player tips

It’s no secret that coaches like the players who show up early to games. However, coaches love the players that show up early to practice. Like in life, the early bird gets the worm, and in hockey, they also get the advantage!

It’s no secret that the best players are usually also the first to the arena. They are also the first on the ice and the last to leave. Why is this? Because preparation is a huge part of success.

Preparation can be defined as the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration. In sports this is huge. On the flip side of this, we also know the players that are always in a rush on their way into the rink, frantically putting on their gear, hastily tying their skates only to make it onto the ice just as the practice or game is starting. They never have time to catch up.

Performance & Preparation

Performance is directly correlated to preparation. The player with the most accurate shot also owns the shooting tarp with most puck marks.  The player with the best stride is also the one who has worked hardest on power skating.

Are you fully prepared for the season ahead? Are you evaluating your performance and taking notes on areas of your game to improve on? If you are, then we’ve got a great opportunity for you to attend one of our 30th Anniversary Camps!

Our summer of 2024 hockey camp Early Bird Special is designed for those players who want to get a jump start on their development over the summer! And for parents who want to take advantage of the best pricing of the year!

For a limited time, our camps have special pricing for all dates and locations. We want to reward those who are ‘up and at it’ and want to take their game to the next level.  For dates, details and a spot in camp for a great price, check out our summer hockey school page.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you at the rink soon!

As youth hockey seasons begin across the United States, players are working their way into roles and responsibilities on the team. One of the biggest early season decisions is selecting a captain for the team. Are you captain material?

The definition of a leader is “the power or ability to lead other people”. Characteristics of a leader are similar, whether in sport, business or virtually any discipline. A leader is someone who inspires and motivates. They are humble, intuitive, dedicated and often times the hardest workers.

When hockey teams vote on who deserves the honor of wearing the “C”, teammates and coaches make their decision based on ability to lead. This should not be a popularity contest or an honor simply given to the best player on the team.

So what does it really mean to be a team captain?
A captain and leader:

* Is respectful of teammates as well as the game of hockey. 

* Has a deep desire to win, to work hard and to inspire others to work just as hard.

* Is honest and trustworthy.

* Sets good examples in the good times, and well as during the challenging moments of the season.  

There are plenty of examples in everyday life of what defines leaders and captains, as well as unfortunate situations that do not define leadership. For youth hockey players and captains, it’s important to remember that captaincy is a special honor, and one to be taken seriously on behalf of both teammates and coaches who look to their captain for leadership. Remember that the role of the captain and leader also extends beyond the ice, into the locker room and into daily life.

The following is one of our favorite quotes regarding leadership:

 “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”

Thanks for reading and we hope you are have a great start to the season and of course, that you elect a great captain – and leader – for your team!

Mid-August on the heels of Labor Day is the time we all collectively ask, “what happened to summer”?

Summer started with the Las Vegas Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup in June. For our coaches, it signaled our first week of summer hockey school in two locations, including Eagle River, Alaska.

That first week was memorable for many reasons. It’s always beyond exciting to get back on the ice training youth hockey players. It’s also exhilarating being greeted by bears in the great state of Alaska, and this year did not disappoint (see photo above).

From those first camps through our final of the summer in late August, our 29th year of summer hockey school could not have been more rewarding. Our coaches witnessed an all-time high in work ethic, enthusiasm and skill development!

The following is a summary of our “Swift” summer that went by so fast. And what better way to incapsulate it than to do so by referencing songs from the star of the summer of 2023 herself, Taylor Swift and her Eras Tour!

Fearless

Our coaches were so proud of the youth hockey players that we trained this summer! Players came to camp ready to work hard, learn and make mistakes in the name of development. Fearless!

Blank Spaces

Open ice is your friend. Teaching players to “see the ice” and go to where the puck is going, not where it is was super fun and rewarding for our staff!

Shake it Off

Winners win and none do so without failure. Celebrate the wins and learn from those teaching moments! Shake it off!

Cruel Summer

This popular song may have been the theme song for some players that didn’t make it off of our wait list. While we never want to turn aspiring young hockey players away, most of our camps sell out each summer. We invite you to register early next summer and take advantage of our Early Bird Special which gets you a spot in camp at a discounted rate!

All Too Well

Hockey is the game we all love and to see it in the faces of the players we train all summer is something we really do know all too well. It is also something we never take for granted!

Wildest Dreams

Dream big and don’t let anyone or anything get in the way of your pursuit of excellence! Every single player on the Stanley Cup Champions were in youth hockey skates one day dreaming of hoisting hockey’s greatest prize above their heads! Your Wildest Dreams can come true!

Thank you for reading and from our entire staff, thank you for training with us this summer! Next year is our 30th anniversary. Stay tuned for exciting celebratory announcements later this year as we prepare to “Begin Again”!