HOCKEY ZONES
Volume 20 No. 1 Issue #56
1st Quarter - 2024 Edition
Chad Labelle and
Bobby Zinkan

Tucker Hockey
Head Instructors for the Spring 3 on 3 Program
Get to know Bobby Zinkan and Chad Labelle, the Head Instructors for our upcoming Spring 3 on 3 Program. This dynamic duo are long time friends, teammates and now business owners!
You can also check out their individual Instructor Profiles below đź‘‡
New Spring Programs!
Tucker Hockey is excited to offer TWO new Hockey Development Programs for Spring 2024!

🏒 Elite Power Skating & Defensive Specific Skating Program of Excellence Program

Suitable for Players:

  • 2nd yr U11 Divs 2 - AAA (2014)
  • U13 Divs 4 - AAA (2012 - 2013)
  • U15 / U16 / U18 (2007 - 2011)

This is a specialized power skating program which focuses on specific forward skating and defensive / backward skating development skills.

  • The program is designed to help players acquire more S.A.M. (stability, agility & mobility) as well as enhance quickness and overall speed in their forward and backward skating. Note: Most skating drills performed without and later with a puck.

This curriculum consists of 4 key components:

1: Tactical / Game Skating (15%)
2: Forward Technical Skating (40%)
3: Backward Technical Skating (35%)
4: Resistance Training / Conditioning (10%)

This program runs Thursday nights for 8 sessions starting Thursday April 4, 2024.
🏒 Strategic Shooting, Offensive Tactics & Battles / Compete Program

Suitable for Players:

  • U13 - U15 (2010 - 2013)
  • U16 - U18 (2007 - 2009)

This program consists of a mix of strategic shooting, offensive tactics and battles / compete drills. The objective of this program is to elevate a player’s shooting & goal scoring ability. Yes, players love to score more goals!!

This curriculum consists of 3 key components:

1: Strategic Shooting (35%)
2: Offensive Tactics (40%)
3: Battles / Compete (25%)

This program runs Thursday nights for 8 sessions starting Thursday April 4, 2024.
A Special Visitor from New Zealand!
Tucker Hockey had a very special guest player join us during the Fall 2023 Hockey Development Season.

Marcus travelled all the way from New Zealand to join us for some “Canadian” hockey training!
Coach Rex's Corner

Consistent vs.
Reactive
Development

"We are what we repeatedly do - excellence then - is not an act - but a habit."
~Aristotle

Too often in hockey, players get cut from a desired team and do not reach their goals. Unfortunately, many players and parents realize too late that extra development was certainly needed to reach and play at this higher level of the game.

Over the years, Coach Rex has received many phone calls and emails from parents inquiring about extra skill development; mostly to improve their son’s or daughters skating ability after not making a certain team.

This is a reactive development approach.

Advancing up the hockey pyramid becomes more challenging and competitive at each higher level of play. Just because a player played U9 Division 1, there’s no guarantee he or she will play U11 Division 1 etc. Being a good skater at U9 may not be good enough for the U11 level!

Continuous growth is critical for long term player advancement.
The higher the goal the more effort, commitment of hours and “sweat equity” are required to achieve future success.

  • Train to Learn Fundamentals
  • Train to Compete
  • Train to Win
  • Train to Excel
  • Train to Master

If you want to get really good at anything in life you have to do the reps; unfortunately there are no shortcuts.
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard!
“There is no glory in practice, but WITHOUT PRACTICE there is no glory” – Unknown

We encourage players and parents to read more on this topic!
The Tucker Hockey Mission Statement:

Through The Tucker Hockey Way:

  • Instilling the love and passion for hockey

  • Being inclusive to all ages, background & skill levels

  • Improving hockey and life skills in a positive learning environment

  • Making a difference!

This is our Legacy of Values.
Tucker Hockey
Classic Awards


Quarterly Awards

Bradley Mersereau Memorial
Adult Award:

2024 Q1 Recipient
Paul Valentine

Read more on Paul HERE!


