Okay, so I finally decided to sign up for the Erik Nates Hockey Camp. I’d heard good things, and honestly, my slap shot needed some serious work. It was time to stop dreaming and start doing.
Getting Started
First things first, I dug out all my gear. You know, the usual stuff – skates, helmet, pads, the whole nine yards. Made sure everything still fit and wasn’t, like, falling apart. It’s a wonder everything still worked and fit just perfectly.
The Drills
The camp itself? Intense. We started with some basic skating drills. I focused on keeping my balance, and making sure the blades of the skates stayed firmly rooted on the ice. We then moved on to puck handling – weaving through cones, quick passes, that kind of thing. My stick-handling felt a little clumsy at first, but I started to get the hang of it.
Then came the shooting drills. This is what I was really here for. Coach Nates had us working on wrist shots, snap shots, and of course, the dreaded slap shot. He broke it down into steps – the wind-up, the swing, the follow-through. It’s way more technical than I realized.
- Wind-up: Get that stick back, but not too far.
- Swing: Use your whole body, not just your arms.
- Follow-through: Point the stick where you want the puck to go. Keep low.
My First Try
My first few attempts were… rough. Pucks flying everywhere, mostly not near the net. But Coach Nates was patient. He kept giving me pointers, adjusting my grip, showing me how to shift my weight. I began to get my balance, and with a few more tries, I started to get the puck going where I wanted it to.
Putting it all Together
After a few hours of drills, we moved on to a scrimmage. It was a chance to put everything we’d learned into practice. I was nervous, but also excited. I managed to get a few decent shots off, even one that almost went in! Still missed the slap shot, though. Baby steps.
The Wrap-up
By the end of the day, I was exhausted, but in a good way. My legs were burning, my hands were sore, but I felt like I’d actually accomplished something. I mean it felt good. I still have a long way to go, but the Erik Nates Hockey Camp definitely gave me a solid foundation. I signed up for more sessions. Now, it’s all about practice, practice, practice.
