The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
Just a quick update from the 2nd day at Weekend Warriors camp. I would highly recommend this to any adult that wants to improve their game. The coaches are top notch, all of which coach at the college or junior level and played at minimum college or minor league hockey.
Id love to attend something like this but just from looking at the weekend warriors one that a huge amount of money might as well just keep on training myself i think.
Just a quick update from the 2nd day at Weekend Warriors camp. I would highly recommend this to any adult that wants to improve their game. The coaches are top notch, all of which coach at the college or junior level and played at minimum college or minor league hockey.
It's a lot of skating, but it's a lot of fun.
are you finding the instruction in line with the cost? I nearly signed up for this but it seems about 30% overpriced to me, based on ice time/instruction time,etc.
are you finding the instruction in line with the cost? I nearly signed up for this but it seems about 30% overpriced to me, based on ice time/instruction time,etc.
Just asking....
I felt like I got more then my money's worth. The coaches were top notch. Ill be back next year for sure. I had a blast.
are you finding the instruction in line with the cost? I nearly signed up for this but it seems about 30% overpriced to me, based on ice time/instruction time,etc.
Just asking....
I'm curious how you came up with cost being 30% overpriced? What are you basing this 30% on?
In any event, I had to leave camp early due to injury (hit with a slapshot that got through my pads and got me in the knee), but for the time I was there, I absolutely got my money's worth and would absolutely go back.
That's right - I had forgotten. We signed up for the Tim Thomas adult camp in Portland, ME, this year. Less instruction, but we're making a week-long vacation out of it.
Two in a year would be a bit steep, so we'll keep an eye out if they (WW) do it again next year.
hey theOtter, I pulled the trigger on the TT camp. See you there!
Bumping this back up because I'm thinking of heading to a WW this summer, most likely the Buffalo one.
What's the skill level at these usually? or is it pretty much any level? I'm just getting back into hockey, after a 10 year layoff, so things are coming back but I'm no where near where I used to be.
Bumping this back up because I'm thinking of heading to a WW this summer, most likely the Buffalo one.
What's the skill level at these usually? or is it pretty much any level? I'm just getting back into hockey, after a 10 year layoff, so things are coming back but I'm no where near where I used to be.
I think it would be right up your alley. Lots of skatework and just ice time in general. There are people of all skill levels. I am going to go again this year, it was well worth the money.
I've only been to one adult hockey camp, but it was fantastic and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's called Heartland Hockey Camp and it's run by Steve Jensen, a former NHL and USA Olympic player. I haven't gone in a while, but I did it the summers of 2006 and 2007.
The whole thing is an enormous, self-contained operation located on its own private property in Minnesota. There are 20+ youth hockey camps and the adult camp occurs at the end of the summer in August. When I went, we had one day for orientation (Sunday) and five days of hockey. There was a 4-6 camper to instructor ratio. Steve Jensen is a great guy and really takes a lot of pride in running a fun, instructive camp. The campers were split into different skill groups (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and a group of coaches were assigned to each skill group. Each day, there are two ice practices, one scrimmage, one dryland shooting session, and a video/classroom session.
My first year, Steve Jensen himself coached our group and he was very demanding. He certainly didn't treat us like beginners. I learned a lot about transition skating and the triangle offense. There was also a really smart coach who had a lot of experience teaching women adult players. The rink is equipped with a huge video screen (called the Jumbotron) and microphones/speaker system, so that everyone can hear what is going on. The coaches used the microphones to offer a "game commentary" of the scrimmages. Steve would have a coach video tape our scrimmages and then stop the game and play back the footage to comment on our play.
One of the surprising aspects of the camp was the social atmosphere. A lot of the campers have been going year after year. There was one woman who always buys fireworks for the last night and brings her 80 year old mom's cookies. There is a bar in the rink (yes, you heard me right) and usually a party in the bar during one night of the camp. On the last night of camp, Steve and his wife served all the campers a special dinner with wine, steak, and shrimp. The fact that the camp is in the middle of nowhere in Minnesota helps people bond together since you just eat, sleep, play hockey with the same people day after day.
