The camps are for boys and girls. We will have everyone from Mites to high level prep school, junior and college players, divided into smaller groups according to age and skill, and only the appropriate age groups together on the ice at the same time.
Our programs feature coaches and special guests such as Team USA and Boston University commit Carter Amico, USHL Captain and University of Maine Commit Brock James, Northeastern University Captain Jack Williams, Northeastern Forward Andy Moore, Colby College Standouts Reese Farrell, Ryan Moore and Jake MacDonald, University of Southern Maine’s Gavin Simopoulos, and countless of other players that have gone through many years of our program - as youth players, then counselors and coaches. Those included Jaccob Slavin from Carolina Hurricanes and Team USA. We also have special appearances from award-winning and records-breaking coaches like Bill Beaney. We now have players coming to train with us from Europe, Canada and top U.S. teams - such as the Chicago Reapers, Middlesex Islanders, Boston Jr. Bruins or the Boston Jr Eagles - top 10 teams in the country. We hope to bring great players and competition to Maine to make our kids better.
Players: Smooth out your skating, add power to your stride Work on proper balance and using your edges to fullest potential Puck skills - be confident and comfortable on the puck Improve your shot We will work on passing and receiving passes Understanding the game, positions, hockey IQ - what to do with and without the puck on the ice Work with a local NEPSAC prep school coach and one of the best female hockey players in the world - on and off the ice
Goalies: Skating, balance and agility Edges and quickness Positioning and angles Explosiveness and getting set Rebound control Positional saves Screens, tips, understanding situations Stop shots from an Olympic Gold Medal Winner, and a Team USA member!
GIRLS WEEKS: Special Girls Hockey Week.
Our girls camp have featured special guests such as Team USA Olympic Gold medalist Amanda Pelkey, University of Maine Captains Goalie Jillian Flynn and D Taylor Leech, Abbie Agrodnia from Cape Elizabeth and Endicott College, Maggie Holt from Cumberland and Endicott College, UMaine's Forwards Ally and Morgan Trimper, or Lucy Thiessen - currently at a #1 program Bishop Kearney and committed to Dartmouth College. Our girls hockey camps also include girls prep school players and coaches that are instrumental in girls hockey development in Maine.
Camps for every age and ability, boys and girls, players and goalies
Campers are divided according to age and skill level
Low instructor to student ratio with our highly qualified and trained staff
Goalies get specific goalie training from trained goalie instructors - current and former goalies
Experience of European skating & skills development, combined with highest level of North American training
Fun off ice activities include fitness & agility training, obstacle courses & games, as well as discussions of hockey history, rules of the game, special teams, equipment and general hockey knowledge
Counselors available to supervise skaters, assist, and tie skates.
GOALIES: At camp, goalies get goalie-specific training. Whether you are a pro or a beginner, you will be placed in the correct group to develop your skills on and off the ice. Many of our former goalie students are now playing college or successful coaches and join us in the summer to be goalie instructors.
DEFENSE: We will work on proper techniques, positioning, gap-control, skating, agility, passing, shooting, decision making - and all other relevant skills (mental and physical) to learn, practice and understand the position. Playing defense well means controlling the game, making the right decisions in high speeds, being in the right position, using body correctly, passing and shooting the right way. Playing defense is a lot of fun, when done the right way, and we are excited to help all of our D.
FORWARDS: It is essential to work on proper skating technique for speed, quickness and explosiveness. Stick skills, puck control, making and receiving passes, solving 1v1, 2v1, 2v2 or 3v2 rushes, shooting and learning a quick release. The game is about scoring goals, but when is the last time your player spent an hour just on shooting at practice on the ice with a qualified instructor. We will isolate skills to enhance players' development and then bring it all together is progression drills, mini games and scrimmages.
PROGRAM CURRICULUM
General:
Lessons of Sportsmanship, Compete Level, Nutrition, Establishing Correct Habits
Developing Proper General Techniques
Using Dryland to work on Agility, Quickness, Strength, Balance, Explosiveness and Speed
Team Building Activities to Develop and Understand Trust On and Off the Ice
Video analysis, Nutirion sessions, On-ice Positioning, Tactics, and deep understanding of the game
Fun, uptempo on-ice sessions - emphasizing creativity, thinking outside the box on the edge of youth player development
Goalies:
Skating and Edges
Crease Work and Movement
Angles, VH, RVH
Stick Work
Balance, Agility and Quickness
Glove and Blocker Saves
Rebound Control
Butterfly Position and Butterfly Recoveries
Defense:
Skating, Footwork and Gap Control
Stick Checks and Body Play
Angling and separating opposing players from pucks
Positional Defense
Quickness, Agility and Lateral Movement
Passing and Puck Position
Shooting
Maing correct reads and decisions
Forwards:
Creating and Finding Space
Puck Support and Off the Puck Movement
Using Body Correctly - Puck Protection
Crease Play, Screens and Rebounds
Shooting, Shot Release, Passing and Receiving Passes in Speed
QUICKNESS AND SPEED with the puck
Getting to the net
Hockey IQ
Example of film session: video break-down and analysis. Reese Farrell from Colby College and Hugo Daniel from USHL.
Over our 16 years, we have worked with many outstanding athletes and coaches:
University of Maine Jillian Flynn, CAPTAIN (goalie) Taylor Leech, CAPTAIN (Defense) Ally and Morgan Trimper, University of Maine (Forwards) Brock James (Forward - USHL CAPTAIN, UMaine Commit)
University of Vermont Derek Lodermeier - CAPTAIN (Forward) Tyler Harmon (Goalie) Stef Lekkas (Goalie) Nic Hamre (Forward)
Bowdoin College Bobby Murray (Forward) Ean Small (Forward)
National Team Development Program Carter Amico (Defense - USA National Team Program, Boston University commit)
Colby College Reese Farrell (Forward) Jake MacDonald (Forward) Ryan Moore (Defense)
Northeastern University Andy Moore (Forward) Jack Williams (Forward)
Michigan State Rhett Holland (Defense - currently playing professionally)
University of New Hampshire Steve Moses (Forward - currently playing professionally) Marty Lavins (Forward - currently at UNH, also played for Team LATVIA at World Junior Championships)
Harvard University Ben MacDonald (Forward - currently at Harvard, NHL draft pick by Seattle Kraken)
Colorado College and Carolina Hurricanes Jaccob Slavin (Defense - NHL ASSISTANT CAPTAIN)
Union College Ollie Chessler (Defense - NAHL CAPTAIN, Union commit)
Maine Mariners and Sacred Heart University Connor Doherty (Defense - CAPTAIN of the Maine Mariners)
We are also happy that legendary Coach Bill Beaney is a frequent guest coach at our camps, working with our players. Our campers get to work with and learn from one of the most accomplished coaches in history of college hockey. Coach Beaney led Middlebury College to EIGHT NCAA Division III men's hockey championships. In 35 years as a head coach, Bill Beaney won the Coach of the Year Edward Jeremiah Award a record four times and has a record of 602 wins!