After retiring from the game as a player spanning 11 professional seasons from the National Hockey League to playing in Europe I am excited to share my passion and knowledge with young hockey players of all ages and abilities. Having had the good fortune to be coached by some of the best coaches in the world, working with kids to develop their hockey skills is a great opportunity for me to pass on what I have learned to the next generation of players.
My background in the game along with the experience of instructing with several local hockey academies and associations has given me a unique perspective on player development. The program of camps that I offer relies on a team of dedicated and experienced instructors who share my love of hockey and passion for teaching the game.
I believe that young players need to be engaged within a development structure that:
- Emphasizes FUN!
- Holds players accountable. Player development should be fun but it should also emphasize the importance of focus and hard work. Improvement is more important than ability.
- Utilizes multiple training aids and development approaches. Use of attack triangles, bank boards, target nets and sweet hands devices give kids different outlets to improve their abilities.
- Focuses on dynamic hockey development. All players benefit from time spent on completing two skills simultaneously. Whether it is making plays in traffic or puck handling at high speeds, young players must have an opportunity to work through drills dedicated to these dynamics to improve.
- Maximizes use of ice time and efficiently incorporates all areas of the ice for skill development. Small group circuit work run by knowledgeable instructors ensures that players are getting maximum repetitions and are constantly engaged.
- Rewards good sportsmanship and individual leadership. Improvement trumps ability and players that show good character should be acknowledged.