The Hockey School Playbook: Reps, Reality & What Actually Matters

Before you drop hundreds on a hockey camp, ask the right questions. From coaching quality to off-ice fluff to the myth of "elite" swag, here’s what you need to know to separate real development from rinkside babysitting.

Not all hockey schools are created equal. Some are built to develop. Some are built to distract. A few do both — but only if you know what to look for.

As the summer camp season ramps up, the posters start multiplying, the guest coach lineups get longer, and every second Instagram story has a new "elite" experience. But behind all the buzzwords and swag drops, there’s still one question that matters more than the rest:

Did your player actually get better?

This guide was built to help you ask better questions — and give you a peek behind the curtain at how we do things at DHHD.

Not to flex. To help educate and make us accountable.

To show you the wizard behind the curtain, not just the smoke machine.

1. Time on Ice: The Main Event

If it’s a hockey camp, there better be a lot of hockey. Not unstructured chaos. Not "game day" every day. Real development. Real reps.

Ask:

• How many hours are players actually on the ice?

• Is there a plan — or just a playlist and a pile of pucks?

• What’s the coach-to-player ratio?

• Are drills age-appropriate, or is everyone tossed into the same blender?

At DHHD, ice time is sacred — and purposeful. Every session is designed to hit 300+ intentional reps per player. Volume creates rhythm. Rhythm builds muscle memory. Muscle memory becomes instinct. That’s how confidence is earned.

2. Off-Ice Training: It Should Support the Ice, Not Replace It

If a camp includes off-ice sessions, the question isn’t if they’re doing it — it’s how they’re doing it, and more importantly, why.

Too many programs treat off-ice like a placeholder: Run some laps. Play a game. Kill time.

That’s not development — that’s daycare.

Done right, off-ice reinforces the ABC’s of athletic development:

• Agility

• Balance

• Coordination

If it doesn’t serve those, it doesn’t serve hockey.

And yes — dodgeball has its place. Great warm-up. Fun way to finish. But ask yourself:

What age groups are actually in camp together?

If your 9-year-old is dodging 94-mph heaters from a 17-year-old varsity pitcher, that “team bonding” game quickly becomes a survival drill. That kid might be a healthy scratch on White Goodman’s Purple Cobras, but he’s throwing like it’s the Dodgeball World Finals — hosted on ESPN 8, The Ocho.

Off-ice should complement the on-ice work — not leave your kid bruised, confused, or wondering why they paid to play recess.

3. The Coaches: Who’s Actually Teaching?

Everyone loves a staff list full of ex-pros. But here’s the real question: Can they coach, or are they just in the group photo?

Check the facts:

• Coach-to-player ratio

• Age-specific teaching experience

• Credentials — USA Hockey CEP?  Check here 

Far too many camps are run by three junior-aged kids winging it, with no plan, no structure, and no clue how to teach the players they are leading.

At DHHD, our coaches are certified by USA Hockey or Hockey Canada, have completed SafeSport training, and are sanctioned by national governing bodies. Every one of them.

Can your camp say the same?

We don’t toss out cones and cross our fingers. We teach.

4. Practice Plans: Volume + Intention

More isn’t always better — unless it’s the right more.

The best development environments prioritize:

• High reps

• Short lines

• Progressive layering

• Decision-making under fatigue

The “wow” factor isn’t one flashy drill. It’s how the whole week stacks to create real growth.

5. Know the Difference: All-Around vs. Specialty Camps

If your player needs to fix one specific part of their game — edgework, shot release, goalie depth reads — don’t look for a general camp.

Look for a specialist.

• Want a better stride? Hire a skating coach.

• Want to shoot quicker? Book with a skills coach.

• Want to excel in net? Find a goalie instructor who lives that position.

You don’t buy a Ferrari to go off-roading. You don’t bring a minivan to drive Daytona. Right tool. Right terrain. Right result.

DHHD camps are broad-spectrum — designed to build the complete player across skating, puck skills, compete, and hockey IQ in a short time.

We run daily themes aligned with USA Hockey's skill development model and tailored by age group. Every day focuses on a different key area, giving players real tools to take home — without overloading any one skill.

If you want narrow and specific, we’ll guide you to it. If you want structure, energy, and total player development — you’re in the right place.

