Rocky Mountain Hockey Schools

Experience the BEST of the BEST! It’s not an overstatement, it’s simply the truth. Rocky Mountain Hockey Schools pairs the best specialized hockey training with a carefully selected staff that includes many of the best instructors in the industry. As if that wasn’t enough, this combination is offered at some of the greatest hockey camp locations on EARTH! Locations that are fun, beautiful, and interesting for the entire family to enjoy!

The Perfect Hockey Family Vacation

At RMHS, the development of our athletes comes first. We believe that when you find yourself being trained by the best coaches in an inspiring, awesome location, that you’ll be even more motivated to push yourself hard than you ever imagined possible, improving your skills and knowledge every day and emerging as a better player at the end of the camp.

“In my early years RMHS really helped me make a strong fundamental foundation for my hockey future. Now I am playing U18 AAA hockey and I am still building on that foundation to advance my game today.”

—Hunter Clark, Rocky Mountain Rough Riders AAA, U18

2012 RMHS Colorado Locations: Arvada, Littleton, Breckenridge, & Steamboat Springs

At all of our camps you will find our staff separating the players on and off-ice by age and skill level to optimize the training for all players involved.

Arvada APEX Center
May 3-6, 2012

RMHS Teams up with John Paris Jr and THE PARIS WAY

Elite Defenseman & Goaltending Camp – Come train with the pros. This camp is for defenseman and goaltenders that played AA/AAA or High School level hockey birth years 94-99. You receive 9 hours of on-ice training, over 5 hours of off-ice training, and 2+ hours of classroom.

Arvada APEX Center
June 25-29, 2012 (6-17yrs)

• Checking Camp (13-17yrs)


• Skills Drills and Small Area Games (6-12yrs)

Rocky Mountain Adventure Hockey Camp: Steamboat
Springs Howelsen Ice Arena

July 1-7
15+ hours of on-ice training

• Professionally guided mountain activities


• Day and resident options


• See it here!

Littleton The Edge Ice Arena

July 9-13

• Defensive & Offensive Concepts Camp (11-16yrs)


• Skills, Drills, & Small Area Games (6-10yrs)

Breckenridge The Stephen C. West Ice Arena

July 30–Aug. 3

• Shooting, Scoring, & Conditioning Camp (11-16yrs)


• Skills, Drills, & Small Area Games (6-10yrs)

Click here to find out more about our camp focuses and how we rotate them every year to keep it fresh and new for our students.

SAVE NOW! Enter the Promo Code: AVALANCHECARES to save $50 through April 30.

Why Didn’t My Kid Make the Team?

A player may not make a specific team he or she is trying out for due to many things. Experienced hockey director and coach Angelo Ricci shares many of the reasons he has encountered over the years.

• Skill set: Your player is quite simply not ready for the specific level he or she is trying out for. Can your player skate at this level? Can your player pass, handle and shoot the puck at this level?


• Maturity: The maturity of players can sometimes factor into the selection process. Is this player a first or second year?


• Fit: Some coaches look for a specific type of player, role or skill set when determining their roster. How will that player fit with the chemistry of the team?


• Hockey sense: A big concern for many coaches is “hockey sense” or “hockey smarts.” Does your player understand, think and read the game? This aspect of his or her game can be a major factor in determining if player child makes the team.


• Development: A coach can sometimes weigh the option if a player might be better off playing on the team at the lower level then what they are trying out for. This will sometimes allow the player to be a top-line player instead of the ninth forward or sixth defenseman for the higher-level team. This will allow that player to develop and see more ice time in critical situations of the game.


• Parents: This does not happen too often, but I have seen it with a few coaches and parents over the years. What are the player’s parents like? Will they be an issue all season? Are they high maintenance? Do they get in the ear of other parents and try to get on their side if they don’t like the way their child is being coached or handled? I can tell you a bad parent or parent group can ruin the season for the players and staff. No matter if your team is in first place or last place, the season will be a success if your player develops, has fun and the parents get along—rather than form cliques and small groups of “negativity.” It’s a game…enjoy it!

