thedrifter
10-14-05, 11:14 AM
Marine uses Corps techniques to train hockey players
New York City Public Affairs
Story by Cpl. Lameen Witter
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Oct. 12, 2005) -- Marine Corps cadence broke the pristine peace and quiet of Lake Placid as the New York Apple Core’s Future Stars Junior “C” minor team recently hustled down the town’s main road for Boot Camp Hockey.
Maj. Dave Andersen, an active-duty Marine, part time junior hockey league coach, and founder of the week-long hockey intensive known as Boot Camp Hockey, said he drew his inspiration for the program from his years as a Basic School instructor at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
Having played hockey all his life, Andersen began to see similarities between the demands of hockey and that of the Marine Corps.
“I just took the leadership techniques and principles I have been studying for the past 19-plus years and put it into a school format that all pointed back to hockey,” said Andersen. “I then developed an ‘operations and logistics’ plan to support the concept and it was born. With my experience, it actually came natural.”
As Andersen cultivated his idea, he borrowed a concept from Officer’s Candidate School and The Basic School where the students actually run the school on their own as they are supervised by the staff and then critiqued by their peers. Andersen then further intensified his program by making the training as physically demanding as possible while still focusing on the fundamentals of honor, courage, and commitment.
“I force responsibility on the student athletes by having them run everything,” said Andersen. “They are supervised and through many different techniques, they come out better leaders. They learn a lot about themselves and then receive counseling on how they can improve certain aspects of their leadership – most have never had this much responsibility!”
Andersen, having established a relationship with Lake Placid’s Olympic venues, unleashed his hockey intensive at the Olympic Training Center and the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. Trying to invoke the spirit of America’s gold medal winning Hockey team of 1980, Andersen felt his decision would be inspirational to his athletes and hopefully create their own “miracle on ice.”
“The relationship is unique, but it goes hand-in-hand with my message,” said Andersen. “I let them know that where we literally stand is where the greatest sport’s miracle of our century was accomplished by athletes not much different from them – and that they have it in them as well.”
Andersen’s Boot Camp Hockey continues to take shape. Mike Gestone, one of Andersen’s student athletes, can already see how Boot Camp Hockey has enhanced his ability as a hockey athlete.
Gestone recently felt the pressure during a tournament in Montreal. The team was faced with a 2-2 tie, but the training they recieved from Andersen help them overcome their challenges.
"It’s sort of like Coach Andersen says, 'hockey is like a battle in war,'" said Gestone.
Now, nearing retirement in the Marine Corps, Andersen turns his attention further to the future of his hockey program.
“I recently reached an agreement with the State University of New York at Morrisville, just south of Syracuse, to run the camp full time next summer. The plan is for about 5-8 weeks, and I will have the camp for ages 12 and up,” said Andersen.
Andersen is also currently looking for Marines who will be free next summer to “drill” his hockey recruits. Candidates need to have a quality hockey background, such as college or junior “A” experience and be free for the entire summer. Andersen will be accepting applicants until May 2006.
Those interested can email Andersen at Andersendc@hqmc.usmc.mil. For more information on Boot Camp Hockey visit www.bootcamphockey.com.
Ellie
New York City Public Affairs
Story by Cpl. Lameen Witter
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Oct. 12, 2005) -- Marine Corps cadence broke the pristine peace and quiet of Lake Placid as the New York Apple Core’s Future Stars Junior “C” minor team recently hustled down the town’s main road for Boot Camp Hockey.
Maj. Dave Andersen, an active-duty Marine, part time junior hockey league coach, and founder of the week-long hockey intensive known as Boot Camp Hockey, said he drew his inspiration for the program from his years as a Basic School instructor at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
Having played hockey all his life, Andersen began to see similarities between the demands of hockey and that of the Marine Corps.
“I just took the leadership techniques and principles I have been studying for the past 19-plus years and put it into a school format that all pointed back to hockey,” said Andersen. “I then developed an ‘operations and logistics’ plan to support the concept and it was born. With my experience, it actually came natural.”
As Andersen cultivated his idea, he borrowed a concept from Officer’s Candidate School and The Basic School where the students actually run the school on their own as they are supervised by the staff and then critiqued by their peers. Andersen then further intensified his program by making the training as physically demanding as possible while still focusing on the fundamentals of honor, courage, and commitment.
“I force responsibility on the student athletes by having them run everything,” said Andersen. “They are supervised and through many different techniques, they come out better leaders. They learn a lot about themselves and then receive counseling on how they can improve certain aspects of their leadership – most have never had this much responsibility!”
Andersen, having established a relationship with Lake Placid’s Olympic venues, unleashed his hockey intensive at the Olympic Training Center and the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. Trying to invoke the spirit of America’s gold medal winning Hockey team of 1980, Andersen felt his decision would be inspirational to his athletes and hopefully create their own “miracle on ice.”
“The relationship is unique, but it goes hand-in-hand with my message,” said Andersen. “I let them know that where we literally stand is where the greatest sport’s miracle of our century was accomplished by athletes not much different from them – and that they have it in them as well.”
Andersen’s Boot Camp Hockey continues to take shape. Mike Gestone, one of Andersen’s student athletes, can already see how Boot Camp Hockey has enhanced his ability as a hockey athlete.
Gestone recently felt the pressure during a tournament in Montreal. The team was faced with a 2-2 tie, but the training they recieved from Andersen help them overcome their challenges.
"It’s sort of like Coach Andersen says, 'hockey is like a battle in war,'" said Gestone.
Now, nearing retirement in the Marine Corps, Andersen turns his attention further to the future of his hockey program.
“I recently reached an agreement with the State University of New York at Morrisville, just south of Syracuse, to run the camp full time next summer. The plan is for about 5-8 weeks, and I will have the camp for ages 12 and up,” said Andersen.
Andersen is also currently looking for Marines who will be free next summer to “drill” his hockey recruits. Candidates need to have a quality hockey background, such as college or junior “A” experience and be free for the entire summer. Andersen will be accepting applicants until May 2006.
Those interested can email Andersen at Andersendc@hqmc.usmc.mil. For more information on Boot Camp Hockey visit www.bootcamphockey.com.
Ellie