Jets Hockey Development to provide more summer programs and camps than ever before
In hockey, the calendar is often split into the season and the offseason. But for the Jets Hockey Development (JHD) team that operates out of the four-rink hockey for all centre, there is no offseason in the summer months, but rather a time to focus more heavily on individual skill development.
Summer camps and training sessions have been key programs for JHD for some time, but they’re bringing their summer camp game to another level this year by offering more programming than they ever have before. The goal, of course, is to bring the game of the many athletes they work with to another level too.
“Players just learn from these summer programs. They learn about the detail of the things they’re working on, and that’s something that often gets overlooked in winter during the season when there’s a focus on the team and what’s happening during their games. Often, the player development doesn’t get worked on,” said Dave Cameron, Head On-Ice Instructor and Program Manager for JHD. “That’s what we want to provide the players in the summer – the opportunity to get better and to work on specific things that will help them in the game.”
JHD will run day and evening camps for youth every week of the summer, with day camps running Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and evening camps running from Monday to Thursday. The day programs will be aimed at younger players, while the evening programs will be for some of the older players.
“We’re always looking at hurdles and what prevents players from coming, and then we try to get over those hurdles and find a way to make our programming accessible for everybody,” Cameron said of the additional camps and programming this year. “The intention is to have a fun environment where players want to train and want to work on their skills.”
With programs including everything from on-ice work to Focus Fitness gym sessions, boardroom and team-building work, Cameron and the JHD team are confident they’ll achieve that fun environment for all involved.
And with the team offering ice time that works for players with a variety of different schedules, there’s a spot for any young hockey player wanting to better their game.
“What we’re trying to do is give players different options to develop the skills that they need,” Cameron continued, speaking on week-long programs for younger players that allow them to choose the camp that works on the skills they need to improve in. “They can still have a summer, they can still be kids and do what they want to do, but this allows them to really set themselves up for a successful tryout come September, where the preparation that they’ve put in can really be shown.”
For those further along in their hockey careers and looking to take things more seriously, the option is there to train with JHD all summer long. And with the team adding more high level and college programming for female players, as well as adding another junior program in the evenings for players who are working during the day, there are no shortage of options for players to keep working on their game throughout the warmer months.
“Players are very successful from those programs and a lot of them have had great years. We’re excited to see those players who are ready for that summer-long commitment.”
Perhaps the best examples of just how much hockey development programming JHD is offering this summer will come at the end of August. In the final two weeks of the month, JHD will be operating on three rinks simultaneously. One week they’ll have one rink for programming and another for camps at hockey for all centre while they run a satellite camp at Gateway Community Centre. The following week, they’ll have one rink for programming at hockey for all centre and camps at both Gateway Community Centre and Selkirk Recreation Complex.
“We’re thrilled to be able to see that many players and give them the tools they need,” said Cameron. “But we’re equally excited to work with that many players because it means we get to continue building on the relationships that we’ve developed in the winter season. Those continued relationships mean we get to know the player that much better, and we can aid their development even more.”
Do you want to bring your game to the next level this summer? Sign up for JHD summer programs and camps now by clicking the “Register” link under the Jets Hockey Development tab at hockeyforallcentre.com.
