2024 SUMMER CAMP SESSIONS
Get a leg up on the competition and join one of our SPARK Summer Camp offerings. SPMHA will be hosting summer training camps from August 12-23 focused on Evaluation Prep, Power Skating, Shooting, Defensive Tactics, Checking & Goaltending. Read the camp descriptions below and register for the program that's best for your young athlete.
REGISTRATION OPENS SATURDAY, MARCH 9 at 7:00am.
Register early, as our most popular camps fill up quickly!
POWER SKATING
Power skating teaches proper edge utilization so that edge movement becomes instinctual, adding natural agility, while playing the game. Body position is key for strong grip and balanced lean, skills that ultimately result in players having tight, quick movements. Our power skating camps will use a combination of drills to help advance players with their technique, allowing increased proprioception and overall body awareness. Powerskating is an essential training component recommended for all players.
PURE SK8 returns to lead our summer power skating sessions this year.
PURE SK8 with Susan Humphreys-St. Martin
Susan represented Canada as a member of Canada's National Team for 6 years. During that time she was a member of the 1994 Olympic Team, a two-time World Team Member, and a 5 time Canadian National Medalist. In 1997 she became the Canadian Champion. As a parent with three children, including two boys playing competitive hockey, she has been able to translate her experiences into an understanding of skating that provides technical support for developing hockey players. Susan's years of competing as an elite athlete combined with her years of coaching after retiring from competitive sport have paved the way for her transition to hockey. Pure Sk8 is a result of combining her passion for skating with her enthusiasm of seeing players improve their skills. Susan is inspired by the challenge of bringing out the best in young athletes.
PERFECT SKATING
Experience the pinnacle of on-ice movement with the renowned Perfect Skating Program, the cornerstone of elite athlete development. Originally piloted by key players of the Ottawa Senators and French Olympic Ice Hockey Federation in 2008, this program has evolved through strategic partnerships with the University of Ottawa's Kinesiology Department, top Hockey Manufacturers' R&D teams, and over 200 current NHL players. Designed to optimize joint mobility, stability, and activation, the program utilizes isometric platforms to enhance kinetic on-ice feel and uncover movement asymmetries. Through a blend of movement pattern mapping, proprioceptive control, and agility development, athletes gain speed and agility while refining their on-ice performance. Trusted by elite athletes worldwide, the Perfect Skating Program is the ultimate choice for those seeking to elevate their on-ice movement quality and performance gains.
U7 SKATING PREP with Wanda MacKinnon
Wanda MacKinnon is the Director of both the Canskate and Power Skate programs at Sherwood Park Skating Club. She has coached both figure skating and power skating for the past 20 years. Her sessions are designed for skaters to learn at their own pace with hands-on coaching through a variety of skills and drills, using fun and interactive learning. By focusing on agility, balance, and control, skaters will progress through sessions and be better prepared for success in our mainstream hockey program.
PURESK8 POWER SKATING
U9 (2016-17 BORN)
$250
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19,20,21,22,23
12:45-1:45pm
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
PURESK8 POWER SKATING
U11/U13 (2012-15 BORN)
$250
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19,20,21,22,23
2:00pm and 3:15pm starts (grouped by age/skill)
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
PURESK8 POWER SKATING
U15/U18 (2007-11 BORN)
$250
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19,20,21,22,23
4:30-5:30pm
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
PERFECT SKATING
U13-U18 (ADVANCED PLAYERS)
$250
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19,20,21,22,23
9:00 & 10:15am starts (grouped by age/skill)
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
U7 SKATING PREP
U7 & DISC (2018-20 BORN)
$250
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19,20,21,22,23
11:30am-12:30pm
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
EVALUATION PREPARATION
Our Evaluation Prep camps are designed to maximize your player's evaluation performance and confidence by focusing on the individual skills, specific drills and gameplay scenarios that they will be evaluated on during SPMHA fall evaluations. The curriculum will include a progressive focus on the skills being tested, ranging from basic fundamentals of the skills through to the actual evaluation drills and evaluation equipment that will be used. With instructors providing a large volume of repetitions and corrective feedback, your player will have better confidence and less anxiety heading into evals, providing them the best opportunity to reach the level they are aiming for.
Our U11 HADP/AA Prep camps are designed specifically for those U11 players who are targeting to play on one of our top tier U11 HADP teams. These camps will be run at a more intense pace, and will focus on getting your young athlete prepared and conditioned for the U11 HADP tryouts which are set to begin soon after this camp completes.