These are some of the reasons on why your player did not make the team. I do believe it is imperative that a coach has great communication skills; it is the key ingredient for a coach when tough decisions are made. I believe each coach should have an exit interview or at least provide some feedback on why your player did not make the team.

To be totally honest, yes, coaches make mistakes. There is no exact science. It is not because the evaluators (coaches) did not give each player a good, honest look. Players do develop differently and at different points during the season.

This is a great, fun game. So please allow situations like this to be a life lesson for your player. We all get cut, we all get fired. We are all told at some point in our lives that our services are no longer needed. Sports are a microcosm of life—life will go on if your player did not make the team. Let your player enjoy the game and play at a level that will allow him or her to flourish and want to play again next season.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Angelo Ricci for sharing his 15 years of expertise as a hockey director in this article. Ricci is founder, head instructor and consultant for Ricci Hockey Consulting. With 20+ years experience as a skills and stickhandling coach, he conducts/oversees more than 40 programs year-round that develop over 1,000 players each year.

End-of-Season Party: Mexican Food Recipes

Whether you’re in charge of the team dinner or a contributor to the food and beverage needs, you’re likely in the “how can I get this done quickly?” mentality. I know I always am, and I want to share with you some tried-and-true fast and delicious recipes you can whip up and receive rave reviews. And, these tasty dishes won’t break the bank.

To keep the party simple, follow these guidelines:

• Themed parties are the easiest to coordinate with parents, because most people have favorite recipes or know where to pick up something that works within the theme.


• Prepare a dish that holds well at room temperature conditions.


• Depending on the size of the party and number of adult-to-children ratio, plan for a main course, side dish and salad.


• Always try to have appetizers and desserts in bite-size portions.


• It’s a good idea to have others bring their dishes ready to serve in a container with utensils.


• When you take a dish to a party, label the utensil and serving dish.

Mexican-Theme Party

Check out this menu, which serves 20: Soft Tacos with Chile Cheese Chicken, Blender Guacamole, Salsa Verde, Watermelon Salad, and Roasted Potatoes with Boursin Cheese and Jalapeños.

Soft Tacos with Chile Cheese Chicken

• 2 dozen corn tortillas or store-bought crispy taco shells


• 20 boneless, skinless chicken breasts


• Salt, pepper and chile powder


• 2 large (15 oz) cans diced hatch green chiles (or fresh in summer)


• 1 pound grated mixed Mexican cheeses


• 5 limes, halved


• Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Split each chicken breast horizontally without going all the way through the breast, hence creating a pocket. Season the top and inside of each breast with salt, pepper and chile powder. Place the breast on the baking sheet and stuff the inside pocket with green chiles. Top the chicken breasts with cheese and squeeze a half lime over the cheese.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove. Let rest for five minutes. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in a damp cloth and microwave for one minute. Thinly slice the chicken breasts and serve with the warmed tortillas.

Keep the tortillas soft during the party by wrapping in a cloth. These tacos are delicious served with guacamole, salsa and fajita vegetables.

Blender Guacamole

• 6 avocados, peeled and pitted


• 10 tomatillo, peeled


• 4 jalapeños, stems removed


• 1/2 white onion


• 4 cloves garlic


• 1 bunch cilantro


• 4 limes, juiced


• 1 teaspoon salt

Place the avocados, tomatillos, jalapeños, onion and garlic in the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Add the cilantro, lime juice and salt, and pulse until smooth. Pour into a serving dish and serve with tortilla chips.

To store, place in a container and squeeze lime juice over the top of the guacamole and insert two avocado pits in the center. This will keep for two to three days. Yield: 4 cups.

