Amateur Hockey Association Illinois

What Amateur Hockey Association Illinois does

Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI) is a private nonprofit organization operating as the official Illinois Affiliate of USA Hockey, the national governing body for amateur hockey in the United States. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois, AHAI provides statewide governance, oversight, and resources for amateur hockey across Illinois, serving approximately 15,000 registered players, 1,000+ teams, and 213 member organizations each season. The organization operates under the leadership of a Board of Directors with President Melissa Surrette (the first female president, named May 30, 2026) and a layered committee structure spanning Tier I (AAA elite), Tier II (community-based travel), Tier III (recreational/house), Girls, High School, and Disabled hockey programs.

Name

Amateur Hockey Association Illinois

Legal name

Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois

Website

https://ahai.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

AHAI governs amateur hockey in Illinois as the official USA Hockey state affiliate, overseeing 213 member organizations, 15,000+ players, and 1,000+ teams across Tier I, II, and III youth, girls, high school, and disabled hockey programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Amateur Hockey Governance

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAFAJ

Anti-Doping & Integrity Bodies (WADA, match-fixing/integrity units)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Rights Holders & Governing Bodies (Federations, Associations, Sanctioning Bodies)

SECONDARYMPAKAAAE

Ice Hockey Leagues

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Professional Sports Leagues (Domestic & International)

Keywords

• Amateur hockey governance
• Youth hockey programs
• Hockey tournament management
• Coaching certification
• Ice hockey officials

Headquarters

HQ city

Bensenville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AHAI is the official Illinois Affiliate of USA Hockey, governing amateur ice hockey statewide for 213 member organizations, 15,000+ players, and 1,000+ teams. It administers tier-based youth hockey (Tier I, II, III), girls, high school, disabled, and adult hockey programs, and delivers coaching certification, officials' training, tournament hosting, and centralized player/team registration. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois, the organization serves as the sanctioned authority for organized amateur hockey across Illinois.

Product overview

AHAI (Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois) is the official Illinois Affiliate of USA Hockey, operating as a membership organization that oversees amateur hockey across Illinois. The organization does not offer a single software product but rather a comprehensive suite of programs and services including: youth hockey at three competitive tiers (Tier I/AAA elite, Tier II/community-based travel, Tier III/recreational), girls hockey programs, high school hockey leagues (SHL, IHSHL, Illinois West, CCHL, Lincoln Land, Metro Girls), disabled hockey (sled, special, amputee, deaf, blind, warrior), introductory programs (Little Blackhawks, Try Hockey for Free), player development pathways, the ADM development model, state championship tournaments, coaching certification support, Safe Sport compliance, officials training through IHOA, and member organization services (registration, background screening, safety protocols). The organization serves over 15,000 players, 1,000+ teams, and 213 member organizations across Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Hockey Program (Tier I, Tier II, Tier III)

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USA HockeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHAI is the official Illinois Affiliate of USA Hockey, the national governing body for amateur hockey. This affiliation connects Illinois players, coaches, officials, and clubs to the larger framework that governs the game across the country, ensuring consistency, fairness, and alignment with national standards for development and player safety.
• Central District (USA Hockey)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional governing body under USA Hockey overseeing amateur hockey operations across multiple states.
• Chicago Warriors HockeyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeteran sled hockey program serving military veterans with 10% disability or greater; provides recreational and therapeutic hockey experience.
• Chicago Storm Special HockeyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial hockey program for children and adults with developmental disabilities including Autism and Down syndrome; ages 5-55.
• Chicago Blind HockeyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram for blind or visually impaired players of all ages and skill levels; organized since 2015 with focus on 'Hockey is For Everyone'.
• Chicago Hornets Sled HockeyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSled hockey program for players ages 5-35; practices at Mt. Prospect Ice Arena and plays against able-bodied teams.
• Central Illinois Sled Hockey Association (CISHA Thunder)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth sled hockey team with players ages 4-18; practices weekly with scrimmage games throughout season.
• GLASA Sled HockeyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Falcons Hockey Association with competitive and recreational sled hockey teams.
• Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (Chicago Sled Hockey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree sled hockey program since 1999; sponsored by Shirley Ryan AbilityLab; features competitive team in Midwest Sled Hockey League and developmental team in Heartland Sled Hockey League.
• AHIHA (American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeaf hockey program with annual summer camp at Seven Bridges Ice Arena for players with hearing impairments of 50% or greater; in existence for close to 40 years.
• Illinois Hockey Officials Association (IHOA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHAI's designated organization for registering, training, and evaluating hockey officials; mission to improve quality of officiating, ensure consistent rule interpretation, and uphold conduct standards.
• Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirls Tier II hockey league providing dedicated girls hockey league in Illinois; exceeded expectations in first year (2025-26); assumed responsibility for girls tier II hockey.
• Central States Development Hockey League (CSDHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary league for Tier II boys hockey in Illinois; offers divisions, levels and tiers to adapt to variety of teams.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• USA Hockey: The national governing body for amateur hockey in the United States and AHAI's parent organization. Directly comparable as a federation/affiliate network coordinator, though USA Hockey operates nationally and across all 34 affiliates versus AHAI's single-state scope.

Direct peers

• Minnesota Hockey: USA Hockey affiliate for Minnesota, one of the largest state hockey associations by registered player count. Operates the same governance, registration, and state championship structure as AHAI, making it the closest functional peer in terms of organizational mission and program breadth.
• Massachusetts Hockey: USA Hockey affiliate for Massachusetts governing amateur hockey in the state. Direct peer in offering tiered youth programs, tournaments, and coach/official certification through the same affiliate framework as AHAI.
• Michigan Amateur Hockey Association: USA Hockey affiliate for Michigan, providing the same amateur hockey governance, league structure, and tournament organization as AHAI. Operates in a major hockey market with comparable member organization scale.
• Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association: USA Hockey affiliate for Wisconsin offering parallel affiliate governance, tiered youth development, and state championship pathways. Adjacent Midwestern hockey state with similar program structure to AHAI.
• New York Amateur Hockey Association: USA Hockey affiliate for New York, governing amateur hockey across a large state with tiered youth programs and tournaments. Direct peer in mission and structure, though operating at greater geographic scale than AHAI.
• Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association: USA Hockey affiliate covering the Pacific Northwest region. Comparable as a multi-state affiliate providing amateur hockey governance, tournaments, and registration services through the same affiliate framework as AHAI.
• Colorado Amateur Hockey Association: USA Hockey affiliate for Colorado overseeing amateur hockey operations, state tournaments, and tiered youth programs. Operates with the same affiliate governance structure and similar competitive landscape as AHAI.
• Mid-Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association: USA Hockey affiliate for the Mid-Atlantic region, providing amateur hockey governance, registration, and tournament organization comparable to AHAI's role in Illinois.

Others

• Illinois Ice Arena Operators Association: An adjacent industry organization serving ice rink operators, who are AHAI's primary venue partners for Tier I/II/III programs. Indirectly comparable as a stakeholder in the Illinois hockey ecosystem that AHAI depends on for program delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AHAI_1
• Facebookfacebook.com/AHAIHOCKEY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amateur-hockey-association-illinois-ahai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Amateur Hockey Association Illinois