Bulldogs youngsters learn fast at Summer Hockey School

Kirsten Deighton and her fellow coaches address the youngsters on day two of the Summer Hockey School. Picture courtesy of Adam Lee.

HEAD COACH Andy Brown declared Bradford Bulldogs’ latest Summer Hockey School a resounding success after putting 36 of the club’s youngsters through their paces. 

The week-long hockey camp at Bradford Ice Arena enabled players from the Under-10s through to Under-14s the opportunity to develop their skills across a hectic week of activity.

As well as just over 20 hours of ice time, the kids spent around five hours in gym-related off-ice activities, as well as three hours of hockey classroom.

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Youngsters get put through their paces during the Bulldogs' Summer Hockey School at Bradford Ice Arena. Pictures courtesy of Adam Lee.

Including Brown, there were 12 coaches - including former players Kieran Brown, Jordan Griffin and Harrison Walker - on hand to guide the players through the gruelling process, perfectly-timed with the 2022-23 season just over a month away for all of the club’s junior teams.

“It was great to see so many of our youngsters take up the opportunity to come to the hockey school,” said Brown. “With it being such an intense week, you always see a big improvement in all of the kids’ hockey skills and all-round development.

“It’s not just about what happens on the ice, though, we’re also trying to improve their all-round fitness and hockey awareness with the off-ice programmes we put in place. But we try to make it a lot of fun for the kids, too, because it is a long week, compared to what they are used to with our usual weekly practice sessions on a Wednesday.

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Bulldogs' youngsters benefitted from coaching both on and off the ice throughout the week. Pictures: Adam Lee and Bulldogs Media.

“There is a lot of effort that goes into organising and running the hockey schools, both on and off the ice and I just want to thank the coaches as well as all the off-ice volunteers - particularly those who fed us all week - for their efforts.”

Bradford Bulldogs run teams at Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 age groups. They also have a seniors team which plays in the NIHL National North Two Division. 

The club are always looking for new players and run a beginners’ session for youngsters every Wednesday from 5.30pm to 6.15pm, costing £5. For more information, head to https://www.bradfordbulldogs.co.uk/beginners/

ONE TEAM: Players and coaches pose for the official Hockey School photo near the end of a gruelling, long week for all.