ARLINGTON, Va. – Registration is now open for the fall season of the Capitals Street Hockey League (CSHL) presented by GEICO. Launched in Dec. 2025 as part of the organization’s Street Caps platform, the co-ed league is open to the public and allows kids ages 5-12 the chance to put their skills to the test in a fun, low-stress environment. No prior hockey experience or gear is required to participate.
Consisting of two divisions – 8U (ages 5-8) and 12U (ages 9-12) – the CSHL will play its games at Francis C. Hammond Middle School (Alexandria, Va.) and Watkins Elementary School (Washington, D.C.) from September-November 2026. All divisions will play on the same day at the selected locations, with each team playing two games per weekend for a total of 16 games played during the season. Additionally, each division will have a designated practice day for the week. Families can only register for one of the two locations since practices fall on the same day at both locations.
Click here to register for the league. The Capitals are offering an early bird special, where those who register within the first seven days receive $10 off. The price to participate varies by location, and registration includes a T-shirt. Participants can also purchase sticks through the league.
In addition to supporting the game at the NHL level, GEICO also opens doors at the grassroots level, giving kids an affordable way to explore hockey for the first time through the CSHL and the Street Caps Learn to Play program, which brings free street hockey clinics to kids ages 5-14 across the Washington, D.C. area. As a supporter of Street Caps, GEICO reinforces its commitment to growing hockey fans in the community and from the ground up, helping remove traditional barriers to entry and creating both the initial spark and a sustained way for kids and families to connect with the sport. Through this program, GEICO helps create transformative experiences that give young players and their families the opportunity to become lifelong fans of the game.
The Capitals offer more than 30 ways to play hockey through on- and off-ice programming for participants age four and above, and nearly 30,000 individuals have participated in a Caps Youth Hockey event since 2018. To date, the Capitals have refurbished or built 14 outdoor street/inline hockey rinks across Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia to further encourage participation in hockey.
According to USA Hockey, there has been significant growth in hockey participation in the Washington, D.C., area since Alex Ovechkin was drafted. The total number of USA Hockey-registered youth and adult players in D.C. has climbed by more than 220 percent from 2005-06 through 2025-26. The total number of USA Hockey-registered girls and women players across D.C., Maryland and Virginia has also increased by 225 percent over that period. Additionally, the Southeastern District (comprised of D.C., Maryland and Virginia, as well as nine other states) ranked No. 1 in registration for the 2025-26 season.
The CSHL falls under the Capitals’ Street Caps programming umbrella, which encompasses Street Caps After School, Street Caps Learn to Play presented by GEICO and Street Caps Baltimore Street Hockey Tournament presented by Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The programming is focused on providing pathways for kids to participate in street hockey. To learn more about Street Caps, visit CapsYouthHockey.com/StreetCaps.
The CSHL is also supported by the Industry Growth Fund (IGF), which was established in 2013 by the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association and is supported by the NHL’s 32 Clubs. The IGF supports and accelerates NHL and Club business initiatives that promote long-term fan development, increase participation at all levels of hockey with an emphasis on youth, and build hockey awareness and avidity in local Club markets and across the United States and Canada. Since its inception, the IGF has dedicated more than $240 million to programming, initiatives, events and education that reach diverse audiences, create unique hockey opportunities for players and fans, and bring hockey to communities across North America.