Salsa Verde

• 22 tomatillos, skins removed


• 2 jalapeños, stems removed


• 1/2 white onion


• 3 cloves garlic, crushed


• 1/2 bunch cilantro


• 2 limes, juiced


• Salt

Place the tomatillos and jalapeños in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. When the tomatillo skins burst, remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the tomatillos and jalapenos out with a slotted spoon. Reserve some of the liquid. Let cool to make sure the salsa attains a vibrant green color.

In a blender place the rest of the ingredients with the tomatillos and purée until smooth. Yield: 3 cups.

Watermelon Salad

• 2 baby seedless watermelon, rind removed


• 6 ounces pine nuts


• 8 ounces crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese


• 3 limes, juiced


• 2 tablespoons honey


• Pinch of salt


• Mint leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Cut the watermelon into 1-inch pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add in the pine nuts. Toast until the nuts turn a golden brown color. Watch carefully so the nuts don’t burn. Remove from the heat and let cool. Mix together the lime juice, honey and salt.

Just before serving, toss the watermelon with the pine nuts and cheese and toss gently. Pour on the lime dressing and mint. Toss gently so as not to break up the watermelon cubes. Serve immediately.

Roasted Potatoes with Boursin Cheese and Jalapeños

• Extra virgin olive oil


• 2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cut into small wedges


• 5 jalapeños, seeded and chopped


• 2 packages Boursin cheese, crumbled


• Salt and pepper

Cover the bottom of a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil and add the potatoes and jalapeños. Over medium high heat, roast for 10 minutes turning when browned. Continue cooking until the potatoes are fork tender. Just before serving, add the crumbled Boursin cheese and gently toss. Cook over low heat for five minutes.You can add jalapeños or crisp bacon for flavor.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kathy Smith for this story and recipes. Kathy is a chef and freelance writer who specializes in writing about food and fitness.

 

Off-Season Training for High School Players

If you’re like most hockey players, you’re likely looking for the most beneficial—and injury free—off-season training program. This interview with an elite performance training coach, Oyvind Gulbrandsen of Viking Power Fitness, shares some guidelines for hockey players. Gulbrandsen spent years training pro hockey players in the off season and says, “Whether a hockey player is in a youth organization or a player with a pro team, they are all seeking the same results and that is to improve strength and performance.”

To accomplish those goals, Gulbrandsen has the youth player focus on lower and upper body strength, core stability and improved cardio. Gulbrandsen explains, “While the lower body strength is mandatory for hockey, you have to focus on a strong core and not forget about upper body workouts as well. And, if you balance your off season workouts with interval training, the result is you become a more explosive player.” Gulbrandsen says, “Youth hockey in this country is exploding. It’s a great sport for the players and families, but the key to staying injury free, is to stay fit off season.” And especially for youth, Gulbrandsen has these requirements for the players:

• Eat for performance (his mantra)


• Maintain a balanced diet of 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein and 20 percent fat


• Warm up for five minutes before starting any exercise


• Stay hydrated all day by drinking water or low sugar electrolyte drinks


• Track performance using a heart rate monitor and know the heart rate zones


• Cool down after each workout for five minutes

He suggests an hour in the gym for weight training two to three times a week and interval cardio workouts two times a week. He also is adamant that the youth player does no have to incorporate heavy weights into the training. “Bench press heavy weights is not the No. 1 exercise for hockey, in fact using heavy weights isn’t recommended for youth training. In Viking Power Fitness, I train hockey players using dynamic body weight exercises,” he explains.

Dynamic body weight exercises use your own body weight for performance of key exercises. Gulbrandsen says youth hockey players will benefit tremendously by performing key exercises off-season such as:

• Two to three strength workouts a week


• Walking lunges


• Squats to failure without weights or using low free weights


• Lateral lunges with a resistance band around ankles to improve hip strength and stability. Keep the band taut the whole time


• Push-ups


• Pull-ups


• Planks for core strength


• Box jumps


• Medicine ball slams to the floor, which is raising a medicine ball to about eye level and slamming it to the floor in front of you, or on each side of your feet

Because the shifts in hockey are short and furiously fast, Gulbrandsen says interval cardio training is a must. “To reach shift performance, it is a good idea to train using a heart rate monitor and knowing your maximum heart rate. When a player trains, I like them to keep their interval bursts between 75 and 85 percent of their maximum heart rate.”

