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
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