The Hockey Summer Growth Spurt

Summer Is a Hockey Growth Spurt

Summer is an integral part of the hockey season. Though it is the off season, it is also the best window for a real hockey growth spurt. This is the time to recharge after a long season of early mornings, late nights, and the grind of cold and flu season. Let the sun shine. Let the body and mind repair.

There is another reason summer matters. During the season, your child is being evaluated by the same set of eyes week after week, and those eyes come with bias, with team politics, with preferences that have nothing to do with your kid's ability. Summer gives you the chance to put your child in front of unbiased instructors who have one job: make that player better. Take advantage of it.

Choosing the Right Hockey Camp

Investing in a summer hockey camp is investing in your child's future in the sport. Done right, it is also genuinely fun, the kind of experience kids remember for years. That combination of serious skill work and a pressure-free environment is something the regular season rarely provides.

But not all camps are created equal. Do your investigative work before you write a check. Find out how many hours of ice time are included daily. Ask about the coach-to-player ratio. Look into the credentials of the instructors. Ask what a typical day looks like. A camp with marginal instruction is a waste of your time and your money, and your child will not leave a better player.

The standard matters. If the person running the drills has never played or coached at a high level, move on. Your child deserves better. The goal is to find coaches who have lived the game and can teach it with depth, not just run kids through cones.

What to Look For in a Camp Instructor

Look for instructors who have played at a high level and who can break down the game in a way that is specific and honest. Generic praise and generic drills produce generic players. The best instructors will identify your child's individual weaknesses and address them directly. That targeted feedback is what separates a summer camp from a fun skate.

Getting Your Child Involved in the Decision

Talk to your son or daughter about the camp experience before you sign them up. Get them involved in choosing what is right for them. Some kids are ready for overnight camp. Others do better starting with a day camp setting. Either way, frame it correctly. This is not a punishment or an obligation. This is a real opportunity to grow without the pressure of tryouts or standings watching over every shift.

The Key Ingredient: Off-Ice Conditioning

The best piece of hockey advice I ever received came from my youth coach when I was ten years old. He told me that if I wanted to succeed in hockey, I had to hone my skills off the ice as well as on it. That lesson helped pave my way to the NHL. I have never forgotten it, and I pass it on to every young player I work with.

Hockey is an expensive sport with limited ice time. Your child cannot just walk outside and skate whenever they want. That limitation makes off-ice work even more important. In the summer, they have the time, the energy, and no excuse. Get out on the driveway. Shoot pucks. Stickhandle. Go for a run.

After playing alongside elite European NHLers, I found it fascinating to hear them talk about dry land training. Jaromir Jagr, Alexei Kovalev, and Martin Straka all told me that as young players, they were expected to work on their hands through stickhandling, shooting, and plyometrics for hours every day. Jagr stickhandled daily after practice with a 45-pound weight attached to the shaft of his stick. The reputation European players have for soft hands and skill is not accidental. It is the product of off-ice discipline that started young.

Ice time is a gift. Treat it that way. Do the work off the ice so that every minute you spend on it counts.

A Hockey Career Is a Marathon

A hockey career is a marathon, not a sprint. Summer camp is one part of the race, and conditioning is another. Neither one works in isolation. The players who grow the most over the summer are the ones who show up to fall tryouts rested, prepared, and noticeably better than when they left in the spring. Coaches notice that. It creates a first impression that carries real weight.

Come back in the fall ready. That does not mean skating every day all summer. It means investing in the right camp, putting in the off-ice work, and treating this time as the opportunity it is.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many weeks of hockey camp does my child actually need in a summer?

There is no single answer, but one focused week at a high-quality camp will do more for your child's development than three weeks at a poorly run one. Quality matters more than quantity. If budget allows, two camps with different instructors can give your child exposure to different teaching styles and a broader skill base.

What should my child be doing off the ice during the summer?

Stickhandling, shooting, footwork, and general conditioning are all things that can be done without ever stepping on ice. Set a routine and stick to it. Even thirty minutes a day of purposeful dry land work adds up quickly over the course of a summer. Consistency beats intensity every time.

Is summer hockey camp worth it if my child is only eight or nine years old?

Yes, as long as the camp is age-appropriate and run by coaches who know how to work with young players. At that age, the goal is building fundamental skills and a love of the game. A great early camp experience can set the tone for how a kid approaches development for years.

How do I know if a camp is actually good or just well-marketed?

Ask for references. Talk to parents whose kids have attended. Look at the coaching staff and find out their playing and coaching backgrounds. A legitimate camp will be transparent about its curriculum, ice hours, and instructor credentials. If those answers are vague, keep looking.