to make payments in monthly installments until the due date. Deposits are non-refundable and are meant to hold a position for the player on the active roster.  Non-payment of tuition fees may jeopardize the player’s placement on the assigned team. 

Please be aware that the formation of teams depends on having a sufficient number of registered players. If NYHA determines that there are not enough players to form a team, the Board of Directors may decide not to offer that team for the season. In such cases, NYHA will issue a full refund of any payments made.

Alternate Players

The NYHA Board of Directors will review the use of alternate players annually. Placement of alternate players will be considered only after full-time players have been assigned and will be based on skill level, age, and team availability.

Players seeking alternate status must submit a written request to the NYHA Director of Player Development. Requests will be reviewed during the August meeting of the NYHA Board of Directors. Players can expect notification of the decision after this meeting occurs. The approval of alternate status requests is at the sole discretion of the Director of Player Development and the NYHA Board, and all decisions are final. 

Approved alternate status players will be subject to the following conditions:

• Gameplay is not guaranteed, and alternates may not be eligible for playoff games.
• Full registration and payment must be completed before the player is added to the roster.
• No refunds will be issued at any time for alternate registrations.
• Alternates wishing to transition to full-time status must submit a request to the Director of Player Development. Full-time placement depends on roster size, and players will be billed the full-time tuition rate.

Participation in practices and games is at the discretion of the Head Coach. Alternates are not eligible for NYHA-hosted skills sessions or clinics.

Goalies

The NYHA Board of Directors will review the offering of goalie-only positions annually. Players requesting a goalie-only position must submit a written request to the Director of Player Development. 

If approved, players with Goalie Only status will be subject to the following conditions:

• Eligible to participate in NYHA hosted practices, skills sessions, and goalie clinics. 
• Game participation will be determined at the Head Coach’s discretion and is not guaranteed.  Please be aware that full-time players will at times be given opportunities to play the goalie position. 
• Permitted to “skate out” as non-goalie players on a limited basis (< 25%) and at the discretion of the Head Coach.
• Goalie tuition will be adjusted to sixty percent (60%) of the full-time player tuition.

Girls Hockey - Playing for Multiple teams

Girl’s Hockey players (U10–U19) interested in also joining the COED program should contact the NYHA Treasurer before registering. The COED tuition will be discounted to $750 for those enrolled in both programs. Other programs are not eligible for the multiple-team discount.

Families with Multiple Players

NYHA offers a family discount for those families who have three or more children registered. Families with three registered children will receive a 20% discount to the lowest tuition amount, and families with 4 children registered will receive a 50% discount to the lowest tuition. Families who register 5 or more players are may contact the NYHA Board to discuss further tuition discounts. Discounts do not apply to initiation programs or middle school tuitions.

Initiation Programs

Initiation programs are offered throughout the season. Tuition is due at the time of registration and must be paid in full when submitting the completed online registration.  Tuition fees will be announced before each session and may vary based on the costs of running the program.

Declined, Late, Missed, or Returned Payments

NYHA incurs fees when payments are declined, late, missed, or returned. If you anticipate having difficulty making payments or know that you will not meet a payment deadline, please contact the NYHA Treasurer to discuss your options. NYHA offers a thirty (30) day grace period before late payment fees are applied.

If you have a question or concern about a charge made to your credit or debit card or bank account, members must first contact the NYHA Treasurer in writing to attempt to resolve the issue prior to initiating a dispute resolution with your financial institution. 

Fees will be charged to the player’s account as follows:

Rates and Payment Schedule

Tuition rates will be published on the NYHA website while registration remains open. NYHA offers families the option of making payments in installments. The payment schedule will be as follows:

2025-2026 Payment Schedule

February: Registration fee

April 15: Deposit

May 15: Installment #1

June 15: Installment #2

July 15: Installment #3

August 15: Installment #4

September 15: Installment #5

NYHA receives notification of league fees and ice contracts during the summer before the season starts. For this reason, NYHA reserves the right to increase tuition fees up to 10% in response to higher than anticipated league fees and ice time rentals. Members will be notified of any necessary price increases by August 31^st. 

Refund Policy

The NYHA Board strongly encourages families to read and understand the refund policy before registering their player.

• Registration fees and deposits are non-refundable. 
• Tuition refund requests will only be considered in cases of illness or injury that prohibit the player from participating in the sport of ice hockey for the remainder of the current hockey season. No refund will be granted for any reason other than the aforementioned.
• Requests must include a doctor’s note validating the illness/injury and stating that the player will not be able to return to play for the duration of the season.
• Refund requests must be made in writing to the NYHA Treasurer. 
• The NYHA Board of Directors will review the details, establish a date of withdrawal, and communicate a decision in writing. 
• All decisions are final.

Tuition Assistance

The Nashoba Youth Hockey Association is committed to minimizing the financial obstacles associated with participating in our hockey programs. We have partnered with community members and organizations who help us to support this mission. Tuition Assistance is dependent upon availability of funds and is offered to members on an individual basis in two ways:

• Modified Payment Plan: Applicants and the NYHA Board form a written agreement including a modified payment schedule from the current fee schedule. The player will remain on the active roster if the agreed upon payment plan is followed.
• Tuition Relief: Applicants and the NYHA Board form a written agreement outlining a decreased tuition rate for the season. All applicants must be willing to pay at least twenty percent (20%) of the tuition fee. All requests for tuition assistance will be kept confidential, and you will be notified in writing of the Board’s decision.

Tuition assistance is available to NYHA applicants who are in need due to financial hardship. To make a request, the Tuition Assistance Request Form must be submitted to the NYHA Treasurer before accepting a placement offer. Tuition Assistance Request Forms are held with confidentiality and will not be discussed outside of NYHA Executive Board session. The NYHA Executive Board may request supporting documentation from applicants and will make determinations based on the financial hardship outlined in the application and on the availability of funds. Determinations will be communicated to applicants in writing.