New York Hockey Journal

28 NEW YORK HOCKEY JOURNAL April 2020 Subscribe today at NYHockeyJournal.com/subscribe By Phil Shore VEN THOUGH THE ICE outside is long gone, there are plenty of options for hockey players to be playing. Travel teams and tournaments are popular op- tions for players to get their competitive juices flowing, but they aren't the only things players should be doing to improve their games. Instructional camps are still a big piece of the puzzle for players to not only develop the skills they already have but also to learn new weapons to add to their arse- nal in a low-pressure environment. "A lot of these kids throughout the year are under a lot of pressure from their teams, coaches, parents, to be winning the game, winning the title game," said Patti Crowe, the executive director for Elite Hockey Camps. "When kids come to camp, that's not the focus, nor should it be. We don't even post scores at our camp. We keep tally of the games. Yes, it's competitive, but five minutes later they're hanging out with the team that just beat them, and they're going swimming together." Without a championship on the line or the promise of a scholarship looming in the distance, pressure to per- form is much lower at an instructional camp. Players go to camps to learn. Part of the learning process means not being afraid to try something new or out of your comfort zone, as well as being willing to make mistakes. Camp directors believe that making mistakes is cru- cial to the learning process. "It's not a pressure situation. It's learning," said Rob Barletta, owner and instructor at RB Hockey School. "If you make a mistake, you go again. It's, 'You guys have all morning, let's make sure you understand these con- cepts.' " Crowe added that the atmosphere of camp is part of what makes making mistakes easier. "I think they have a sense of relief they're not be- ing judged by every move they make," she said. "Camp should be a learning environment. Kids should not be afraid to make mistakes. They should try to hone those skills and not be judged. Kids get equal playing time (at camp), so if they make a mistake it's not going to affect them being able to participate. For them, our coaches do a great job of being enthusiastic and encouraging kids to try new skills without judging them." Part of what helps the learning environment is mak- 10 10 TH TH ANNUAL SUMMER HOCKEY CAMP GUIDE ANNUAL SUMMER HOCKEY CAMP GUIDE DECOMPRESS Can/Am Hockey (top); RB Hockey CAMPERS, GET READY TO E n NO-PRESSURE ATMOSPHERE MAKES SUMMER CAMP THE PERFECT TIME TO HAVE FUN AND GAIN CONFIDENCE Can/Am offers summer camps for youth, adults and families, with locations in Lake Placid, Las Vegas, Nashville and Niagara, Ont. Rob Barletta chats with campers at RB Hockey Schools.

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