Final Post for the summer!

So the summer is over and all the boys have gone home. It was a great summer with a lot of positives and growth on the part of the young gentlemen who I had the privilege to work with. Hopefully the guys gained some valuable insight towards life and hockey.

They endured 7 long weeks of relentless training and pushing from yours-truly. I can imagine it’s not an easy task to be held to the standard I tried to hold them to all summer but they made it through and I can honestly say that they all excelled and grew both as players and people.

There were a lot of smiles and laughs but mostly there was a ton of sweat, some toilet cleaning, a little bit of sarcasm, and a lot of hard prodding with the stick. I tried to teach them as much about hockey and life that I could in seven short weeks. We often discussed a measuring stick they were trying to achieve – a measuring stick of excellence and not just mediocrity. I asked them only to be as perfect as they could be. They have such lofty goals and have put in a lot of honest work towards achieving their heart’s desire.

This work included: trying to keep their rooms clean (which they failed miserably at), working hard at their ice and dry-land sessions, and to make me proud of them as people around the camp. They succeeded on so many levels and all the management and elder staff at Teen Ranch commented as to the high quality of their characters. I guess this makes me happiest.

I’d now like to offer an official thank you to the guys for behaving so well, for not smashing my Buick Rendezvous (nick-named the “Mazerati” which I entrusted them with for the summer), for working so hard, and being a credit to their parents is the best compliment I can give. To say they’re from good stock must be an understatement because they definitely represented their family names and their home country very well.

So: Jade, Rocko, Bully, Nortz, Soarz, Wardy, Hadgi, Callum, Will, and Stevie – thanks for making it a great summer in 2010 and it would be my pleasure to host you again next summer!

Hill Sprints

As promised!

Charity NHL game and camp finito!!!

Hi everybody Callum Bowley and Tom Norton here, this will be our final post for the camp blog.

On Wednesday night a friend of Corey's managed to get a hold of some tickets in Collingwood which featured NHL stars such as, Kris Draper (Detroit Red Wings), Chris Neil (Ottawa Senators), Steve Ott (Dallas Stars), Trevor Daley (Dallas Stars), Mike Komisarek (Toronto Maple Leafs), Mike Weber (Buffalo Sabres), Kevin Klein (Nashvile Predators), Retired NHL stars such as Aaron Downey and Brad May, They played against a select team from around the area Collingwood of past and present players, the score ended up 5-4 to the House 9 team which was the NHL players but the collingwood team won the penalty shoot out with some brilliant goal tending from the Collingwood goalie. It was quite an adventure getting to the arena, we had a native Canadian friend (Ben Clarke) who we thought would know the roads and the directions to the arena, but boy was we wrong we ended up driving past our turning and going 54 Km in the wrong direction, we stopped and asked an old lady for direction which we let our native Canadian handle again which took 15 minutes and all he got out of her was "You wont get there going in this direction" but in the end we found someone who knew the way and we got there safely for the start of the game.

This morning was our final session on the ice and it was a up tempo session with flow drills and lots off battling games, we had a little bag skate at the end having to push the nets from one end of the rink to the other, then we played Stick and Puck Boy and for the 4th time running Will "sharpshooter" Weldon to the prize hahaha. Then after the session we did our last off ice session.

We would just like to say thank you to teen ranch for allowing us to come and use the great facility's and stay at the ranch, would also like to thank Neil Black for the flight tickets and Corey for giving us the opportunity again and again to our families who this couldn't of been done without with. Thank You

Bi Bi xxx Nortz and Callum

Stair Jumps for explosive Power!

Here's 3 examples of the stair jump routine we do weekly. There are around 20-25 different exercises we do on the stairs (it takes approx. 25 mins to complete). Then we get to walk over to the hill to do the sprints which I will upload tomorrow...

Powerskating!

Here's a video of the boys demonstrating some edge control drills for the campers and having a little fun whilst doing it...

Lacho and Wardy on the Swiss Balls

This is pretty impressive...

Jade's ready...