Interval Training consists of a variety cardio bursts followed by a timed reduction is effort. “If the player is training in a gym, I recommend interval training on the Stair mill, treadmill or spinning bike. Outside, the effort can be accomplished running on a track, running hills or cycling.” The off-season training he recommends for the best results is:

• Do two interval workouts a week


• Five-minute warmup reaching your target heart rate zone


• 30 minutes alternating between two minutes on and one minute slowing down at 75 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate during the two minutes on


• Five-minute cool down

Gulbrandsen summarizes, “I leave the skating drills to the coaches—my goal is to help hockey players achieve or retain their explosive ability, flexibility, full body and core strength and improve their cardio endurance for shift performance.”

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kathy Smith for this story. Oyvind Gulbrandsen grew up in Norway, where he played hockey and semi-professional soccer. He was a member of the Norwegian Military and it was during his two-year stint that he developed a passion for coaching strength and conditioning. When he left Norway in 1995, he started his fitness career in California, but it was in Denver a few years later that he catapulted to success. He is currently the Owner and Elite Performance Coach at Viking Power Fitness.

 

USJDP Junior Prep Camp: July 1-7, July 8-14

The USJDP Junior Prep Camp—the premier development and exposure camp in the United States—provides elite Junior, Midget and Bantam players (birth years 1992–1998) with the professional skill development and exposure necessary to better prepare them for Junior A and college hockey. Held at the University of Denver, one of the top collegiate arenas in the country, the camp is directed by NCAA, USHL and NAHL coaches and scouts and offers:

• Four hours of on-ice development in Magness Arena per day


• Three hours of off-ice training in the DU Varsity weight room per day


• Daily Junior Hockey Seminars and weekly Showcase Games

If you are looking for a camp where you can train with high-end players and have exposure to professional coaches, then this in the program for you!

The 2012 coaching staff will be announced soon. Please click here to view teams that have attended the Prep Camp in the past. For more information, visit www.usjdp.com or call 303-964-0929.

Register Now!

 

How to Score Deals on Hockey Equipment

Are you looking to get the latest and greatest sporting equipment? Are you hopping back into the game after a layoff or do you have children who are just starting their athletic careers? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then you already know that athletic performance is often tied to quality sporting equipment. In today’s uncertain economy, finding a great deal on expensive hockey equipment is not always easy. Everybody has to make their money work harder for them in our global economic slowdown, so here are some ways to save a stack of cash next time you need the best athletic equipment.

1. Sign Up for Deals: Watch out for the equipment you need through daily emails from websites such as DailySportsDeal.com. Every day amazing deals on skates, sticks, helmets, pads and more are delivered right to you—usually starting at 40 percent off! It’s not unusual to save hundreds of dollars and get 90 percent off pricey items like goalie gloves.



2. Shop Sales: It may sound like common sense or a no-brainer to most people, but shopping sales is the easiest way to save you money on sporting equipment. Looking for new skates in the spring or baseball mitts in the winter can often score you a substantial discount. When sports are in the offseason, stores are looking to clear out the previous year’s equipment before the new models arrive. By doing this, they usually mark down what inventory they have left of the old models (which are often just as good as the new models).



3. Scour Hockey Communities: Trying to get back on a treadmill? Looking for a new bike for the fall? Try communities like Cusada, where users can post their unused or unwanted equipment for substantial discounts or even free of charge. You can often find the best deals if you put in the time and effort on these networks, since many users like the feeling of giving back to others.



