A DAY AT CAMP

What does a goalies-only camp look like, you ask?

Totally awesome, wildly colorful, and just a little bit “different”…

Training group debrief with Rowan Harris, Canadian Senior National Team GK

THE MISSION

Field hockey goalkeeper is an immensely specialized position that is grossly under-coached in the U.S. We seek to fill the gap in the education of young goalies across the country, supplementing their learning by bringing them all together and delivering the best coaching they can get on every goalkeeping topic under the sun, all in one shot. Our goal is to teach our campers as much as we possibly can about how to be a goalkeeper (or to assist them in leveling-up their performance a few notches), and empower them to train themselves in a purposeful way when they get home to a setting without position-specific coaching.

OUR PURPOSE

Maybe more importantly, is our dual purpose to support the campers’ personal growth and development into the best version of themselves at this stage of life. Hockey goalkeepers are a unique bunch - as individuals and as a community. The diversity of the people and the love for celebrating one another is the hallmark of the group. We set out to create an environment where kids can learn without fear of failure, where they are respected and supported by all, and all progress is success. Where they are loved and appreciated by their peers and coaches for being exactly who they are. Where they are given tools to thrive in life, on and off the field. Where neurodiversity is the norm. Where campers return year after year because it is the place they feel most at home.

ALL GOALKEEPERS

This camp serves beginners through junior national squad members. Every drill we run is adapted to meet the individual camper where they’re at and push just beyond. In our short time together, it is our mission to teach our campers everything we can about the skills, tactical applications and patterns of play that a goalkeeper should know. Our advanced campers are pushed to perform more consistently under pressure, incorporate brand new skill tools, and make smarter decisions based on improved timing and situational recognition.

Skills

Fundamental skills of goalkeeping are trained to proficiency. Advanced skills are introduced or refined. Campers learn how different skills apply to different situations. Drills progress to link skills in increasingly more challenging circumstances.

Tactics

Patterns of play are identified and rehearsed, and decision making simplified.

Communication

We put a huge emphasis on proactive communication - how to communicate with the team in front of you, what cues to give, and adapting defensive structure to counter rapidly shifting attacks.

WHOLE ATHLETE

Sport is about so much more than technical skills and X’s and O’s. We aim for growth in the whole athlete, presenting programing that brings to life the supporting skill sets that top performing athletes practice each and every day.

Mental Performance Skills

Often, the goalkeeper is their own worst enemy, letting their thoughts get in the way of playing their best and enjoying the game. We present mental performance skills and training that - with dedicated practice - consistently elevates performance, eases anxiety, and improves processing and learning rates. This program describes the relationship between the physical self, mental self, and emotional self, and how they can be consciously controlled or purposely manipulated to your advantage. We explore mental imagery practices, techniques for management of stress and anxiety, awareness of the power of thought, and best practices for game day preparation.

GK-Specific Fitness

The physical demands of goalkeeping are very different from those of a field player, so we teach our campers how to train their bodies to meet those demands. They learn how to put together a fitness session that is goalie-specific and can be recreated at home. We teach strength training, explosiveness and plyometrics, speed and agility, and body control in multiplanar movements. Our fitness regime is designed to replicate the way a goalkeeper moves their body when they’re in the cage: making saves, recovering across the cage, taking players on 1v1, and more. Many activities include reactive elements, challenging the keeper to perform in response to a cue. As there are many campers who have not had formal coaching in this kind of training, we also teach proper form and safety.

Leadership Development

Developing great leaders is about developing great people. Our leadership program is built on the philosophy that the best leaders are those who represent themselves with authenticity, self-respect and self-belief, and are genuine, respectful, and empathic toward others. Campers work to overcome challenges with speaking confidently about their strengths and abilities to others. They will practice good listening skills and conveying empathy to support a teammate. They will learn how to create a space that supports and celebrates all members of a group through their words and actions. We will delve into the art of followership - how to get people to buy into the team’s mission and culture through positive reinforcement and highlighting each person’s unique contribution.

BEST PRACTICE

It is hard work to be a well-rounded, balanced student-athlete. We’ll show you what it takes.

Film Analysis

Film analysis is the blessing of technology to sport. Campers learn how to watch themselves or other keepers in training and in games to learn from or critique technical and tactical performance. We also use film to teach concepts of team defense, defending penalty corners, shoot-out strategies, and to analyze body language of leaders.

Recovery and Nutrition

Peak athletic performance requires a dedicated lifestyle, and being in top form all the time simply isn’t possible. We teach athletes how to live like athletes, managing their choices and habits throughout training cycles. We emphasize proper fueling, hydration, sleep patterns, regular rest, and prompt attention to injuries and pre-injuries. We also discuss how to make progress as an athlete while injured - what you can do for yourself and what you can do for your team.

Recruitment Seminar

The recruitment process can be overwhelming at times. If you understand the timelines, it is pretty straight-forward. Our staff of collegiate coaches will present the ins and outs of of the process, what players should be doing and when, how to write emails and send film, and how college visits work. Campers will also have the opportunity to speak with our assistant coaches about their experiences in the recruiting process at all levels of NCAA hockey, as well as their current experiences as part of a college team.

HOCKEY + FUN

Every year there is something new and different about camp programing. But ever present is the individual support from our coaching staff, and the creation and deepening of lasting friendships.

Individualized Feedback

We guarantee a ratio of 5::1 goalies to coaches or better. Every goalie deserves to receive individualized coaching points in every drill from each coach they work with. The whole point of this camp is for goalies to be coached on how to be a goalie! We make sure they get enough of that to last all year!!!

Goalie Friends

The goalkeepers who attend UDGKA camp come from all over the U.S., and sometimes from abroad. After six days in Goalieland, they have a new “home” and a new family of goalie friends. Everyone makes friends - the people who come without a friend actually make more friends than if they came with someone they knew! There is no such thing as home-sickness at this camp, and most goalies don’t want to leave at the end of the week!

Special Programing

Every year all of our programming gets reevaluated, revamped, or rewritten. The things we learned about the previous year’s camper experience is factored into our planning. We incorporate inspiration from scientific journals, major hockey events, coach collaborations, professional and personal development courses and experiences, and more. Each year we aim to bring even more awesomeness to our campers - as much quality as we can squeeze into our 120 hours together.

DAILY SCHEDULE

This is what a week at camp could look like…

Camp has grown and evolved over the years.

See where we started, who’s been part of the dream, and how we’ve made our favorite memories.

GALLERY - CAMP 2024

This was the year that it was so hot that we weren’t allowed to be on the turf. We pivoted every session, replanning the curriculum to fit an indoor space or a classroom. Due to being so busy reinventing camp on the spot, we didn’t get as many photos as we would have liked…

GALLERY - CAMP 2023

This was the first year we incorporated a staff demo station, which allows campers to observe college goalkeepers in action as part of their training sessions. Campers have an opportunity to see the skills they’re working on executed at a high level of proficiency and intensity.