Danny Cammack Memorial
Minor Award:

2024 Q1 Recipient
Austin Meheriuk

Read more on Austin HERE!


Yearly Awards

David Mahoney On Ice Head Instructor Leadership Award

2023 Recipient
Mike Proudley

Read more on Mike HERE!


Lyle Hanna On Ice Assistant Instructor Memorial Award

2023 Recipient
Alannah Jensen


Ern Rideout On Ice Apprentice Instructor Memorial Award

2023 Recipient
Faith Greenough


We are very happy to acknowledge participants and instructors
who love the game as much
as we do through our
Tucker Hockey Classic Awards.
Bradley Mersereau Memorial Adult
Award Recipient

Paul Valentine
Paul has been an avid Tucker Hockey participant for over 16 years - attending at least 2 programs each year! He didn’t get to play growing up, so he is now making up for lost time.

The hockey community is no stranger to Paul. He has given back to it by coaching his kids hockey teams. Paul appreciates the impact hockey has had on his children teaching them sportsmanship, team building and learning how to win and lose.

Thank you Paul for being a Tucker Hockey "lifer" and congratulations on being awarded the Bradley Mersereau Memorial Award!
Tucker Hockey Offers Exceptional Value
Tucker Hockey is proud to offer exceptional value with our Hockey programs. We do this through:

Quality

  • Well Organized
  • Proven Coaching Methodology
  • Correction of skill - the right way
  • Consistent


Professional

  • Experienced
  • Care, connect, convey & convince players with out teaching / demo methods


Development

  • Get results
  • Challenge players
  • Inclusive
  • Instill the love of the game
  • Keep the FUN in learning


Environment

  • High tempo
  • Appropriate rest to work ratio
  • Players are NOT standing around & bored
  • Positive learning
  • Making a difference

Remember - Skating is KING!

Fundamentals are KEY to a skilled player!

Experience the
Tucker Hockey Difference TODAY!
Danny Cammack
2024 Q1
Memorial Minor
Award Recipient

Austin Meheriuk
Austin has been playing hockey since he was 3 years old. He played for the Glenlake U13 Div 2 team during the 2023 / 2024 hockey season.

Hockey has positively affected Austin's life because it keeps him active and help him pursue his love for sports!

We are trilled to have Austin and his siblings as part of the Tucker Hockey family and look forward to seeing them back on the ice soon!
Q1 2024 Poll Question
The 2024 NHL Playoffs Start Up Saturday April 20th - who will win the Stanley Cup?
Boston Bruins
Carolina Hurricanes
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Edmonton Oilers
Florida Panthers
Vancouver Canucks
Vegas Golden Knights
Winnipeg Jets
Other
Results from Q4 2023 Poll
Who will take the Gold in the Circle K Classic (formerly Mac's Midget World Invitational)?

Results from the poll:

Calgary Buffaloes - 11.8 %

Edge - 11.8 %

Calgary NW Flames - 10.3 %

Calgary Royals - 10.3 %

SAHA - 10.3 %

Other - 10.3 %

Calgary Northstars - 8.8 %

Northern Alberta Xtreme - 8.8 %

Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers - 8.8 %

Rink Kelowna - 8.8 %

Tournament Results:

Shattuck St. Mary's beat the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 3-0 at Max Bell Centre to win the 2024 Circle K Classic.

Congratulations Shattuck St Mary's!

Honourable Mentions:

"B" Division Champions
  • Yale Hockey Academy

"C" Division Champions
  • Detroit Victory Honda

"D" Division Champions
  • Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue
Don't Miss out on Calgary's Premier Hockey Development this Spring!
Spring group programs are available for registration now, however registration deadlines are as early as MONDAY APRIL 1, 2024.

