For Stacey Bauman, former Yale University, East Coast Hockey League and Central Hockey League player, what Hockey Ministries International offers can be a life-changing experience.
Bauman will be one of several professional coaches in Williams Lake next week from Sunday, Aug. 14 to Friday, Aug. 19 when the Hockey Ministries International camp takes place at the Cariboo Memorial Complex and at Columneetza secondary.
“I never got to do the camp as a kid,” Bauman said. “But working these camps has been a life-changing experience. It’s something I always look forward to every summer.”
Bauman has instructed at more than 30 camps, and has been a part of HMI for the past 10 years.
“As a coach there’s nothing better than going to this camp in the summer.”
The Hockey Ministries International Camp combines faith and hockey instruction through on-ice training sessions, dry land workouts, power skating, puck handling, shooting and game sense, along with instruction from a biblical perspective on the game of hockey and life.
In addition, as an international camp, camp coaches select a different country each day as a theme to focus drills around.
“We’ll do chapels in the evening,” Bauman said. “Players will talk about their faith and how it affects their on-ice game and how they approach life. These are top-notch camps.”
Joining Bauman will be former Ottawa Senators captain Laurie Boschman, who attended last year’s Williams Lake HMI camp along with fellow NHLers Dean McAmmond and Ryan Walter.
Other pros who coach for HMI include David Booth, Eric Fehr, Mike Gartner, Darcy Hordichuk, John Vanbiesbrouk and Ryan Walter, to name a few.
Williams Lake HMI organizer Marnie Brenner said interested players can register up until Sunday morning, the day of the camp.
“It’s for all ages, all skills levels,” she said. “That’s what we really want to stress. It’s not an elite camp — it’s for everybody looking to learn to play hockey better.
“There’s definitely still room available for live-in and live-out players. We’ll be using the Columneetza dorms for the live-in kids.”
The camp includes all three meals each day, on-ice and dry land activities and lots of fun. “We have a dunk tank this year that we’re looking forward to using, as well as some other new evening activities.”
To register for the camp, or for more information, contact Keith or Marnie Brenner at 250-398-7870 or visit www.hockeyministries.org.