The 4th of July has come and gone and the youth hockey season will be here before we know it!

As youth hockey players gear up for the season, it’s important to reflect on what was accomplished during your summer hockey training. What are your plans to use the development to be a huge contributor and leader on your team this season?

A good way for young hockey players to start this season, is to reflect back to last season.

What areas of your game needed work? What goals did you set for the summer and did you accomplish them?

Hopefully your summer hockey training allowed you to refocus, work on new skills, get rid of any bad habits and position yourself for a great season.

The areas that you identified as needing work in your post season evaluation were hopefully the key areas of focus for you over the summer. Now is the time to apply everything that you learned, as well as show off those skills that you mastered. Maybe you needed to increase your speed, develop a better shot or improve your stick handling skills. Make sure you take what you learned and apply it to every practice, every game and every shift this season!

Hockey is a game that requires many skills, and putting forth the time and effort in the off-season to work hard on your development is part of the equation, but what you do on the ice this season is the true test. Are you prepared to apply your development to your everyday hockey experience?

Everyone has heard the slogan that ‘practice makes perfect’ and this is especially true when it comes to using the tools that you learned over the summer to improvement your skills each and every day this season.

Thanks for reading and have a great rest of the summer, we look forward to seeing you at the rink soon!

Our 29th summer of hockey camps begin this week! We can’t wait to hit the ice in Eagle River, Alaska and Northbrook, Illinois. The excitement we feel lacing up the skates each and every week of summer hockey camp is a big part of why we do what we do! We love to train youth hockey players!

Our team this summer is once again filled with talent, knowledge and personality! Our coaches are ready to help young hockey players develop fundamental skills and reach their full potential.

Whether you are skating with us this week, next month or during our last camps of the summer in New York or Connecticut, we are ready to go! We spent the winter making sure we are prepared to continue training with the time-tested CARTER method. Nearly three decades of successful training and also still bringing new knowledge and techniques to the camp!

If you are looking to improve your skills this summer but are still an ‘unsigned free agent’ you are in luck! We have limited spots left in select camps including Illinois, Massachusetts, Vermont and Virginia!

For a complete summer hockey school listing including availability, CLICK HERE.

We hope you have set your goals for the summer and are planning to work hard to achieve them. As we have said in past posts, the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary!

Thanks for reading and make it a successful summer!

Each and every player we train over the summer has a common goal: to get better! The pressing question for each player is, how will you become a better player? While there is no simple, single answer to that question that would apply to every player, what we know is that it start with hockey SKILLS.

While this might seem super obvious, it is also something that can get lost in the many considerations players face each summer about how to become a better hockey player. Skill development should define your goals for your summer hockey training. Just as a professional in any trade or business needs to continually hone their specific skills in order to master their craft, hockey players need to continually work on very specific skill sets.

If you haven’t already done so, it’s a great idea to make a list of areas of your game that need improvement. Skating is something that every player should spend time working on. Shooting, passing and stickhandling are critical skills. Improving speed and quickness gets more important with each passing season as you advance through the ranks of youth hockey.

Look no further than the players who advance on and play at the highest levels of the game from the junior, collegiate and professional levels. The separation between good and great players is often times the smallest of margins. Skill is a huge factor in that equation.  In past blogs we have talked about the rule of 10,000 and other attributes that define high skill players, and it all starts with not just a general plan to play some hockey this summer, but instead a very specific plan to improve individual skills!

If you haven’t already made plans to attend one of our camps located in 12 states this summer please check out our dates and locations. We are excited to celebrate our 29th summer of hockey school and invite you to join us!

This season the NHL has treated us to some great play both individually and as a team.

The Boston Bruins recently set a new NHL single-season record with 63 wins. In the record-clinching game, Bruins forward David Pastrnak netted a hat trick, which gave him 60 goals on the season. Only Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has more, with 64.

The 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning both had 62 win seasons. With the win, Boston has 131 points so far on the season, second only to the  Montreal Canadiens who had 132 points in 1976-77. Another record soon to be broken.

When Pastrnak joined McDavid at the 60-goal mark, it is the first time since 1995-96 that two players did so in the same year. Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr both hit 60 during that 1995-95 season.

So when it comes to these amazing accomplishments, what does it take to reach a record, and better yet, to break one?

