perhaps the two top players in the WHL – Patrick and Brooks – will also be working out with Decker and Wood at the new Canada Games Sport for Life Centre, you know it’ s already a special training centre.“ This place is going to be amazing,” Shinnimin said.“ Decker has been talking about it for the last couple of years and it’ s definitely going to be great and I’ m really excited.” Indeed. Decker can’ t help himself. He’ s just as excited – if not more excited – for the Grand Opening than the players who will benefit most from its presence.“ The Sport for Life Performance Centre will offer truly elite-level services-- services that few other facilities in the country will offer their athletes,” said Decker, the Senior Manager of Athlete Development.“ Our athletes receive on- and off-ice training and testing, skill development with J. P. Vigier, customized meal plans, complete sport medicine assessments, sport psychology sessions, and individualized monthly training programs.
“ Our training group includes a fantastic mix of Junior players, upand-coming professionals and seasoned professionals from North America and Europe.” The High Performance Hockey Program, which will be held on-ice at Southdale Arena and Seven Oaks Sportsplex, will be split into six groups: Professional, Junior / College( WHL), Elite Female( National / College / AAA), Midget AAA, Bantam AAA, Peewee AA. Each athlete in
these groups will be elite level athletes with a drive and determination to be the best. The athlete-tocoach ratio will be four athletes to one coach off-ice and five athletes to one coach on ice. There will be a full performance assessment at the beginning and end of the program, which includes onice testing for speed, agility and change of direction with and without the puck. Off-ice testing includes: body composition, strength, speed, power, agility, quickness and endurance along with movement screens to develop individualized training programs for each athlete.“ This place will be awesome” said Wood, who has more than 20 years of athlete training experience.“ We have a great team of coaches, top of the line equipment and a fantastic new training centre. We believe this will be the best training facility in the province. Our programs will use the latest in technology while focusing on doing the basics well, day after day. It’ s going to be exciting.” Indeed. The new Canada Games Sport for Life Centre is slated to open in June of 2017. n
2017 CHAMPIONS EDITION GAME ON 91