Don't Delay -
Register TODAY!
Minor
Minor spring programs start as early as Thursday April 4th, 2024.
MINOR SPRING
GROUP PROGRAMS

  • Dynamic Power Skating & Creative Puck Control
  • Dynamic Power Skating & Hockey Development
  • Elite Power Skating & Defensive Specific Skating
  • Evasive Skating / Puck Control & Battles / Compete
  • Intro to Hockey & Power Skating
  • Strategic Shooting & Offensive Tactics & Battles / Compete

MINOR SPRING 3 on 3

  • Group 1 - 2nd yr U11 - 1st yr U15
  • Group 2 - 2nd yr U15 - U18
Adult
Adult spring group programs start as early as Thursday April 4th, 2024.
  • Adult Spring Specialty Skills
  • Adult Spring Technical Skills / Fundamentals
Looking forward to seeing you at the rink in 2024!
Upcoming 2024
IIHF Schedules
Utica, New York will be hosting the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship Tournament that runs from Wednesday April 3, to Sunday April 14, 2024!

Pool A:

  • Canada
  • Czechia
  • Finland
  • Switzerland
  • United States

Pool B:

  • China
  • Denmark
  • Germany
  • Japan
  • Sweden
Canada's Men's Hockey Team will be competing against the "best of the best" in the upcoming IIHF Men's World Championship. The world renowned hockey tournament will be hosted in Czechia and will feature the following teams:

Pool A:

  • Austria
  • Canada
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Great Britain
  • Norway
  • Switzerland

Pool B:

  • Frence
  • Germany
  • Kazakhstan
  • Latvia
  • Poland
  • Slovakia
  • Sweden
  • United States

The action starts on Friday May 10th and runs until Sunday May 26th, 2024!
2024 Summer
Hockey Development
Summer Hockey Development is just around the corner and we know that some people are already thinking about what they or their child will be doing this spring.

We offer many Minor group programs for ages U7 - U18 and 2 exceptional Adult programs. You can view our summer programming by clicking the links below:

🏒🏒🏒🏒
Customer Testimonials
Adult Group
Program Testimonial

"Absolutely LOVED the adult programs with Tucker (Fundamentals & Advanced Technical). I learned SO MUCH and had a huge appreciation for the learning environment.

I have never played organized hockey, but saw it as a unique challenge to learn a completely new skill as an adult. I can't thank you enough for helping develop my on ice skills, but I am also very grateful for the honest feedback and confidence that comes from the repetitions and learning.
I will definitely be back in another program!"

~ Miki K.


Minor Group
Program Testimonial

“Tucker Hockey truly has the best program and we’ll be back next year. All the Coaching staff are beyond remarkable to teach any age and combination of ages in groups like power skating.

I wanted to reach out today to say give a shout out to Korwin, what incredible mentor. All week he’s gone the extra mile with Gavin and today blew me away. He pushed Gavin remarkably well to the point Gavin called me over to say he couldn’t do dryland this evening in Strathmore. The technique Gavin left the ice with tonight was a huge thanks to your team and to Korwin who worked a lot with Gavin.

I could see many parents smiling while they all had fun. That’s what hockey is about, having fun and learning. Thank you.”

~ Claudette T., Mother to Gavin
Tucker Hockey is
going International
and we want
YOU to join us!!
Plans for a 2025 European Adult Hockey Tour have started. You can view more details by clicking the link below:
If you have further questions or if you would like to to place your name on the list for an experience of a lifetime email programs@tuckerhockey.com
HOCKEY ZONES
______________________

Tucker Hockey's Official E-Newsletter Reinforcing Hockey's Positives to All Ages!

4 quarterly editions published per year:

  • Winter / Q1
  • Spring / Q2
  • Summer / Q3
  • Fall / Q4

Managing Editor: Rex Tucker
Publisher: Candace DiGiacomo
Layout & Design: Candace DiGiacomo
Official Photographer: Terence Leung
Contributing Writers:
  • Rex Tucker
  • Candace DiGiacomo
Any day is a good day for hockey!
ice hockey player in action kicking with stick
Tucker Hockey
(403) 998 - 5035
programs@tuckerhockey.com
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