Hand Skills Training - Four days per week on-ice and off-ice we work on hand skills for puck control, passing and shooting.

On-Ice Practices - Skills and tactical development are emphasized during four of our practices per week. One practice per week is dedicated to specific positions. Every other day one hour is set aside for special skating drills designed to improve your quickness, agility, speed and balance. One optional hour per day of shooting on goalies is also available. Basically, two practices per day during weekdays with games on weekend days.

Games - Two games are played each weekend. Each team is divided into five man units according to each player's level of ability and maturity. Players compete against players of their ability level only. All talent levels are placed purposely on each of the teams to allow the better players to perform by example and teach the younger players, and for the younger players to observe, listen and copy the more talented players. This has proved highly successful because the more experienced feel the obligation to perform and the others get better. The games have been intense and competitive.

Academic Lectures - Four classes are held each week for players to learn more about the game, prepare for practice, review previous practices and games, watch videos of games, and be counseled.

Quickness and Plyometrics - As it fits physiologically. The purpose of the plyometric program is to add quickness and athleticism to the strength and power developed in the weight room. The exercises are bounding and agility exercises; the type of activity that most accurately imitates the muscles used in skating and athleticism. Hopping logs, jumping tires, vertical jumps, high-knee running, sprinting and striding are examples of the type of activities. We have found through charting and monitoring players over the last 11 years an amazing correlation between the ability to do these exercises quickly and correctly, and the development of "quick feet" on the ice.

Strength Training - Six strength training sessions per week are conducted in our own weight facility emphasizing:

1. Increased strength specific to hockey
2. Increased strength in joint areas to decrease injuries.
3. Increased positive psychological advantage through the confidence of strength.

Testing - The players undergo detailed physical fitness testing including off-ice strength, conditioning, quickness, and athleticism; and on-ice speed, quickness and conditioning. These tests, taken at both the beginning and at the end of the summer, allow each player to objectively realize the gains made as a result of training. Our electronic testing has a data base large enough to analyze each players level of skating.

Hockey Skill and Tactical Development - In the USA, as opposed to Canada and Europe, players are not grouped according to talent. They are grouped geographically, playing for their home towns. Unfortunately, the good players don't have the opportunity to learn through practices and games the many things that can be learned when being on the ice where all the players are of equal or greater talent. The summer allows us, at our camp, to bring together for an extended period of time, the better players from ages 9 through junior, college and pro. Tempo of practices, emulation of more talented players, drills designed to improve skills by professional coaches,and games against equal or greater talent levels all lead to rapid improvement. Some skills can be measured while others are visible.

Self-Identification - Every player coming to train with us in the summer leaves with the psychologically satisfying knowledge of where he fits in the world of hockey. With the luxury of having our own training facility, with pros in training, and more than 1,200 players being trained per summer, we are continually improving ways to show each player where he fits. Our professional staff will group players where they feel they belong according to their hockey ability. During the weeks at camp they can move depending upon their improvement or the improvement of others. We are no longer surprised when a player comments, "You know, with a little bit of work and dedication I can make it in this game. Now I know how good I can be."

Athleticism - All of our off-ice programs (strength, flexibility, quickness, hand coordination, power, endurance) are designed to make each hockey player a better athlete. We must always remember the best athlete has the best chance of becoming the best hockey player.