4. Shop Auction Sites: eBay is a great resource for anything, but you can often buy sporting equipment on the giant auction site at a great price. Whether the equipment is new or used, eBay will be sure to have it. Make sure that you verify what you are purchasing is real and look at a seller’s feedback before purchasing.



5. Barter: An old school method that is now becoming more and more popular is bartering. Let’s say you walk into a local shop and want to get your hands on a brand new stick. You see the board listed for $250 but negotiate with the shop owner and agree on a price of $200. Not only did you get the sweet stick you wanted, but you also saved yourself $50 and have built rapport with a store owner whom you can do business with in the future.

While these methods just scrape the surface of what you can do to get sports equipment at a discount, they represent the most tried-and-true ways to save yourself money while also performing at the top of your game.

Celebrate with Class During Blowouts

No matter what you think about teams running up the score against a significantly weaker opponent (and there’s plenty to read about that!), there’s one thing everyone seems to agree on: Parents and players on the winning team need to act as if they’ve been there before.



Don't celebrate every goal in a blowout of 0-11 proportions as if your team just won the Stanley Cup. Of course players can celebrate and congratulate other team members on goals. They just need to be sure their celebrations aren’t rising to the level of gloating and goading the other team. (And sorry to the third-line wingers who never score and finally get a goal. You have to show a little class, too.)



Parents and fans (by which we mean grandparents) need to show a little restraint, too. Clapping and yelling “great goal”? Fine. Jumping up and down and screaming “woo hoo” while clanging your cowbell for the 10^th goal? Too much.



Think about how you feel when you’re on the other end of a blowout. (And if you haven’t been there, rest assured you will be at some point!) Then celebrate accordingly.



Editor’s Note: Thank you to the parents who’ve endured this situation and suggested the topic.

Should We Switch Hockey Associations?

Every year you see—and can’t help but hear—parents who think their player is not being treated fairly. He’s not getting a fair look at tryouts. She’s not getting enough ice time. The association is too political. You know the drill. Whatever the issues, many families start to think about switching hockey associations. And some even switch associations in the middle of tryouts, deposits be darned. But is the grass always greener once you make the switch? We asked an experienced hockey director for his take on the situation.



This question comes up every spring when it’s time to make the deposit for the next year. Unfortunately, there is no 100 percent correct answer. However, I have seen, over time, that about 90 percent of families realize they were in a pretty good organization after they make a change. I believe in loyalty to associations. Kids should have loyalty to the program they started with and give that program the benefit of the doubt. With that being said, it is also the association’s responsibility to be accountable to its members and ensure they offer good coaches, a solid skill-development program and a well-organized schedule.



Over my years as a director, I’ve had coaches who weren’t up to the standards I hoped for. Does each program have a hard time finding quality coaches? Yes! My guess is that over a youth hockey “career”—let’s say 12 to 13 years—each player is likely to experience a season (or two) that does not meet the expectations the program strives to obtain. Does that mean you transfer to another program? My answer would be no.



Are there exceptions? Absolutely, there will be some. I do believe that sometimes a change is good. There are always cases where it might be best for the player, family and program to part ways. However, I would say that 90 percent of players should (and usually do) remain with their club.



Editor’s Note: Thank you to Angelo Ricci for sharing his 15 years of expertise as a hockey director in this article. Ricci is founder, head instructor and consultant for Ricci Hockey Consulting. With 20+ years experience as a skills and stickhandling coach, he conducts/oversees more than 40 programs year-round that develop over 1,000 players each year.

I Hate Sports, Now What?

Not all kids like sports. Don’t be surprised or concerned. I strongly support that all kids should participate in some type of exercise program for their physical fitness and health, whether it be a group sport such as football, baseball, basketball, hockey or soccer or an individual one, like walking, running, dance, gymnastics, swimming, or martial arts. It can be just for fun or more for competition.



