Battleford North Stars training camp in 2019. (Submitted photo/ Travis Harrington)

By Nicole Reis

YOUTH GOALIE TRAINING

Meadow Lake youth offered one-on-one hockey training through passionate coaches

Jun 17, 2020 | 9:36 AM

Young hockey athletes in the surrounding areas of Meadow Lake have an opportunity to have one-on-one training sessions with accomplished hockey players in the community.

Clay Debray, manager with Pineridge Ford Place Arena and Snipe and Celly Pro-shop, has partnered with long-time goalie coach Travis Harrington to offer hockey training camp and goaltending training at the arena located on Flying Dust First Nation. He brings forth a wealth of teaching and training experience and is extending his expertise to community youth.

“I’m structuring programming in a very different way than I ever have,” he said. “There’s a larger area but a smaller market in the northwest. All group and private sessions, there is not more of two goalies and a max of five people on the ice at a time with private lessons.”

Harrington is currently a teacher with Carpenter High School and has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching youth. During his hockey career, he played for the senior team, both Broncos and Stampeders teams and has also played Midget AAA for the Beardy Blackhawks, Junior A hockey in the BCHL, as well as university hockey. Harrington spent recent summers training youth in Saskatoon, but has decided to focus his efforts locally.

“There’s some tremendous people in general in the northwest and in Meadow Lake and even when I moved away from Meadow Lake, I’ve kept close ties and there are some really talented goal tenders and players who deserve to continue to learn and continue to develop,” he said.

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Some youth in the community may be at the stage where they are able to play AA hockey and more advanced Elite hockey away from the city. For those who want to pursue Elite hockey, Harrington says they can get top end development through him.

“I have a long track record as a goalie coach and for those who are not interested in playing Midget, AAA, junior or college pro, they can still improve their game and become the best they can at whatever levels they choose to play,” he said.

Beginning June 16, he is offering one of four private training sessions focused on youth of various skill levels to continue with their development and continue to get extra work in the off season compared to some living in the city. Harrington plans to expand private camps soon to be determined at a later date.

“Im really excited to be partner in with Clay Debray at Pineridge Ford Place and the Snipe and Celly Pro Shop. We’ve got an agreement that could be mutually beneficial for a long time and I’m excited to see ice available all year round in the northwest,” he said.

Two-time Stanley Cup winner Dwight King trained youth with Battleford’s North Stars player Dylan Esau during the afternoon camp. Debray is also running his own skills camp training with over 147 kids enrolled. He said he regrettably turned some away as his classes are at capacity and he is aiming to follow provincial reopen guidelines. He added his partnership with Harrington has the potential to be long term. His operation expanded to include Emberstone Fusion Kitchen which opened in March.

“What we’re doing here as a facility is we’re going to be building an expansion in the near future which will involve an indoor training facility,” he said. “We could be doing hockey year-round as our ice will be staying in.”

During the pandemic, Debray said not just youth but parents were looking for ways to keep kids active and interacting with their peers.

“That’s the biggest thing, is to get kids active and looking after their mental and physical wellbeing,” he said. “We want to become the northwest’s training facility and that’s important for looking after their mental and physical wellbeing.”

Spots are still available for both male and female players. Those interested should contact Travis Harrington for bookings at 1-306-227-0184.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722