6. Age Groups & Ice Management: Are They Just Monetizing the Sheet?

Let’s be honest: Some programs manage margins. Not players.

That means:

• Buying less ice

• Packing it with more players

• Combining ages so wide you need a translator

You’ll see 7-year-olds and 17-year-olds on the same sheet — all for “efficiency.”

That might fly at public stick time. But if you’re paying hundreds — or thousands — for a development camp, doesn’t your player deserve something more intentional?

When did a 7-year-old and a 17-year-old suddenly share the same development plan?

Development needs structure. Age-specific progressions. Space to grow. If they’re stacking bodies just to pay the rink bill, they’re not building players — they’re printing invoices.

7. What’s Being Sold vs. What Shows Up

Some camps sell a fantasy: Cool jersey. Big name. Instagram sizzle. 

And for some families? That’s enough. It’s babysitting in a sharp sweater.

But let’s be clear:

Don’t confuse motion with progress.

A real hockey school delivers:

• Substance over swag

• Teaching over trends

• Development over decoration

And hey — if you’re paying thousands, driving nine hours to a camp hosted by a Hall of Famer…shouldn’t you at least get to shake his hand and snap a photo with the guy whose name is plastered on the camp jersey?

If not, was it really worth it? Because if your goal is to come back better — maybe it’s time to choose a camp that’s built to help you "get better."

8. Reputation: Posters vs. Players

Marketing is loud. Buzzwords fly. Guest coaches flash. The reels are edited. The jerseys are crisp. The social media presence is dialed to the pixel.

But here’s a simple rule:

If a camp has more posters than players — you may be in the wrong camp.

In a world of well-manicured Instagram stories, behind-the-scenes reels, and graphics built to impress, you have to ask:

Is the juice worth the squeeze?

Is your player getting real reps — or just the chance to be the next star on a program’s social feed? Is this camp built to help them grow — or to grow the brand behind it?

Ask:

• Who’s actually gone?

• What did they say?

• Did anyone come back better?

At DHHD, the players do the talking. Not the highlight edits. Not the logo drops. The players — and how they show up when the puck drops again.

9. Local vs. Big Business Camps: Know the Model

Some camps are built by people in the game. Local coaches. Former players. Folks with roots in the community and skin in the process.

These camps are:

• Development-first

• Community-rooted

• Transparent about who’s behind the whistle

Then there’s the big business model:

• Built to scale, not to sharpen

• Staffed for convenience, not quality

• Designed as a product, not a program

Big-name camps aren’t bad. But they’re selling something different. Know what you’re buying: Is it a poster campaign or a player development plan?

10. The Magic Behind the Curtain

Here’s your peek behind the curtain:

DHHD isn’t smoke and mirrors. It’s reps and results. Built on structure. Fueled by detail. Designed to develop.

We pull from the USA Hockey ADM model and add our own fire — so every kid who skates with us leaves sharper, smarter, and more confident.

We don’t run perfect camps. We run intentional ones.

We’re not chasing a spotlight. We’re building players who earn it.

While some are still selling Oz, we’re fine being the wizard — quietly showing each player how to make the magic happen.

Final Word: What Really Matters

At the end of camp, your player should leave with:

✅ Better habits
✅ New tools
✅ More confidence
✅ Fire to keep going

If not? Then what was the return on your time, money, and energy? Was it just child care in a jersey? A trip to say you went to camp? A flashy sweater for tryouts?

Real development delivers more than a souvenir — it delivers skills, confidence, and a reason to come back hungry.

Because if your goal is to improve, the takeaway should be clear:

You came to get better. Did you? 🏒

About the Author:
Darrell was forged in the fires of Kamloops Blazer Elite Camp on the tough streets of the North Shore — the undisputed pinnacle of summer programming. Players were housed in bunk beds at the Boys & Girls Club, fueled by meals at the Moose Hall, and shuttled around by a mustachioed Don Hay behind the wheel of the “cheese wagon” school bus. Conditioning runs around McArthur Island in the sweltering Kamloops heat were led by JJ McQueen, whose favorite drill was suffering. Lunch breaks meant reruns of Police Academy and quiet prayers the next session wouldn’t involve stairs. He came out with shin splints, better hands, and a new definition of toughness — plus memories that still make him laugh, and the tools he needed to chase his hockey dreams one shift at a time