In beautiful Jasper National Park for our annual camp. The players get three ice times a day and alternate between two skating with Gaston and one hockey with Jim and I and the next day two hockey and one skating. Friday the get one skating, one hockey and finish with a game. So 15 ice times in 5 days. That is 7.5 weeks of practices for the team I am coaching this season.
Gaston is at another level as far as teaching skating. 5 years touring the world as a professional performer for Ice Capades and Holiday on Ice, Swiss Champ and Olympic skating coach, Doctorate in Body Mechanics. I watched the pro rookie camp and the skating instruction pales to what Gaston does. One of our players who has attended for 7 years was the fastest of 160 U15 boy's at a Hockey Alberta, Western League combine camp a few months ago.
We have 24 players in total, 12 younger(5-11) and 12 older (up to 15) They are together for the skating 7 times, hockey 3 times and the smaller groups of 12 have a practice every day. the young group for 60 min. And the older group for 75 minutes.
I have 6 small nets on the ice and we practice technique for puck handling and passing and then play small area games for the at least 40 minutes of each hour with the young kid's. The older group has two goalies at their 75 min practice and we do the SAG's at each end or one end and also use the small nets for games that work on technique and good playing habits. We also do full ice modified games with rules like at least one pass in each zone, Only 2" with the puck, etc.
Today we will introduce individual defensive skill like blade on the puck, defensive side, stick lift as well as have puck protection competition and battling.
Every day I go for a long bike ride and the food at the camp is fantastic.
Life is good at the Jasper Skating and Hockey Camp.
'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'