Well folks. Jade means business! This is a focused, powerful athlete. I know - I'm shocked I'm saying it too but he's been a work-out machine for 4 weeks now...

C

ABC

Hello from all the guys!
Its Tuesday, the final week, and what a great summer its been for all so far. This morning, we coached the hockey campers on ice, and began by concentrating on skating technique and cross-overs. After having been taught the detailed aspects of areas within hockey by Corey this summer, we now are able to pass on the same teaching points and so we guided the kids through a few warm up drills, developing their skating balance and skating position. The session then progressed onto some attacking play, where the ABC concept of attack was concentrated on. This is broken down into three roles: 1) A-ttack - where the puck carrier takes a wide position on the ice and attacks the offensive zone and drives toward the goal, this causes the defending puck carrier to have to pivot and change position. 2) B-ust - the closest non-puck carrying forward takes a supporting role to the puck carrier, skating within close proximity yet driving through the middle of the ice. This splits the defensemen, and causes them to make a decision. If they allow him to continue his path through the middle a passing option or shot-rebound option is available. However, if the second defenseman chooses to lock onto this forward, the third offensive forward now is available. 3) C-ut - the third forward driving on the weak side wing stays wide to maintain width, making it more difficult for the defensemen to keep visible contact on the offense. When reaching the blue-line he cuts across and acquires a high central role in the offensive zone. This creates depth, making it difficult for the defense to cover all three offensive players.
All the guys did a great job of understanding their roles as forwards when attacking the offensive zone, and the instructors passed on some very good teaching pointers that we've personally been taught this summer.
Many thanks,
All the guys!

"I don't know if you noticed... but I did over a thousand"

Monday was a tough day! Here's a couple of the men demonstrating two of our 6 exercises from our afternoon workout. We worked some on serious core strength today.

Bed-time... we're bushed!

Final Week!!!

Hi Tom Norton and Callum Bowley here, we have just currently come off the ice after beating a team made up of NCAA players and junior A and B players 12-6. In this game we used a lot of the tactics practiced in training like the ABC with a guy taking the puck wide on the attack, a guy busting to the net and a late guy who goes hiding and then appears at the top of the slot for a shot, this play was very affective as there was a lot of 3 on 2s and quick breaks. we also used a neutral zone trap which was executed really well through the games but it required the wingers to do a lot of stepping up on the red lines so the other team could not enter the zone easily. There was also a lot of net presence during the game which made a lot of tip ins and rebounds during the game this is what Corey has being drilling into the forwards through out the whole summer as that is were most of the goals are scored.

We are now into our last week and at this present moment welcoming the new group of campers that are arriving at the ranch for the last week of summer.

speak again soon Nortz and Callum

Good afternoon,

Today, we had a major super workout for dryland, and went back to basics to develop our muscular power along with endurance and maintaining our focus. The dryland consisted on a continuous circuit of three exercises - the first was to flip the infamous tractor tyre 5 times uphill, the second which followed directly after was to run up the hill to the top and back down, and the third was to run 100m'ish backwards and then run forwards back to hill where you started the cycle again. Each person did the cycle 8 times, however debates developed when Soarsy argued he'd finished his 8 cycles, contrasting to Corey who tried to explain to Soarsy that he had one more cycle. As the discussion swayed back and forth, it ended with one winner..Yes, Soarsy flipping a tyre.

Everybody did a great job, and its great to see everyone working together, and supporting one another in our workouts and on ice sessions, the improvement made by all since each persons arrival has been fantastic.

Many Thanks,

Wardo

Fun with Judo Fred!

Well folks. After our Judo session the fellas had a little fun and the above clip here is just a little bit of that...

During the judo session however I was pleasantly, and embarassingly, over-powered but the alpha-male. I never claimed to be tough - EVER - but I'm still pretty strong for an old guy. Weapon-X, however, is in a whole different league of "wrestling" strong. I almost feel sorry for the guys he's going to face this year...

C

Bye Stephen

We just wanted to wish you a good flight Daddy! Don't forget to write...

With love:

"Red Rocket" and "Herbert"