Camp Details | Minneapolis MN
Benefits
Some of the skills you will learn by attending Lifetime Hockey's camps:
- Better skating skills and agility on the ice
- Achieving better balance to become “strong on your skates”
- Finding the right teammate and hitting him or her with an effective pass
- Offensive moves to make you a more effective player
- Shooting to score
- Practicing the “system” of good hockey offense including:
- Advancing the puck effectively into the offensive zone
- Puck possession and proper positioning
- Backing up to regroup and resuming the attack
- Using the “system” of good hockey defense
- Forechecking
- Proper positioning
- One on one hockey and finding your check
- Finding open ice and executing the breakout
The August 8 - 11 camp is available. Registration is limited and will be assigned on a first come - first served basis.
Click on the sections of the article index at the right to read more details about the school.
Our schools feature:
- On-ice instructional sessions
- Classroom instruction
- Dry land instruction
- Individual coaching and problem solving
- Controlled scrimmages
- Video tape analysis of each player's skating stride
- Radar Gun evaluation of shot velocity
- Exclusive use of the Ice and Dry land rinks - you can leave your gear at the rink in a locked locker-room
- Complimentary continental breakfast
- State of the art sound system
- Quality coaches and a low teacher to student ratio
View pictures from our most recent school here
Student Comments
Some comments from players who have worked with Tom Bast or participated in Lifetime Hockey's Schools are contained on this page.
Tom Provides Encouragement
Why attend?
Do you suffer from these problems
- An inability to generate skating speed and lateral maneuverability
- Weak cross-overs or limited ability to skate backwards?
- The loss of the puck to a stronger stick handler or player?
- Can't really shoot a wrist shot, slap shot or know what a snap shot is?
- Poor or weak passes that are frequently intercepted?
- Shots that never seem to have any speed and fail to score?
- A lack of confidence in your next move; panic?
- Hot potato hockey? As soon as you receive the puck you get rid of it? Especially in the defensive zone?
- Do you lack any kind of offensive move?
- Does your team have these problems?
- Poor positioning defensively to cover possible scorers?
- Problems breaking out effectively?
- Difficulty attacking the offense zone?
Then consider attending the Lifetime Hockey school where we understand the challenges faced by the beginning and intermediate player and where our coaches can provide you with the skills and knowledge to overcome them.
The Instructional Methods
Tom Bast and his staff use a sophisticated combination of on ice activities and classroom instruction. On the ice you will work through a graduated series of individual drills to develop improved skating, balance and stick control. Small group skills are emphasized including the breakout, passing, scoring plays, tip shots etc.
You will learn and practice skills such as: how to approach and take a puck off the boards, how to elude fore-checkers behind your net, how the defense can control the game, spin moves and more. Finally you will participate in controlled scrimmages where our coaches will continuously provide commentary and advice to each team and individual players. We use a state of the art sound system so all players can clearly understand his comments and instructions wherever their location on the rink.
In addition, Tom and his staff will work with the participants in a classroom setting to discuss special issues of concern, diagram how “the system” should work, comment on what they see in the scrimmages and answer participant questions.
Lifetime Hockey schools also provide individualized consulting for each participant based on their needs. Examples include: hitting a good slap shot, finding the breakout lanes, crossovers while skating backward etc.
The school uses the cohort model. Each instructional group will be made up of players with similar skill levels. We will do our best to put individuals together in the same group if so requested. The groups will remain together throughout the school. We will assign players to teams which are separate from the instructional groups. The teams will be selected to maintain competitive balance.
Lifetime Hockey administrative staff (Mark and Dan) have extensive experience with adult education where they frequently teach classes for attorneys and graduate students. The core principles of adult education are used in our hockey schools.
Click here to view pictures from our schools that illustrate these methods.
About Tom Bast and his coaches
Tom Bast is one of the most effective adult no-check coaches in North America. Based in Red Deer, Alberta, Tom has operated his hockey school for over 20 years. He has taught adult hockey players from across the United States, Sweden and Japan.
As a player, Tom Bast played Junior ‘A’ Hockey in Canada and was eligible for the NHL. Tom Bast owns TBS Sports - a full service player and team sports outfitter located in Red Deer, Alberta.
Tom brings the best of Canadian hockey to the US. His staff, based in Red Deer Alberta, has extensive playing and coaching experience. Meet the All Canadian staff.
"We have compiled an impressive contingent of coaches who are knowledgeable, have extensive playing experience and are excellent teachers. This will be a fun learning environment. You will not be disappointed in this hockey experience."--Tom Bast, Red Deer, Alberta.
Hockey School or Hockey Camp?
We use both terms in our advertising but we think of our offering as more of a skills school than a camp. We believe in adult education principles and deliver all of our training in a fun, challenging and supportive manner. All of our participants have shown that they are enthusiastic learners and don't necessarily need or want a "camp" environment.
Plus we are in downtown Minneapolis so the only camping you are probably going to do is in a four star hotel.
The Spoonbridge and Cherry artwork by Clas Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden which is adjacent to the Parade Athletic fields and Parade Ice Garden
Location, Schedule and Equipment
Location:
The location for the school will at Parade Ice Garden located near downtown Minneapolis Minnesota.
Parade Ice Garden is the training facility for the Minnesota Wild Hockey Team.
Lifetime Hockey provides a list of local hotels for our out-of-town participants.
Minneapolis provides visitors with an exceptional range of activities beyond hockey. Find out more about the Minneapolis Metropolitan area here.
Schedule:
For travel planning you should consider these general time lines:
Wednesday morning school begins- Check in and drop off equipment
Saturday evening - school ends at approximately 9:00 pm with final scrimmage.
A typical daily schedule is available here.
Equipment:
Please bring a full set of gear including a helmet with at least a half visor. The Airlines have recently changed the rules and costs for bringing hockey gear with you. Click here for a detailed list of equipment and other items we suggest you bring plus our advice on flying with hockey equipment.
For More Information
Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 651.628.9437.
Note that registration is limited and will be assigned on a first come - first served basis.