Camps or Private/Semi private sessions. This is a question that gets asked a lot. Camps are more economical from a financial standpoint, sure! But is your child getting what he or she needs from the camp. Private sessions are expensive for sure but is it beneficial?
Of course It depends on what your goals are and how serious you are about getting the right training for your child. Couple of questions you should ask yourself, what does my child need? Does my child need proper technique to become more of an efficient skater, puck handler or shooter? What is it that my child is struggling with? maybe its just a specific skill they need more work on. Does my child need more conditioning or team based practices? or does he or she have the skill and need just need additional practice?
All good questions, but which way should you go? Camp or private sessions? There is no wrong answer both will benefit your child, the more ice time and practice they get the better they will become right? The answer is yes and no. Yes they will improve over time, but how fast will they improve with generic cookie cutter drills designed for the whole group rather than specifically for your child. The speed at which they will develop would be significantly slower when not shown the proper techniques. Lets be honest with only 3 or 4 coaches on the ice can they get around to all 25 kids on the ice? Maybe, but how much time can they spend showing each kid the right way of doing things? 2 maybe 3 min an ice time? about the same amount of time they will touch a puck in a game if they are lucky. This is how bad habits start to form.
Having a good understanding and proper skills training leads to an excelled rate of learning, good training habits and improvement. You know that saying you get what you pay for? Well It's true. Sure camps are cheaper but these days with the player to coach ratio being pretty low due to the amount of kids playing hockey (just like most classrooms), is your child getting what they need to further their rate of improvement?
Just like anything in life. You get what you put into it. You could spend the same amount of money on camps all summer and have a hundred hours of ice repeating the same improper techniques seeing some improvement or you can spend less time learning the proper way and benefit more from camps once proper techniques can be consistently implemented. Only then more time on the ice becomes an asset.
Of course everyone has their opinions, but when it comes down to spending the money, you have to look at how much work your child is willing to put into it, how much they enjoy it, do they enjoy the coaching, or are they being discouraged by coaches yelling at them rather than explaining things to them.
From experience being yelled at teaches nothing especially when you don't know what your doing wrong, having a reason behind what your trying to explain teaches knowledge and understanding making hockey and learning that much more enjoyable and that's what separates Maxx Force Hockey from the rest, our unique teaching methods and techniques are proven to benefit your child's understanding to improving a specific skill or overall game.
