Hockey training facility opens in Airdrie
A new Airdrie venture is helping minor hockey players maximize their training and playing potential.
Maximum Performance Hockey (MPH) recently opened a brand new, indoor hockey training facility, located on Airdrie’s east side, and held its grand opening Aug. 26.
The program is run by Jason Pisarczyk, president and co-owner of MPH. Pisarczyk has coached with Airdrie Minor Hockey since 2009 and instructed at summer, conditioning and power-skating camps across the province. He said he opened the facility in order to accommodate the growing number of hockey players in Airdrie and the lack of ice sheets available.
“The kids are getting only one practise a week (in Airdrie),” he said.
“Kids are falling short because of a lack of ice time. We saw an opportunity when they can get one-on-one training.”
Pisarczyk is joined by Kyle Bruce, MPH’s head trainer. Bruce has previously trained with Hockey Canada as well as other major junior, collegiate and minor hockey associations. The two are aiming to help players improve their basic hockey skills through a number of technologically advanced tools.
The facility houses a 1,200-square-foot synthetic ice surface and electronic pressure sensitive nets which offers 10 different shooting-target programs. Pisarczyk said the new technology helps the players work on basic shooting, skating and puck-handling skills on an individual basis.
“With the one-on-one training we can analyze stride technique and correct everything we can to create power and speed,” he said. “It’s about attacking those very important skills that typically, within minor hockey, they don’t necessarily work specifically on those areas.
“There are a lot of ice products that don’t react like real ice. You can stand on it, but it’s hard to skate on. You can’t slide, stop or skate backwards on older products. This is the latest product. It’s as close as you can get (to real ice).”
MPH is opening a second facility in Calgary in conjunction with Stride Fitness, but Pisarczyk said it was important to him and Bruce to open a facility in Airdrie.
“We wanted to open one here in Airdrie because we’re both from here,” he said. “So far the response has been really good. Summertime is a bit of a tougher sell because everyone’s on holidays, but we expect September to be quite busy.”
The program already has 162 minor hockey players registered for the once-a-week training. The cost is $30 per hour per athlete and the players are separated into groups of four for individual instruction. For more information, contact info@maximumperformancehockey.ca
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