Denver Women's Hockey League

The Denver Women’s Hockey League (DWHL) is a welcoming, all-levels adult ice hockey league in Colorado, dedicated to helping women learn, play, and grow in the sport—whether you're new to the game or returning to the ice.

How do I join a team?

At the beginning of each season players register and provide their skill level and experience. The DWHL board then decides which division each player belongs in and drafts teams of 10-13 skaters and a goalie for each team. The exact level of play of each division does vary slightly from season to season depending on how registers. Please see the Division Descriptions page for more details on the skill level of each division.

Depending on the season, Advanced players will have the opportunity to submit a Pod of 5-7 players they want to play with and then the DWHL Board will match pods together to build teams. Goalies are both welcomed & encouraged in your pod of 5-7 players. However, a goalie is NOT REQUIRED to be in your pod. If you do not have a pod you will still be drafted to a team.

Do I need to have a current USA Hockey Membership to play?

Yes, DWHL requires registered players, coaches, and refs to have a current USA Hockey Membership before stepping foot on the ice. You have to renew your membership annually. To register for a USA Hockey Membership please visit, the USA Hockey Website.

What happens if I cannot make a game? Do I need to find a sub?

The DWHL Board is responsible for assigning registered subs to teams. In other words, you cannot invite another player to unofficially replace you should you have to miss a game.

Do I need to have my own gear?

Owning your own gear is not a requirement to play in DWHL. We have gear that we allow members to borrow for the season. We do ask that you purchase your own helmet and return the gear at the end of the season. If you find that you love hockey, as we are sure you will, and want to continue playing we can allow members to borrow gear for an additional season while they work on purchasing their own.

Why are ice times so late?

We are competing for ice with youth leagues, other adult leagues, figure skating clubs and public skates. From September into March, youth hockey is in full swing and takes all the ice slots available until 9pm or later. This means that we have to play later. Many adult leagues have experienced a growth spurt, just like us, so slots continue to become more and more limited.

The DWHL Board does their best to balance days of the week and start times for all teams throughout the season. However, an exact split of “early” ice times games on the different days of the week is not guaranteed. There are many factors that go into building out the season schedule. Please keep the ice times in mind when registering as DWHL has a NO REFUND policy.