Players will be grouped with similarly skilled players, allowing them to move through the drills at a speed appropriate for their abilities, in order to help build their confidence in performing each drill. All Eval Prep camps will be lead on-ice by members of our SPMHA Development Team,
U9 EVAL PREP
U9 (2016-17 BORN)
$235
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 12,13,14,15,16
9:00 & 10:15am starts
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
U11 EVAL PREP
U11 (2014-15 BORN)
$235
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 12,13,14,15,16
11:30am & 12:45pm starts
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
U13 EVAL PREP
U13 (2012-13 BORN)
$235
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 12,13,14,15,16
2:00 & 3:15pm starts
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
U11 AA PREP
U11 (2014-15 BORN)
$235
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19-23
5:45-6:45pm
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
BODY CHECKING, DEFENSE & SHOOTING
BODY CHECKING
This camp is specifically designed to teach skills and techniques as they relate to body contact. The program will focus on proper techniques for initiating and receiving contact. The camp will expose players to contact in a controlled setting, giving the player confidence in a multitude of situations. Each skill is demonstrated with proper technique, and then broken down into crucial components, so they have the confidence to grow and develop their skills and move onto more advanced abilities.
DEFENSIVE TACTICS
Our defense training camp will be an intense 5 day program covering a wide range of defensive skills, concepts and tactics specific to the defensive side of the puck. It is designed for players you are looking to take their defensive skills to the next level. This camp is open to players from U11 through U18, but players will be grouped with similar skill in their on-ice stations.
SHOOTING SKILLS
This camp is focused on the art of shooting and scoring. Players will be introduced to advanced shooting techniques and tactics, while breaking each shot down into it's essential components. Players will be shown how to develop weak areas, allowing them to grow and develop their skills and move onto more advanced abilities.
DEFENSIVE TACTICS
U11-U18 (2007-15 BORN)
$235
2 x Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 12,13,14,15,16
5:45 & 7:00pm starts
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
SHOOTING/SCORING SKILLS
U11-U18 (2007-15 BORN)
$235
Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 12-16 (recently added) & Aug19-23
4:30-5:30pm (Aug 12-16) & 7:00-8:00pm (Aug 19-23)
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
CHECKING SKILLS
U15-U18 (2007-11 BORN)
$235
2 x Five (5) 1hr Sessions
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 12-16 & 19-23
8:15-9:15pm
Strathcona Olympiette Centre
GOALTENDER EVALUATION PREP
By popular demand, SPMHA is pleased to bring back Kurtis Mucha to lead our Goalie Development Camps for 2024.
Kurtis grew up in Sherwood Park and played his minor hockey in the SPKAC system. He enjoyed a successful Bantam AAA season with his team, which ultimately led him to being drafted 25th overall in the WHL Bantam draft by the Portland Winterhawks. Making his WHL debut as a 15 year old, Kurtis went on to play 4.5 seasons with the Winterhawks and finished his 20 year old season with the Kamloops Blazers. After completing his 5 seasons in the WHL, Kurtis still ranks 1st in games played by a goaltender in the WHL’s history at 245, 2nd in minutes at 13,708, and 3rd in most saves at 6,908. Kurtis chose to utilize the WHL scholarship program and attended the University of Alberta from 2010 – 2015. He was very fortunate to be part of such a successful program, winning 4 league titles and 2 national championships in his time with the Golden Bears.
Upon graduation, Kurtis was provided the opportunity to get into coaching. Under the mentorship of Dustin Schwartz, Kurtis assumed the role as Director of Goalie Development at the Vimy Ridge Academy in Edmonton as well as the Goalie Development Coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL. His coaching extends to many minor hockey associations in and around the Edmonton area, though this past season Kurtis officially joined the ranks of SPMHA with his son as members of our Discovery program!
JUNIOR GOALIE TRAINING
U11 (2014-15 BORN)
$325
Five Sessions - 6.25hrs of Instruction
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19,20,21,22,23
Start times vary between 5:45-7:30pm
Shell & GARC Arenas
SENIOR GOALIE EVALUATION PREP
U13/U18 (2007-13 BORN)
$325
Five Sessions - 6.25hrs of Instruction
SPARK Practice Jersey Included
August 19,20,21,22,23
Start times vary between 7:15-9:00pm
Shell & GARC Arenas
SPMHA SPARK SUMMER CAMP REFUND POLICY
PRIOR TO A PROGRAM STARTING
- Up to one week prior to start of program/camp: Full refund minus administrative fee of $20 and any incurred online service fees.
- From 1 week to 72 hours prior to start of program/camp: Full refund minus administrative fee of $50 and any incurred online service fees.
- From 72 hours prior to start of program/camp: No refund
DURING A PROGRAM
- If a refund is deemed appropriate, it will be pro-rated to the amount of time the participant was in the program. For example: A camp costs $235 plus online service fees for five one-hour sessions and a participant is injured in session two, and unable to complete the camp, the participant shall be entitled to a $141 refund.
SPMHA CANCELLATION
- In the event that SPMHA cancels an camp session, participants will get a full refund for any sessions cancelled.
OTHER
- In individual cases involving extenuating circumstances that fall outside of this policy, a refund request must be submitted in writing by the participant to SPMHA. Each request will be reviewed by the SPMHA General Manager, who will make the decision as to whether a refund will occur.