CHIPPEWA FALLS — It may be the middle of summer — with actually below-average temperatures for this time of year — outside, but inside the Chippewa Area Ice Arena, it’s the perfect climate to play hockey.
Having recently completed two camps where the Chippewa Steel — or even NHL — players of tomorrow can both learn and master their game, the local North American Hockey League (NAHL) team has another camp and also a positional clinic planned for next week.
All three camps are not only an extension of what the Steel does for the community in the summer months, but they are key events that encourage those who love the game to not only sharpen their skills on the ice, but also allow them to interact with star players and coaches who can help them improve their game as they prepare for the various area 2024-25 hockey seasons.
The team’s goalie and futures camps were held earlier this month and were deemed a success by those who helped organize them. A positional clinic is set for next week, as well as the annual Chippewa Steel main camp.
The main camp is set for Aug. 1-4 for those who were born between the years 2004 and 2008. Cost of the camp is $425. The positional clinic for forwards and defensemen is set in between the main camp on Aug. 2 and 3 for those born between 2009 and 2012. Limited spots are left and girls are welcome to participate in the clinic, which costs $125 to attend.
As part of the main camp, the Steel will stage an All-Star game on Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. and the general public is welcome to attend.
In explaining the exact breakdown of the positional clinic, Steel President Cory Hunt said the Steel intentionally limit the number of participants for to allows those who are attending to get the maximum experience that will benefit their game in the long run.
“(The) positional camp will break down the little details of the forward and defense position in all three zones and game situations. Things that need to be included in their game in order to be successful. We are keeping numbers small to provide a ton of feedback and allow players to ask questions. This will really allow the player to focus on how their position breaks down which is something that can be glanced over or not get the needed attention to detail in a team practice. We are nearly full for defense and have a handful of forward spots left,” Hunt told the Leader-Telegram in an exclusive interview.
Those boys and girls interested in attending the clinic can find additional information and the registration link under the team’s Programs at jrsteelhockey.com
Hunt said that the recent goalie camp had 20 attendees and the futures camp had 60.
In addition to Hunt, those who were representing the Steel at the camps were head coach/general manager Chris Ratzloff, and associate head coach Steve Dougherty. Both current Steel players and tenders coached their teams — Mason Johnson (Tender — Chi-Hi), Mason Peapenburg (Chippewa Steel/Wisconsin commit), Sam Schulte (Mounds View High School — Minnesota) and Hunter Friedrich (Northstar Christian Academy/Chippewa Steel)
Hunt broke down the key things that are stressed during each individual camp.
“(The) goalie camp focuses on skating, goalie fundamentals and what it takes to be a goalie at the NAHL level,” Hunt said, adding that the “futures camp focused on executing plays in a small area with no time/room, tournament style competition, and personalized feedback both at practice, in-game and post camp on improvements to play at the next level.”
Both camps had a junior hockey presentation with questions and answers for the players and families attending.
As to what he thought the players who attended the camps took away from their experience, Hunt mentioned several key things.
“The skill, pace and micro details to be successful to play in the NAHL. Also, the opportunity to have personal conversations with our staff and with our players who were once in their shoes,” Hunt noted.
While Hunt hopes that some of those players who attended the camps may, indeed, one day don a Steel sweater, that hasn’t happened yet. The president does feel that will eventually occur, though.
“We aren’t quite there yet, timing wise for that to happen. I would expect for the 25-26 season we would start seeing that. The oldest players to attend these were 2007’s a couple years ago and we won’t see a good amount of that age group in the NAHL for one-to-two more years,” Hunt explained.
For more information on the Steel’s upcoming clinic/camp go to their Facebook page at Chippewa Steel Hockey.
Steel looking for Billet families for upcoming seasonWith the Steel’s 2024-25 campaign on ice now less than two months away now, the team is looking for Billet families to host out-of-town players for the season.
Hosting, or “billeting,” a player is a hockey tradition. From youth players in Canada to junior players in the United States to the AHL and the NHL, billeting has helped many young athletes get acclimated to their new cities, schools, and teams. A billet family is a host family where a player lives during the season. It’s the player’s home away from home.
Host families receive a monthly stipend to offset some of the typical expenses incurred while hosting. Most billet families will likely say, though, that the real benefit to being a host family is the satisfaction in impacting someone’s life in such a positive way and, of course, the lasting relationships formed with these young players and their families.
For more info: https://www.chippewasteelhockey.com/become-a-host-family/ or reach out to our Billet Coordinator Kristin Haats at haatsbillet@gmail.com
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