Plight of the Beer Leaguer

So, I play goal in the beer leagues. It's a blast.

And on Wednesday, I leave to participate in the Lifetime Hockey summer camp for the third time in the last four years. Tom Bast and his crew of hockey savants from Red Deer, Alberta, put on one heckuva camp each summer in Minneapolis, MN (I'm from St. Paul, right across the river.)

Unlike other camps that feature a few former NHL stars and are heavy on reminiscing and light on actual work for the campers, Lifetime is a hockey camp for people who actually want to play hockey. It's geared towards adult, co-ed, no-check beginner to intermediate level hockey players. Played in college and a couple years in junior? This is not the camp for you. Enjoy lacing 'em up with the gang once a week at ungodly hours - but want to improve your game? This is your monastery.

It's actually a camp for skaters - we goalies are there to make the experience better (read: live targets) for them - and they just do a great job. There's dryland, video/chalk-talk, home made lunches, an up-tempo pace lead by laid back guys, and lots and lots of ice time. I think I'm on the ice for 5:30 on the first day. Yes, Alleve will be at a premium from day two on.

The experience engenders a staunch recidivism among the campers, and there are a lot of familiar faces each year.

I'll try to drop in with some updates along the way.

NiNY