Kevin Yellowaga  (BEd.) skills coach with the National Champion Brooks Bandits would like to invite you to train in a unique HOCKEY SKILLS ACADEMY environment. The Puck Smart HOCKEY SKILLS ACADEMY is a world class program based on yrs. of experience, knowledge and proven abilities in helping players to achieve success from the youngest of ages right up to the WHL, NCAA and Pro hockey. We have developed a program  that will challenge and inspire you to your best game. 

The Puck Smart Inc. Hockey Skills Academy is open to 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012 born players playing in the CSSHL, HSL, JPHL and Quadrant AAA hockey for the 2025-26 season. You now have the opportunity to increase your skill level during the season and before the school day even begins with professional coaching.  

PUCK SMART SKILLS ACADEMY MODEL:  You will have the opportunity (20 additional sessions) to work on advanced hockey skills that are used in the game today. A major focus is athletic movement based. Training hockey players to move more smoothly, efficiently and powerfully. This includes body awareness, balance and coordination, proper biomechanics. Putting the player in situations to challenge there balance in a variety of ways.  Developing players that are athletic and elastic, loose, smooth and skilled. Being in balance when shooting, after making a move or when escaping under pressure. Awareness of balance points on your skate blades and pressure on your edges. 

SKATING:  improved efficient movement patterns in order to act quicker and with more speed. , improving stride length, recovery and glide. Challenging Edge-work, aggressive turns and cuts, transitional skating and explosive starts. Changes of speed by using linear crossovers. Increased agility using single leg cuts and fakes to load and explode in another direction. Footwork to improve and manipulate your opponent: cross-overs,  soft slides, weight shifts, step fakes, stutter step, open hips (euros), punch turns and jabs. 

PUCK CONTROL: Hand-work to promote quicker hands, reach/range and puck catches. The ability to control the puck on all sides of your body with increased range and control using 360 head up drills. We promote and challenge players to be creative and free-thinkers with the puck. 

Beating Opponents 1 on 1: the goal to get your opponent out of balance and gain an advantage. Options begin selling our fakes and dekes. We have many tactics at our disposal such as step fakes, 180 snaps, moves in traffic (under, over, between and around objects), changes of direction (delays, cutbacks and slip moves). 

Board Play: initiating and attacking space using counter bumps, playing with back position, controlling rims off the wall and making effective plays from off the wall.  Puck Protection and variety of puck retrieval techniques.

PASSING: 360 abilities while passing and receiving on all sides of your body; receiving and delivering passes; Catching the puck and never juggling on reception; receiving pucks that are inside of your stick; Deception; give go’s and moving to open ice; how to use time and space while supporting the puck; Creating proper receiving angles.

SHOOTING: Improving your scoring and decision making abilities; reading the movement of goalies, tipping, deflecting and deking; will also focus on 360 forehand and backhand shooting techniques;. Improving quick release and accuracy. Shooting in stride or off the catch. Scoring in tight techniques; Attacking seams. Shooting when off balance, delayed release (freeze him), Changing Release point (change angle), Quick release, Mathews rhythmic release (soft catch wrister), Bedard single leg lunge as you Jab it in. A frame shooting off the stick-handle. Body shaping and surrounding the puck. 

Feedback and correction during sessions will be a priority as we seek to challenge players in a supportive and encouraging environment. 

* A maximum of 12 players and 3 goalies will be accepted for this program. 

This program will be advanced in terms of skills movement: (body control/balance, edging, weight shifts, fakes, single-leg movements, range and deceptions)…. our movement skating warm-up skills are advanced combining edge-work (ankle mobility, balance) with puck control, peels, throw toes, weight shifts and reach range skills all combined toward building a strong base as players add new layers to their game. All the exercises are challenging and creative which means they also set up for some failure and struggle as you figure out what your body is capable of while adapting new movements … but in that struggle, if you persist … your mind becomes more free and you will emerge more confident in all your hockey abilities -  puck control/command will have more deception, snaps and range …  edge-work becomes shiftier, more efficient, with greater escapability. But it takes reps and proper reps.  With that feeling of smooth and in balance (which includes puck control) you won’t feel as “stuck” is a better way of putting it… you now have more options. That’s just one thing I hope you will gain from this program.

Skill development in its purest form is not easy. Learning and adapting new skills is not easy … it can be complicated to take on new information and add new motor programs as you get older. In hockey you need certain base level fundamentals that allow the athlete to progress to newer and more complex skills and skill-blends …   No different than in school where there are certain grade level (outcomes and expectations) that are necessary in order to be successful at the next grade level. 

You must be open-minded to trying new things. Most of the skills we will be working on will be challenging for all players regardless of age or current level playing. You can’t be afraid to fail.