After this season, are you evaluating & preparing for the next?
What does the final horn at the end of the season mean to you? For a select few it triggers a championship celebration, but for most teams and players that last buzzer signals the end of the season as you watch the other team celebrate. While this can be disappointing, it can also be motivating and inspiration to improve your skills so that next year someone else is watching you celebrate!
So the question is, what are you doing to evaluate your game, and to prepare for next season?
This process begins with an honest assessment of your game. Do you need to improve your shot? How about your stickhandling? Powerskating, speed and quickness are skills that every player should focus on. Sitting down and taking the time to think back to your season, and identifying areas of your game that need improvement are important first step to taking your game to the next level this summer!
The next step is to write down how you are going to achieve your goals. This is also important as it's no secret that the people who actually write down their goals are much more likely to achieve them. Be specific with your goals and include details and a timeline for achieving them this summer.
Training time. Determining where, and with who, you are going to train is also important. Select a hockey camp that has on and off ice programs that are going to both challenge and inspire you. If you take the time to select the right place to learn and train, your likelihood of becoming a better hockey player increase drastically.
Work hard. There is absolutely no substitute for hard work and dedication to your off-season goals. There will be times when you would rather go to the beach or play golf, but hockey players who really want to get better, who are the most driven to succeed and play at the highest level, will always take time to make time for their training. The beach and the golf course will always be there, but your hockey career has a sunset.
Learn from people who know. There are many options available to hockey players, and training with people who can help you not only get better, but understand how to continue to get better and what it takes to be the best is important. There are no shortcuts to success, and hockey development is a marathon, not a sprint. Working and training with coaches who can provide honest and candid feedback is important. Coaches and trainers run drills for a reason, and it's not just to get back in line to do it again. Great coaches develop great hockey players, so make sure you learn from people who know!
We hope you had a great season and welcome the opportunity to have you take your game to the next level with Heartland Hockey Camp this summer. Our professional staff has decades of experience both as players and coaches, and we are eager to help you achieve your goals in hockey, whatever they may be! Our camps typically fill up every summer, so please check our updated availability chart to select a program and date. Good luck with your off-season hockey training and we look forward to the opportunity to teach and train you this summer!
Steve Jensen