The Sixth Warrior Goalie Training camp took place in Terrace last week, a reminder that the local hockey season is starting soon (all bets are off for the NHL).
Coach and camp organizer Justin Foote and his three assistant coaches hosted 13 young goalies at the Terrace Sportsplex Aug. 27 to 31.
The popular northwest camp has been going on for six years. It is based out of Williams Lake and held camps in Quesnel and 100 Mile House before stopping in Terrace.
Goalies ranging in age from seven to 17 and hailing from Smithers, Kitimat and Terrace took part in the camp, which stresses goalie fundamentals, skating and theory.
“Everybody’s at a different level,” said Foote. “But everyone can benefit from going back to the basics, or as we like to say, refining the fundamentals.”
Participants saw two ice sessions a day, one purely focussing on skating, and the other integrating the skating and lessons with pucks. There are dryland sessions and theory classes that prep the players for the mental challenges that are specific to being a goalie – what happens when you get cut, how to keep a good attitude on the ice.
Foote said the goalies improve greatly over the course of the camp and the response has been good.
“It’s been great,” he said. “Lots of support from the community up here. A lot of people appreciate this type of training because usually you’d have to travel for hours.”
“Terrace Minor Hockey has been a huge supporter of the camp,” he said, adding they couldn’t do it without them.
And in other hockey news, the Terrace River Kings are back on the ice. Official tryouts are this week, with four intersquad games to play before the CIHL Challenge Cup, held here in Terrace Sept. 28 and 29.