The players and their coaches took spent three days and two nights following an intense regime of on ice training, team building exercises, and fun. Lots and lots of fun.
Ice hockey players get their skates on as they attend a summer camping trip.Organised by the Hong Kong Academy of Ice Hockey, the 2016 Mission Hills Ice Hockey Summer Camp was successfully held from July 25 to 27 at Mission Hills, Shenzhen. Set over the course three days and two nights, a total of 22 U12 players along with three coaches attended the ice hockey summer camp. New team building activities were added to the timetable to allow players to have a more well-rounded experience at the camp, and activities included golfing, shooting activity and a water park experience.
Camp participants got the chance to impress the coaches with their ability to look after themselves and their independence - impressive, seeing as the attending players were aged between seven and 12. All the players were able to digest and perform tasks assigned by the coach team and were able to put on full ice hockey gear by themselves.
Owing to the short duration of the camp, the coach team arranged an intense itinerary for the players. Players had a minimum of one two-hour training session on the ice each day. The second day seemed to be the most physically exhausting for the players, with a two-hour on ice session in the morning, and team building activities, shooting games and a water park experience in the afternoon. This was followed by dinner, after which players had another two-hour on ice session to conclude the day.
Ricky Chan, the goalie of the Yan Oi Tong Tin Ka Ping Primary School Team, which participates in the Hong Kong School Ice Hockey League, is glad that he joined the HKAIH ice hockey summer camp this year. “Through the camp, I was able to enhance my self-care ability and self-discipline; I also gained more experience in how to build positive teamwork. All the players got along really well and I have made many new ice hockey friends whom I will keep in touch with. The ice hockey summer camp left many great memories for me.”
Raphael Lee liked challenging himself through the camp. “Everyone was responsible for their own hockey gear, and it was a good opportunity to show that I’m capable of taking care of myself on my own!" He added, "The team building activities were also a lot of fun which the whole team enjoyed very much.”
Arthur Cheung, one of the coaches for this camp, recalls, “We went through many new experiences as a team, the players not only strengthened their ice hockey skills through the training sessions, but also learned how to co-ordinate with other team members and to build up the teamwork. Everyone gave their best at the camp, which made it a great experience for both the players and the coach team.”
Dr. Ken Chu, National Committee Member of CPPCC and CEO & Chairman of Mission Hills Group, thanks the Hong Kong Academy of Ice Hockey for choosing Mission Hills for their camp and looks forward to their next visit. Dr. Chu also expresses the importance of exercising from an early age, and the physical and mental development it brings for youths in Hong Kong. Mission Hills Group is happy to provide quality premises for sports training, and wishes all the players to have an enjoyable and memorable summer.