Now that hockey season is pretty much over, what is a young player to do? While, if you are serious about becoming a stronger player for next season, you look at doing everything you can to improve which includes off-season training including attending camps and clinic.
A new camp offered in Castlegar is Train Primal Offseason, which offers off-ice conditioning as well as an on-ice component.
Train Primal focuses on working the whole body from feet and up the body, by linking and strengthening each chain below with the one above.
Operating the camp will be Darren and Michelle Pottle, who will be moving back to the area after living in Vancouver. Castlegar Rebels head coach Steve Junker will be coaching the on-ice portion.
"I've been doing this sort of thing for about 15 years now," said Darren. "I did run a camp a few years back for hockey players in Castlegar. It just ended up not being the optimal situation since I couldn't be here full time. My wife and I regrouped and looked at moving back to the area and if it was feasible."
The Pottles were able to work it out so they could sell their home in Vancouver and move to Castlegar.
"This way we can be here full-time and manage the camp and most importantly give the attention to the players that we think they deserve," he said.
The camp starts in May and will run through August. Most training will be off ice until August. The camp will feature players divided into different age groups such as Pee Wee, Bantam, Midget, and Junior/Pro. Pee Wees will train twice per week, Bantams three times per week, and Midgets and up four times per week.
The off-ice training will be at the Castlegar Gymnastics Club in the old Kinnaird Middle School building.
"I think it's of great value to the area," said Darren. "The experience that all of us bring to the table."
Darren says the Train Primal name comes from the idea that they want to train the body like an animal.
"The key to the athlete of the future is tapping into the animal of the past," said Darren on the front of the camp's website. "It's a fun way of looking at training. We train primarily barefoot or in five-toed shoes. The athletes learn to 'move through and with' their primal movements rather than 'moving around and fighting' against themselves. Our concepts are tested and produce results in minimizing injury and maximizing athletic performance in hockey."
For more information on the camp, go to www.trainprimaloffseason.com.