Scholarships

Texas Jr Stars: deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 season is May 27, 2024

Texas Rising Stars: deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 season is Aug 1, 2024

Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Scholarship Application button to apply.

If you have any questions on the process, please contact:

In Memory of Junella Sgro

Junella Sgro left a legacy in the Austin Metro Hockey Association when she passed away in early 2020.  She was the epitome of what AMHA and hockey stands for. She left behind her husband John Sgro and four children, all Austin hockey players and heavily involved in the AMHA family. She was highly respected by not only the AMHA community but also by other hockey leagues throughout Texas. To properly honor the difference she made in so many lives of our hockey family, the Sgro Memorial Scholarship Program was created. Its purpose is the same as what she stood for: to support hockey families so they can enjoy the game she loved so much.  

Purpose

The Austin Metro Hockey Association (AMHA) is committed to providing the opportunity for young athletes to participate in Youth hockey at all levels. In memory of Junella Sgro, AMHA has established a scholarship fund to help offset the program fees for both the Texas Rising Stars and Texas Jr. Stars families in need of assistance. Scholarship funds will be awarded based on financial need foremost but other factors such as academic performance, involvement in school and community, and player’s character may also be considered in awarding scholarships. All applications and information collected will be kept strictly confidential.

The amount of assistance will vary from year to year. There is no guarantee of financial assistance. Awarded scholarships may vary depending on availability of funds and individual circumstances.

Athlete Sponsorship

Athletes requesting scholarship are also encouraged to find sponsors in the event they do not attain a scholarship. Sponsors are businesses or people willing to donate to help with registration fees.

Eligibility

Scholarships will be awarded on an objective and non-discriminatory basis. Any applicant with a combined adjusted gross income (typically shown on the bottom line of page one of IRS Form 1040) of $85,000 or more will not qualify for a scholarship award. If you have extenuating personal conditions or circumstances that may warrant award, please submit and highlight those conditions in writing.

Privacy & Confidentiality

In order to determine need and make scholarship funds available in the most equitable and fair manner, it is necessary to collect certain financial and personal information. This is done on the application form itself, which is made available only to the Scholarship Committee, and only for the purpose of evaluating scholarship availability, and through supporting documents identified on the application. Information collected is not shared outside the Scholarship Committee. It is the intent to keep the process as confidential and discrete as possible. 

Preparation

You will want to gather the following items prior to your application to make the application entry process easier:  

1. Annual salary information and other sources of income
2. Most current Tax return
3. Most recent Paycheck stub(s)
4. Academic honors information
5. Players grade point average
6. Extracurricular and community activities list
7. Letter of recommendation from an adult (in .pdf format)
8. Letter of recommendation from a prior hockey coach or other sport coach if hockey coach not available (in .pdf format)
9. Letter from the player that contains a description of of him or herself and their hockey experience (in .pdf format)

Procedure

1. Families seeking scholarship assistance must submit an application form online and applicable documents by the stated deadlines. Upon submitting the application online, the applicant will receive instructions on where to email additional sensitive information. This will ensure confidentiality.  All of the above must be done by the deadline.   
2. All scholarship applications will be reviewed and acted upon after the submission deadline. Members of the Board may conduct interviews or discussions with applicants.
3. Scholarship applications for which awards are made will be kept in the Treasurer’s records for the duration of the season. All other scholarship applications, which are not granted or funded, will be destroyed.
4. If a scholarship is granted, the Committee will determine its effect on the payment plan for that family and provide the family with further instructions.
5. AMHA is not obligated to distribute scholarship funds equally, and is not obligated to apply all available scholarship funds in a given year.
6. Any recipient of scholarship funds will be required to participate in 6 hours of volunteerism during the season. A list of activities will be available at the time of notification for sign-ups.
7. All decisions by the Committee regarding scholarships are final.

Guidelines

Scholarship awards will be dependent upon the financial status of the account used to fund scholarships.

Scholarships will be awarded on an objective and non-discriminatory basis. Any applicant with a combined adjusted gross income (typically shown on the bottom line of page one of IRS Form 1040) of $85,000 or more will not qualify for a scholarship award. If you have extenuating personal conditions or circumstances that may warrant award, please submit and highlight those conditions in writing.

The player for which a scholarship application is submitted shall include a letter from the player when age appropriate (not the parent) that contains a description of him or herself and their hockey experience.

There is an expectation that players receiving scholarship funds will participate in 95% of all scheduled practices and games during the season.