“Staying focused” is something Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery talked about after the record setting win. And staying focused is also something that youth hockey players need to remember as they pursue their own development, and even perhaps a record one day.

We’ve talked in past articles about youth hockey development being a marathon rather than a sprint. Setting goals and staying focused on long terms goals is a key ingredient to this success.

As you gear up for your summer hockey training, take the time to write down your goals. Evaluate areas of your game that need improvement. Once you have that list and skills identified, take to the ice to get better and work hard in these very specific areas.

And if you do, maybe one day you too will be part of a record setting team!

Thanks for reading and we hope to see you at the rink this summer. Our Summer Hockey Schools have limited availability at select locations, for dates and details, click here!

As we prepare for our 29th summer of training youth hockey players across the U.S., we’d like to introduce five people your player will meet at summer hockey school!

Players and coaches from all over the country will come together for a special week of training and part of the fun is the experience of skating, talking and learning from others!

So who will you meet at hockey camp this summer? Here are 5 people you are sure to have fun with and create lasting memories.

The Coach. We all have a coach who makes an impression on us, and some of the best coaches are those who teach you new things, in a way you have never been instructed. Each summer at camp our students create a bond with a coach that extends long after the week of camp is over. Many keep in touch throughout the season, and we are very proud of our knowledgeable and personable coaching staff.

The New Buddy. Going to a hockey camp can be intimidating, especially when doing it for the first time or going alone. Over the years we have watched kids show up the first day and hardly say a word to anyone, and end up being the kid we can’t keep quiet by the end of the week. Everyone finds a buddy at hockey camp and like the coach, those relationships often last beyond the last day of camp.

The Skillmaster. This one is kind of difficult to explain, but think the top scorer, mixed with a gift of gab and a healthy dose of confidence. Every camp has the player that has worked their tail off and has become just a step faster and a goal better than everyone else. We like these kids at camp because they motivate and inspire – one way or another- for the rest of the players to be just as good as they are.

The Most Improved. The first day at camp is always exciting for everyone, including the staff. We really enjoy getting to know the kids, assessing their talents and identifying their areas for improvements. What we really look forward to on the last day of camp is deciding which player has worked the hardest and developed the most during camp. We have a motto at camp: “get better every day”.  And we push players to do just that.

The Class Clown. This is the kid everyone at camp instantly connects with, keeps the group bonding and always has something funny to say. Oftentimes the class clown is also the hardest worker and most respectful. But one thing is for certain, he/she is always funny.

There are no shortages of stories, lessons and learning that takes place at summer hockey school, and we hope you choose to improve your game and make your memories at our hockey camps this summer.

Space is filling up fast so claim your spot in the starting lineup before it’s gone! For a complete list of dates & locations click HERE.

We are beyond excited for our 29th year of summer hockey school and we invite you to train the CARTER method with us!

With pitchers and catchers recently reporting for spring training and the start of baseball season, we thought we’d weave in a little baseball talk as we ramp up for what is sure to be a great summer of skating.

Training the CARTER method has been a home run for players attending our hockey school. What exactly is the CARTER method?

C=Control. Our hockey camps educate students on the importance of body control. We have designed a sequence of drills to help them understand and enhance body movements to improve their overall balance and body posture.

A = Agility. Our unique training methods focus on quick lateral movements and foot work. With proper body control and weigh distribution, students will develop evasive techniques, making them more effective hockey players.

R = Reflex. Hockey is a read and react game. Reflexes and split second decisions affect the game. Increasing your hockey skills helps improve all aspects of the game. Through the CARTER METHOD we raise the level of play and quicken your reflexes.

T = Technique. We teach and improve hockey techniques under controlled situations and through repetition. We then incorporate speed once the proper techniques have been mastered.

E = Edge. Edges are challenged and enhanced throughout the week using control and overspeed drills. Edges are incorporated into the skating stride through Power Skating and Dynamic Skating.

R = Retention. Individual Skill Development. All of the Greg Carter Schools work on total skill development through the use of European training equipment, parallel bars and carousels.

It’s time to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park! We invite you to train with us at one of our 2023 youth hockey camps located in 12 states! Many camps are nearly sold out! For dates, details and more information, CLICK HERE.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you at the rink soon!

Do you ever wonder why some of the same teams always seem to find themselves in the championship game and even winning the title?

