Young hockey players from Atom to Bantam levels, had the opportunity to enhance their hockey skills from Nov. 7-10, with the Smytty Skills hockey camp coming to town.
Smytty Skills is a program created by Edmonton Oilers’ legend Ryan Smyth, giving youth a chance experience high quality skills training, without having to travel long distances.
“He wasn’t able to come up obviously, he’s very busy,” said Steven Goertzen, head instructor and former NHLer. “But he’s really interested in the smaller communities and things like that because the options aren’t always available. When your close to the city, you got like 10 options available for skill development.”
“(The kids) have done camps, but they always have to travel to the city,” added Elissa Ponich, Athabasca Minor Hockey Bantam director. “To have a camp in this facility is very fortunate, especially the caliber of camp that came. We definitely really appreciate it.”
Goertzen said the camp aligns all aspects of skill development for the game of hockey. This includes puck handling, tight turns, quick transitions as well as promoting leadership and a passion for the game.
Each day the camp was divided up into a three-zone training circuit, working on a different set of skills for 20 minutes at a time. Goertzen says the three-zone system is a key component to the camp maximizing skill repetition and increases the one-on-one teaching experience.
“They need the training and they need the help, but really need the corrections,” Goertzen said. “They can work on something 1,000 times, but if they do it the wrong way, they won’t get any better. That’s why working in smaller groups and getting the chance to help correct their mistakes, is really good for their development.”
Ponich noted the skills camp also brings in some unique equipment the kids wouldn’t get to use during their everyday practices, like a tripod mimicking two skates and a stick, or a parachute to add some drag when they’re skating. She said the feedback has been nothing but positive.
“The kids love it,” she added. “The feedback they’re getting and the correction and repetition are really good. It’s a chance for them to develop some of those kills they wouldn’t have a chance to work on during practices.”
Ponich hopes to bring the program back for next year saying that “this was just a trial run” to see how it was received.
“Like I said, it’s been nothing but positive, so we’d really like to bring it back next year,” she said.
