VMHC & Casey Concrete Gift of Hockey Scholarship

The Gift of Hockey Scholarship exists so that no child in the Vail Valley is kept off the ice by the cost of playing. This policy establishes the procedure under which members and prospective members of the Vail Mountaineer Hockey Club who demonstrate financial need may apply for assistance with registration fees.

We strongly encourage families to apply. If cost is the reason your player might not register this season, please submit an application — let the committee decide what is possible. Every application is reviewed in the strictest confidence.

The scholarship fund is supported by Casey Concrete, VMHC fundraising events and tournaments, and the generosity of individual donors and sponsors. Because the fund is finite and demand varies year to year, the total dollars available and the size of individual awards change from season to season. VMHC makes no guarantee that any application will be funded or that a prior award will be repeated.

•     Awards apply to VMHC annual registration fees only.

•     The maximum award is 80% of the player's annual registration fee. Full (100%) awards are not granted.

•     Awards do not cover the Uniform Rental Fee or the Parental Involvement Deposit.

•     Awards are applied as a credit to the family's VMHC account. No funds are disbursed in cash.

•     The portion of registration not covered by the award must be paid, or payment plan agreed on, before the player participates in VMHC activities.

Within the 80% cap, the Scholarship Committee weighs each request against the following factors. There is no fixed formula; the committee's goal is to spread available funds as fairly and as widely as possible.

•     Demonstrated financial need, based on household income and size relative to the requested amount

•     Total funds available and the number of applications received in that round

•     Any unique circumstances described in the application (job loss, medical costs, multiple players in the club, single-income household, and similar)

Families with more than one player enrolled may apply for each player on a single application; one set of tax returns covers the household.

To be considered, an applicant must meet all of the following:

1.    The player is registered, or is registering, with VMHC for the 2026–27 season.

2.    The family's VMHC account is in good standing — no outstanding balance from any prior season, including registration fees, team fees, uniform fees, or event charges. Families with a past-due balance should contact the Treasurer before the deadline; a documented payment plan may satisfy this requirement at the committee's discretion.

3.    The player and family are in good standing with VMHC, CAHA, and USA Hockey.

4.    The family commits to the player participating for the full season.

5.    The family agrees to the additional volunteer commitment described below.

Scholarship recipients earn an additional 10–15 volunteer credits beyond the credits already required of every VMHC family. The exact number is set with the award and scales with the size of the scholarship.

These credits may be earned at club tournaments, fundraisers, the annual golf event, rink and equipment work days, and other functions as directed by the Board of Directors, Fundraising Chair, or Tournament Chair. Credits are tracked by the club and must be completed within the season of the award. Players are also encouraged to give back in age-appropriate ways — helping at Learn to Skate sessions, tournament setup, or locker room cleanup.

Families who are unable to meet the volunteer requirement due to work schedules, health, or other circumstances should say so in the application. The committee will work with you; it is not a reason to skip applying.

Submit the following:

1.    Complete the application form below.

2.    Submit a copy of the household's TWO most recent years of federal tax returns.

Round 2 will be held only if funds remain after Round 1 awards are made. Applying in Round 1 gives your family the best chance of an award and the earliest answer. Applications received after the Round 2 deadline are considered only in cases of genuine hardship arising after that date, at the Board's discretion and subject to available funds.

Financial information submitted to VMHC is reviewed only by the Treasurer and the members of the Scholarship Committee, and is held in the strictest confidence. It is never shared with coaches, team managers, other parents, or any third party. Awards are not announced, and recipients are not identified publicly. Supporting financial documents are destroyed at the close of the season.

VMHC will at all times strive to be reasonable and prudent in its endeavor to disburse scholarship funds fairly and equitably, and will take no action in reviewing an applicant's information that might be deemed detrimental to that applicant.

Contact the VMHC Treasurer at treasurer@vailmountaineers.org. Questions about whether your family would qualify are welcome and are kept as confidential as an application itself.