In recent articles we’ve talked about Winning Being A Habit and that To Be The Best, You Need To Set Goals Like The Best. When it comes to winning, it’s pretty obvious that the best teams have players who are doing all the little things that add up to the big things! But why is it that certain teams and programs always seem to produce winners?

It starts with skill, talent, work ethic and all of the ingredients that you would expect in a successful recipe. However there is something that I’ve noticed in recent years, especially at the youth levels that great teams share.

Selflessness. (Related Articles: “Are You A Me or We Player” & “That You Do Is More Important Than Who”)

As I watch teams, from the good to great, I’m always intrigued by the top players. I watch their skill sets, their style and how they interact with their teammates. From an individual standpoint, this is important because much of the time as the top players go, so goes the team. More specifically, if the team relies on the top player for everything, other teams can usually contain the threat. But if that top player (or players) relies on themselves for everything, and tries to do everything either out of selfishness or not trusting that teammates can get the job done, well this is separation between good teams and championship teams.

What I mean is this: How bad does a top player, or any player for that matter, want to score themselves vs. making sure that the team wins. I’ve seen players in game changing moments shoot from bad angles for example, rather than sliding the puck to a teammate for an easy tap in goal. I’ve seen players that want the notoriety of scoring in the big game or scoring a big goal seemingly more than an assist on a teammates goal. These things don’t happen on championship teams.

The teams that are playing for the championship are the teams that operate like teams! The players, all the players, want the team win more than the individual stats. Championship teams make good hockey decisions, they make good hockey plays, they are unselfish and we is always more important than me.

As you head into the the playoffs we wish you the best of luck at your Mass Hockey USA Hockey or local tournament! We hope that your team comes together and plays like a team and when that final buzzer sounds, you are celebrating a well-deserved championship!

Thanks for reading and as you set goals for next season, please accept our invitation to join us at any of our hockey schools in 12 states this summer!

We hope you are having a great youth hockey season and that you are finding the back of the net, winning more than losing and most of all, having fun!

The next month of the youth hockey season, or any hockey season, can be a grind. Depending on which part of the country you are in, teams have most often been together for several months, experienced the highs and lows of a hockey season, maybe had a few bumps and bruises along the way, and are looking forward to playoffs.

It’s always at this time of year that an old coach used to ask an important question: How bad do you want it?

Whether it was at another tough late season practice, an off-ice dry land training session or between periods of a big game, ‘how bad do you want it’ was a rallying cry of sorts and gut check for the team.

Asking the team ‘how bad do you want it’ was a challenge to every player to rise to the occasion and give their best, regardless of bumps and bruises or the fact it was the 53rd practice of the season.

As you approach the end of your season and we approach our 29th year of summer hockey school, the question of how bad do you want it rings more true than it did all those years ago.

Why? Because when we see all of the talent possessed by youth hockey players today we know that there are plenty of kids who ‘want it’ and are willing to work harder and harder to get it.

We know that the youth hockey players who end up in the playoffs and ultimately playing for a trophy are the players that work the hardest. These are the players that possess some of the top skills and put the team above self. These are the players that want it and are willing to work for it!

As you approach the end of your season we challenge you to ask yourself how bad do you want it? We challenge you to give it everything that you have in each and every practice and game. We challenge you to be the best teammate and the best line mate. We challenge you to never quit until the final buzzer sounds!

Thanks for reading and we would once again invite you to train with us this summer at one of our summer hockey camps located across the U.S. For dates, details and availability, check out our Summer Hockey Schools page!

We hope your season is off to a great start and before you get too far into it, we have a big score to help you reach your goal!

The season is off to a buzzing start from the peewees to the pros. The Bruins are the hottest team in the NHL, Ovi gets closer and closer to breaking a once-thought untouchable record and there are no shortages of highlight reel goals.

As you enter into the busy part of your schedule we’d like to offer you a breakaway, of sorts. We are excited for our 28th season of summer hockey school and invite you to take advantage of the best scoring opportunity that we offer!

For the remaining days of January we are offering our Early Bird Special on all registrations for each of our camps across the country. Summer hockey schools for 2023 include:
• Alaska
• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Massachussetts
• Michigan
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Virginia

To take advantage of this special opportunity simply log on to our website by clicking here.

Thanks for reading and we hope to see you at the rink soon!