USA Hockey Adult Hockey

What’s the best way for adult hockey players to hone their skills on the ice and also improve their hockey IQ off the ice? For some, like Dawn Baker, it’s participating in a USA Hockey adult skills clinic.

On Sept. 26-27, Baker developed her skating, shooting and passing skills during the 2015 Michigan Adult Skills Clinic at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. Beginners to novice-level players participated in various on-ice sessions, chalk talk and a Q-and-A session with the clinic’s instructors. Baker shared her first USA Hockey clinic experience with us.

USA Hockey: What was your motivation for signing up for the skills clinic? 

Dawn Baker: I have been playing hockey for about a year and was very interested in improving my game with the guidance of a great coaching staff. Each summer I invest in hockey camps for my kids where they have a lot of fun and learn new skills. I was excited to take advantage of a skills development program for grown-ups.

USA Hockey: How would you describe the coaches’ and instructors’ ability to teach you the game of hockey and specific on-ice skills? What was it like working with them?

Baker: The USA Hockey staff was an expert group of hockey players and seasoned coaches. They each brought years of experience playing and coaching hockey, which translates to an intuitive ability to guide the group and offer individual guidance as needed. They selected drills that were challenging but not impossible for the group to run through. Specific drills gave the opportunity to practice new techniques, and scrimmages gave us the chance to try them out real time. True to the best hockey players, the coaches had a great demeanor that encouraged everyone to give a little bit more than they thought they could, practice something new and have a great time doing it. Their passion for the game of hockey was clear.

USA Hockey: What did you learn from your participation in the clinics? 

Baker: More confidence in using my edges and balance. Better understanding of the roles everyone plays in face-offs – specifically where I need to be. How great teams support each other on the ice by staying close to the player with the puck and being in a position to help. 

USA Hockey: How would you describe the overall atmosphere at the clinics?

Baker: The coaches worked us hard – everyone was there to improve their game, and we were all focused on the instruction. Dan Brennan, Rich Hansen and Katie Holmgren had great wit and camaraderie, so there were a lot of laughs and fun on and off the ice. We had dinner and lunch together over the course of the camp, which added to the atmosphere.

USA Hockey: What types of friendships have you made since attending the clinics?

Baker: The participants in the clinic were from all over Michigan, Ohio and Illinois. We were from diverse professions – marketing, a writer, an electrician, a police officer, for example. We got along well during the camp and look forward to reconnecting at the next one. For me personally, it was a great time to connect with people away from work. We talked about what we all have in common – hockey – as well as our families and hobbies. My sons play 10U and 12U hockey, and I help coach both of them. Other participants coached their kids’ teams as well. We exchanged what we had learned and our experiences coaching our kids. The staff was enormously helpful, sharing tips and even sending us USA Hockey coaching materials after the session. They completely changed my perspective of USA Hockey in the course of the clinic – from a distant governing body (for us amateurs) to a very engaged, caring and committed organization.

USA Hockey: Would you attend future USA Hockey adult skills clinics?

Baker: I will absolutely attend the next USA Hockey adult skills camp for several reasons: 1) The great coaching staff and quality of coaching; 2) The opportunity to focus on practicing techniques that improve my game; and 3) A weekend spent having fun, meeting new people and playing the best game in the world.