Heading into the 2026–27 season, the Cougars will field 17 teams and 255 players, with growth particularly evident at the youngest levels. The organization has expanded to three teams at 14U, while its Mite program now includes one 6U and three 8U teams.

But one group at the opposite end of the developmental pathway may tell the Chester County story even better.

The Cougars’ 18U AA team features a core of players who have been together at CCSC since 8U.

From Mites to Midgets.

From learning the game to competing for championships.

That’s what a hockey pathway is supposed to look like.

And after capturing the 18U AA DVHL Championship last season, that group enters 2026–27 with an opportunity to finish its youth hockey journey together.

17 Teams. One Club.

Chester County enters the season with depth across virtually every age group:

6U — 1 team
8U — 3 teams
10U — 3 teams
12U — 3 teams
14U — 3 teams
16U — 2 teams
18U — 2 teams

In total, 255 players will wear the Cougars colors this season.

The growth at 6U and 8U is particularly encouraging for the organization’s future.

A strong youth hockey program needs players entering at the bottom if it wants to remain healthy at the top. With four teams now covering 6U and 8U, Chester County is building the next generation of Cougars while its oldest players demonstrate what that pathway can eventually become.

The 14U division has also grown to three teams this season, providing another indication of the club’s increasing depth.

From 8U to 18U — Together

There will be plenty of teams worth following this season, but 18U AA carries a particularly compelling story.

Many of the players have been together since they were 8U Cougars.

Over the years, they’ve progressed through the age classifications, developed their games, formed friendships, and accumulated thousands of hours together in rinks.

Last season, that journey produced something special:

A DVHL Championship. The Cougars’ 18U AA team finished 2025–26 on top, giving the returning group both a championship memory and a new challenge. Now they have to do it again. They’ll enter the season as defending champions, but the bigger story is what the team represents for the entire organization. Every 6U and 8U player beginning the journey this season can look toward that 18U group and see what’s possible.

A Season Worth Building On

The 18U AA championship wasn’t Chester County’s only significant result in 2025–26.

The 12U AA Cougars reached the DVHL Final, putting another team within one victory of a league championship.

Chester County also found success outside league competition, with its 10U A team winning the Gene Harrington tournament.

Together, those results demonstrated competitive strength across multiple age levels.

From 10U tournament success to a 12U DVHL finalist and an 18U DVHL champion, the Cougars enter the new season with a strong foundation.

The challenge is building upon it.

Competition Beyond the DVHL

The Cougars aren’t afraid to travel in search of competition.

Chester County teams have appeared in events including Silver Sticks, the Lake Placid Invitational, Gene Harrington in Niagara, My Hockey tournaments in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Charlotte, and Super Series Boston vs. Everyone.

Those events give players opportunities to experience different opponents, different environments, and different levels of competition.

But one trip means a little more to the Cougars than the others.

The Club Trip to Washington

Every season, Chester County’s 10U through 18U teams travel together to Washington, D.C., for the My Hockey DC tournament. It’s more than a tournament. It’s a club tradition. All of the teams stay in the same hotel. Players from different age groups spend time together. Parents reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. And whenever schedules allow, Cougars teams fill the stands to support one another.

For a club with 255 players spread across 17 teams, those moments matter.

Youth hockey can easily become a collection of individual teams operating under the same logo.

The Washington trip makes Chester County feel like one organization.

Players running around together. Families connecting. Teams cheering for other Cougars teams every chance they get.

The games matter.

The relationships built around them may last much longer.

Building From the Bottom Up

This season’s growth gives Chester County an opportunity to strengthen that culture even further.

The expanded Mite program now features one 6U team and three 8U teams.

Those are the players just beginning to understand what it means to be a Cougar.

For some, this season will bring their first real team experience.

Their first jersey.
Their first tournament.
Their first road trip.
Their first memorable win — and probably a few difficult losses.

Years from now, some of those same players could still be together at 14U, 16U, or 18U.

The current 18U AA group proves it can happen.

That’s the power of retention and development within a youth hockey organization.

A Pathway Players Can See

Under Club President Joe Dipierro and Hockey Director Kelly Figueroa, Chester County enters 2026–27 with something every youth organization wants:

Depth at the beginning, competitive teams throughout the middle, and evidence of long-term development at the top.

There will inevitably be different objectives at each age level.

For the youngest Cougars, success may mean learning to skate better, understanding teamwork, and developing a love for hockey.

For older players, expectations increase. Games become faster. Competition becomes stronger. Standings and playoffs carry more weight.

But those stages remain connected.

The player competing for a DVHL championship at 18U was once the 8U player learning how to compete.

Chester County has players who have lived that entire progression together.

The Standard Gets Higher

Last season created plenty to celebrate.

An 18U AA DVHL Championship.
A 12U AA DVHL Final appearance.
A 10U A Gene Harrington Finalist.

But past accomplishments also create future expectations.

The Cougars will enter 2026–27 with opponents who know what they’re capable of.

The defending 18U AA champions won’t sneak up on anyone.

Teams throughout the organization will face difficult DVHL competition.

With 17 teams, maintaining a consistent experience across the club will be as important as individual results.

The opportunity is there.

So is the challenge.

The Next Generation Is Already Here

There is a natural symmetry to the Cougars’ 2026–27 season.

At one end of the organization, the Mite program is growing. New players are beginning their hockey journey. At the other, a group of 18U AA players who began that same journey together at CCSC years ago is preparing for another season after winning a DVHL championship. Between them are 10U, 12U, 14U, and 16U players all progressing through their own chapters.

Seventeen teams.
Two hundred fifty-five players.
Different ages. Different abilities. Different goals.
But one pathway.

And once a year in Washington, they’ll gather in the same hotel, fill the same rinks, cheer for the same crest, and provide a reminder that Chester County is bigger than any individual team.

That’s the Cougars story heading into 2026–27.

Grow them. Develop them. Keep them together. And see how far they can go.

Chester County Cougars at a Glance

Teams: 17
Players: 255
Home Rink: Chester County Skating Club
Club President: Joe Dipierro
Hockey Director: Kelly Figueroa

2026–27 Team Breakdown

6U: 1 team
8U: 3 teams
10U: 3 teams
12U: 3 teams
14U: 3 teams
16U: 2 teams
18U: 2 teams

Growth to Watch

14U: Expanded to three teams

Mite Program: Expanded to one 6U and three 8U teams

2025–26 Highlights

18U AA — DVHL Champions
12U AA — DVHL Finalists
10U A — Gene Harrington Champions

Featured Team

18U AA — The defending DVHL champions feature a core group of players who have played together at Chester County since 8U, making them one of the clearest examples of the club’s long-term player pathway.

Tournament Experience

Silver Sticks
Lake Placid Invitational
Gene Harrington — Niagara
My Hockey — Philadelphia
My Hockey — Washington, D.C.
My Hockey — Charlotte
Super Series — Boston vs. Everyone

Club Tradition

The Washington, D.C. Trip — Every 10U through 18U Cougars team travels together for the My Hockey DC tournament, stays in the same hotel, and supports other Chester County teams throughout the weekend.