Hockey Camps

[missionsparta 0]

Was wondering if anyone new a good source for finding out "reviews" or peoples' opinions on different hockey camps? Or even a source listing a lot of possible camps, in which I could do research on my own? Anyone attend any that they on their own just thought were great?

Problem is, there are so many "money grabbing" camps now, that do nothing more than charge you $400 and spend 4 straight days of having your kids run circle drills and ladders over and over. They get that in practice everyday. It is really hard to know anymore what will raise his game and what is just someone overcharging you for fancy names running your kid through house drills.

My son attends Turcotte 3 times a year, and they are just as great as they were when I was growing up. But as I stated earlier there are just so many now, and most of them are garbage.

Any suggestions, direction, or opinion is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Law Goalie 147]

IMO, you're almost always better spending the same amount on private instruction rather than on camps. Camps can be fun, and they're good for sport-related socialisation, but they can't do a fraction of the development that one-on-one coaching can.

[technophile 0]

I can't speak for kid camps, but I'm going to Heartland Hockey's adult camp this August and I'm pretty excited. Basically, yeah, I'm sure Law Goalie is right, that that amount of private instruction would be better for me, but the camp is a chance to take a week long vacation where I do pretty much nothing but hockey -- something that would be impossible to manage if I just took a week off work and hired a local private instructor.

And the sport-related socialization is a nice bonus, both the chance to make some new friends and the chance to meet up with some guys I used to play with before I moved; they have a group that goes every year, flies into MPS, rents a van, and drives up to the camp.

I've never been to HH, but like I said my friends have and they have nothing but good things to say about it; I think there are some other threads on MSH from people who have gone, and they're pretty positive too.

As far as a list, I know the most recent issue of USAH Magazine was the "camp" issue, which had a ton of listings for hockey camps all over the world. I kind of wish they'd do some kind of crowd-sourced review issue, as it is all you basically get is a whole bunch of camp advertisements, but it's a starting point.

[Tubesteak 1]

Law Goalie is right on. When I was a youngster I attended all sorts of camps. Personal favorite was Can-Am in Lake Placid. Had some great times there and learned a thing or two. After my family picked me up we would always spend a week fishing in the Adirondacks. Ate a lot of Northerns and had the time of my life.

[mug25 2]

Anyone know of Adult Camps?

[sabby47 2]

Missonsparta.. I thought that Laura Stamm Powerskating was one of the best camps I've gotten to work with just because I took so much from it. The main instructors were very knowledgable and even though it's skating specific it was very beneficial and is for older kids and adults. I don't remember exactly how Planet Hockey was when they came here but I can't remember any parents being upset and the kids seemed to enjoy it. Mug25- Weekend Warrior is a good camp to look at for adults.

[Law Goalie 147]

Missonsparta.. I thought that Laura Stamm Powerskating was one of the best camps I've gotten to work with just because I took so much from it...

That's a brilliant recommendation: can't believe I didn't say so myself.

[Katzenjammer 1]

IMO, you're almost always better spending the same amount on private instruction rather than on camps. Camps can be fun, and they're good for sport-related socialisation, but they can't do a fraction of the development that one-on-one coaching can.

I think this is really true. Another benefit of private instruction is that you can space out your development. In a camp situation, you pack a lot into a few days; it's hard to build one skill onto another because it comes so fast. With private instruction, you have time to work on what you've been taught in between lessons, which you can of course schedule at will, thus more flexibility too around work etc. Camp is great though too.

[hockeymass 11]

I think private instruction and camps really hit on different areas. Private instruction helps you improve the mechanics of your own game, whereas a camp helps you function with other players and fit into a team dynamic.

I'm thinking about doing that Weekend Warrior camp this summer. Looks pretty cool.

[stick&puck 1]

I am going to try and go to the Weekend warrior came this summer in Buffalo.

It looks like it could be a good experience

[Law Goalie 147]

Playing on a team helps you function with other players and fit into a team dynamic better than a camp will; training camps, whether pre-season for a team or a separate thing in the offseason, are a a useful supplement to team training, but a feeble substitute for it. Private instruction and private learning (where you direct your own development) are, as Katz pointed out, where you make the biggest gains.

It's also, quite frankly, important for kids (and adults) not to be constantly oversocialised. I attended a goalie coaching symposium (and I choose that word carefully) a few years back, and while some good learning happened, the goofing on-ice and the drinking off-ice wasted a huge amount of time. It was fun, sure, but I'd have got more out of it by shadowing the chief instructor for a few sessions, being put through a couple of workouts myself, and discussing it all later. That, however, would have cost far, far more. Camps, conference, etc. are basically just a way of spreading the cost of exposure to expensive instruction, at the penalty of lowering the quality of that exposure. The moment a camp becomes anywhere near as expensive as occasional private instruction, you've already gone into loss.

[Hotwheels 0]

Anyone have an opinion on Global Hockey Camps and clinics? 

 

[Miserable 6]

On 2/16/2012 at 8:37 AM, Law Goalie said:

Playing on a team helps you function with other players and fit into a team dynamic better than a camp will; training camps, whether pre-season for a team or a separate thing in the offseason, are a a useful supplement to team training, but a feeble substitute for it. Private instruction and private learning (where you direct your own development) are, as Katz pointed out, where you make the biggest gains.

It's also, quite frankly, important for kids (and adults) not to be constantly oversocialised. I attended a goalie coaching symposium (and I choose that word carefully) a few years back, and while some good learning happened, the goofing on-ice and the drinking off-ice wasted a huge amount of time. It was fun, sure, but I'd have got more out of it by shadowing the chief instructor for a few sessions, being put through a couple of workouts myself, and discussing it all later. That, however, would have cost far, far more. Camps, conference, etc. are basically just a way of spreading the cost of exposure to expensive instruction, at the penalty of lowering the quality of that exposure. The moment a camp becomes anywhere near as expensive as occasional private instruction, you've already gone into loss.

Totally agree with this.

My wife and I are planning my son's summer activities and she suggested a week long hockey camp with a bunch of his teammates hosted by coaches from our program that he is already familiar with.

While our main goal of the camp is to provide him with a fun way to learn a little more hockey, I also wanted him to get something out of the camp. I didn't like the idea of paying for a week of hockey for him to goof off with all of his friends and learn the same drills he's seen all year from coaches who know his personality and may not challenge him as much as someone who doesn't know him would.

In end we chose a camp at another rink with a coaching staff he's never seen before. it's a slightly higher level than he's used to as well but I think he'll like the challenge. He'll still have a blast and he'll make new friends but by the time he feels comfortable enough in the situation to goof off, the camp will be over. I think he will actually gain a lot from this set up.