The camp might seem expensive, but when you count how much ice time you get, the price is well worth it. The mandatory ice time is 3 hours a day (two practices and one scrimmage). Then there are 5 hours of optional ice time in the evening (7 pm - 12 am). You also get a few hours of ice time on the first day when you check in and also there is a scrimmage with the coaches on the day that everyone leaves. So that ends up being 8 x 5 + 3 + 1 = 44 hours of ice time if you can stand it! It is also possible to hire a coach to train with you during the optional ice time. I saw one guy hire a coach to practice his one-timers.
Just a quick update from the 2nd day at Weekend Warriors camp. I would highly recommend this to any adult that wants to improve their game. The coaches are top notch, all of which coach at the college or junior level and played at minimum college or minor league hockey.
It's a lot of skating, but it's a lot of fun.
Do you know who the coaches are specifically (is this a traveling camp or local coaches)? Just curious to who runs this camp. Sounds like fun. Nothing like a solid skate @ altitude. The Ice isn't bad up in Tahoe either.
EDIT: Checked the link out and saw the staff. Seems legit. Curious to the level/quality of participants that attend this camp? You can have the best staff of coaches, but if 17 out of the 20 students that are attending are benders, the camp has to be semi dumb downed to compensate. That would be my only concern. Is the quality of player that attends this camp, in par with the coaches that will be running it?
Last edited by Saucy Dangles: 04-12-2012 at 12:54 AM.
I've only been to one adult hockey camp, but it was fantastic and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's called Heartland Hockey Camp and it's run by Steve Jensen, a former NHL and USA Olympic player. I haven't gone in a while, but I did it the summers of 2006 and 2007.
The whole thing is an enormous, self-contained operation located on its own private property in Minnesota. There are 20+ youth hockey camps and the adult camp occurs at the end of the summer in August. When I went, we had one day for orientation (Sunday) and five days of hockey. There was a 4-6 camper to instructor ratio. Steve Jensen is a great guy and really takes a lot of pride in running a fun, instructive camp. The campers were split into different skill groups (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and a group of coaches were assigned to each skill group. Each day, there are two ice practices, one scrimmage, one dryland shooting session, and a video/classroom session.
My first year, Steve Jensen himself coached our group and he was very demanding. He certainly didn't treat us like beginners. I learned a lot about transition skating and the triangle offense. There was also a really smart coach who had a lot of experience teaching women adult players. The rink is equipped with a huge video screen (called the Jumbotron) and microphones/speaker system, so that everyone can hear what is going on. The coaches used the microphones to offer a "game commentary" of the scrimmages. Steve would have a coach video tape our scrimmages and then stop the game and play back the footage to comment on our play.
One of the surprising aspects of the camp was the social atmosphere. A lot of the campers have been going year after year. There was one woman who always buys fireworks for the last night and brings her 80 year old mom's cookies. There is a bar in the rink (yes, you heard me right) and usually a party in the bar during one night of the camp. On the last night of camp, Steve and his wife served all the campers a special dinner with wine, steak, and shrimp. The fact that the camp is in the middle of nowhere in Minnesota helps people bond together since you just eat, sleep, play hockey with the same people day after day.
The camp might seem expensive, but when you count how much ice time you get, the price is well worth it. The mandatory ice time is 3 hours a day (two practices and one scrimmage). Then there are 5 hours of optional ice time in the evening (7 pm - 12 am). You also get a few hours of ice time on the first day when you check in and also there is a scrimmage with the coaches on the day that everyone leaves. So that ends up being 8 x 5 + 3 + 1 = 44 hours of ice time if you can stand it! It is also possible to hire a coach to train with you during the optional ice time. I saw one guy hire a coach to practice his one-timers.
I'm considering doing a camp in the Czech republic that sounds very similar. 2 x 1.5 hours of practice plus 1 hour option per day. Plus 1.5 dry land. For 6 days. Costs about $775 US
I lasted 1 week and 2 days as an instructor. Not my cup of tea.
I hear positive stuff about this outfit ("fantasy" based), http://www.prohx.com/index.html
They recruit retired NHL'rs that live in or near the greater Toronto area.
Marcel Dionne comes in from Niagara.