Allowing your child to find his passion is key. Maybe he is interested in the arts or music. Being a musician myself, I did not participate in structured sports activities as a kid. I loved to ride my bike and I played tennis and racquetball, but my passion was in music. The challenges of being part of an orchestra and a musical theater group are very similar as those in sports—the tryouts, competition, performances, making the group. Any group activity requires harmony and chemistry between individuals to produce something greater than the sum of its parts.



Sports, music and other activities are training grounds for life. The lessons your child learns, beyond the skill of the activity, are endless: teamwork, leadership, commitment, physical strength, motivation, preparation, mental toughness, and confidence. With continued practice, learning and support, he is creating and growing into a powerful person. As a parent, I would view that as a ta-dah!



Editor’s Note: Optometrist Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, O.D., FCOVD, FAAO, has been a pioneer in vision therapy for more than 30 years. See It. Say It. Do It! provides easy, practical, step-by-step strategies and activities to enhance children’s visualization skills.

Mite Hockey = Fun!

If your child is playing hockey for the first time this season, you are probably interested in helping him or her have the best possible experience. Youth sports are a wonderful way for kids to get regular exercise and develop physical skills. Team sports also teach children how to get along with their teammates, how to take instructions from the coach and how to cope when things don’t go so well.



Why do kids play sports? Surveys conducted in the United States and Canada indicate that young athletes most often list their sport goals in the following order of importance:

• To have fun.



• To improve skills and learn new ones.



• To be with friends or make new ones.



• For thrills and excitement.



• To win.



• To become physically fit.

The findings clearly indicate that the primary goal of professional athletes and many adults—winning—is far less important to children. What really matters to kids is having fun! So, the key to gaining lifelong benefits from sports is to focus on participation and fun—not simply performance.



What about winning? Winning is fun when it happens, and it’s great when your child has good coordination and athletic talent. But it’s also wise to be realistic about the abilities and attention span of a typical hockey Mite. For example, it takes a certain amount of motor control and understanding for a youngster to skate and handle the stick. But realistically, while some kids will focus on what’s happening on the ice, you’ll see others “horsing around” or telling jokes. And that’s OK! It’s to be expected!



What’s important is the joy of the activity. By 9 or 10 years of age, a child usually gets more interested in playing hockey the right way. However, at any age, it’s not the parent’s job to push the child or live vicariously through him or her. The parent’s major role is to support the child and enjoy the moment.



How can you help to promote fun? Get excited about almost everything that happens. Find something to value and encourage in your child. Consistently reinforce indications of skill improvement, effort and good teamwork. Say, for example:

• “I love how you skate fast.”



• “Way to go! You showed a lot of effort and improvement.”



• “It’s great to hear you encouraging your teammates!”

At the same time, look for opportunities to reinforce good sportsmanship, and keep things in perspective. For example, if your child complains about losing a game, you might say, “I know it’s fun to win. But everybody eventually is going to lose. How do you think that team felt last week when your team won? (Although this should not happen to Mites in USA Hockey as nobody is technically keeping score…) The important thing is to play, have fun, and do your best. Did you have fun?” Hopefully, your child will say “yes,” and you’ll see evidence that he or she enjoys playing hockey.



What if your child isn’t having fun? It’s possible that your child isn’t developmentally ready to play hockey and follow the coach’s instructions. If that’s the case, you might consider an activity that’s a little easier or more suited to your child’s temperament and capabilities (such as soccer, gymnastics or swimming). There’s no need to rush a disinterested or poorly coordinated child into any sport. And let’s face it: Not every kid wants to grow up to be Sidney Crosby. The bottom line is to do what is best for your child—not what is most pleasing to you.



Editor’s Note: Thank you to Frank L. Smoll, Ph.D., for this article. Dr. Smoll is a sport psychologist at the University of Washington and co-director of Youth Enrichment in Sports. To see previews of his Mastery Approach to Coaching and Mastery Approach to Parenting in Sports DVDs, visit www.y-e-sports.com.

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