Ice Puffins is a new recreational summer hockey program for girls, designed to blend fun, skill development, and game play in an engaging and supportive environment.

Our sessions include a mix of skating and puck-handling games, and different forms of hockey play, helping kids develop confidence on the ice while having a blast.

With a "fun first" approach to hockey, we aim to ignite a love for the game while building the kids' self-confidence, athleticism, and physical competence.

Here's how we achieve this:

Age-Appropriate Environment - Traditional hockey drills can be boring for young players. That’s why we create a fun environment, making sure that learning is engaging and enjoyable. When it's time to play, we use cross-ice hockey, allowing the kids to play in a space that’s perfectly suited for their age and skill level (promoting more touches, faster decision-making, and greater overall enjoyment.)

Competence - A love for the game often stems from feeling competent and successful. We create environments where kids can improve their skills and experience success on the ice (e.g., using multiple pucks to allow for more goals, reducing the playing area to increase opportunities for engagement, and grouping kids by skill level to maintain balanced play).

Autonomy - We empower kids by giving them a say in their activities and incorporating free playtime on the ice. When children feel in control of their experience, they become more self-determined and motivated to participate.

Community - We focus on fostering a strong sense of belonging among our players. With smaller group sizes, kids can form meaningful connections with their peers and coaches. Our coaches make a concerted effort to connect with each child, ensuring they feel comfortable and supported on the ice.

Ice Puffins is for girls who can skate independently and are excited to play hockey—whether they’re brand new to the sport or already have some experience. No prior hockey experience is required, and players will be grouped based on skill level to ensure a fun and supportive environment for everyone.

Beginner Group: For players who have some experience skating but are still developing their stability and control. This includes those who can move forward on their own but may still be wobbly or unsteady. Players in this group may struggle with turning and stopping and have little to no experience handling a hockey stick. This group is not for brand-new skaters who are still learning to skate independently.

Experienced Group: For players who have developed some confidence on the ice and are continuing to build their skills. This includes those who can skate forward, turn, and stop with some control, even if they’re still refining their technique. Players in this group can skate with a hockey stick and have some experience handling a puck, but they are still in the early stages of building their overall hockey skills.

This is not a high-intensity skill development program. Instead, Ice Puffins is all about fun, creativity, and fostering a love for the game through engaging games, skill-building activities, and hockey play in a low-pressure setting. Our focus is on confidence, friendships, and enjoyment on the ice!

Research shows that when kids genuinely enjoy physical activity, they become more intrinsically motivated, leading to higher engagement and better skill development. This heightened engagement not only improves their abilities but also fosters a lasting positive attitude toward the sport.

That's why we take a different approach at ADG. Instead of traditional drills, our sessions are centered around games and activities that keep kids smiling, laughing, and having fun from start to finish. Our goal is to create an environment where kids genuinely enjoy their experience, fostering a love for the sport that keeps them excited to return week after week. While we do demonstrate and incorporate basic skills and techniques within these games, much of the learning happens organically through play and experimentation.

To give you an idea, here's a look at a 5/6 year-old beginner group in the ADG winter program:

We play a variety of hockey games designed to be fun, engaging, and developmentally appropriate for this age group. While our games don’t always look like a traditional hockey game, they are intentionally structured to help players develop their skating, puck-handling, and teamwork in a way that keeps them actively involved and excited to play.

To make the game more age-appropriate and enjoyable, we often adjust the number of pucks, modify the playing area, or introduce creative formats that encourage participation from all players—not just the most experienced ones.

Examples of Our Game Formats:

3-Puck Hockey – A favourite among beginners, this game starts with three pucks on the ice instead of one. Every time a puck is scored, it’s removed from play until only one remains, at which point the game continues in a standard hockey format. This setup creates more opportunities for players to engage with the puck, increases scoring chances for everyone, and prevents the game from being dominated by just a few players—something that often happens in traditional youth hockey games.

Scoreboard Hockey – In this game, kids earn a chance to play the "scoreboard" mini-game by scoring a goal or receiving a coach’s tap for positive play—whether it's making a great pass, hustling, celebrating a teammate’s effort, or showing good sportsmanship. The scoreboard itself is a fun side challenge where players can earn points for their team. This unique twist keeps everyone engaged, rewarding effort and teamwork beyond just goal-scoring, making every player feel involved and motivated.

Every game we play has a purpose beyond just fun—whether it’s improving confidence with the puck, encouraging teamwork, or helping players fall in love with the game in a supportive, low-pressure environment.

Full hockey gear, including a neck guard, is mandatory. For quality used children's equipment, Herm's Sports is an excellent resource. If you have any questions about equipment, please feel free to contact me—I'm here to help!

The cost is $180 + HST, and full payment is required to secure a spot. After registering, your spot will be held for up to three weeks while awaiting payment. Cash and eTransfers are the preferred payment methods. Credit card payments are accepted (with a 3% processing fee).

Spots are limited in our first year, and the experienced group is currently full, but we have a waitlist available for those interested. If a spot opens up, we’ll reach out to families on the list in order.

We’re also exploring Free Play sessions in May for experienced players, so if your child is interested, we encourage you to sign up for the waitlist to stay informed about upcoming opportunities.

Who is the Experienced Group for?

This group is designed for players who have developed some confidence on the ice and are continuing to build their skills. This includes those who can skate forward, turn, and stop with some control, even if they’re still refining their technique. Players in this group can skate with a hockey stick and have some experience handling a puck, but they are still in the early stages of building their overall hockey skills.

Each session will be run by myself (Kevin) and a few helper coaches. I have recently completed the "Coach 1 - Intro to Coach " with Hockey Canada, along with their "Respect in Sport" and "Gender Identity and Expression" courses.

I have spent over a decade in athletic development through my hockey training company. While that business primarily focuses on online coaching, my recent hands-on experience working with kids has ignited a deep passion for youth coaching. This interest has driven me to immerse myself in books, textbooks, and research papers on child psychology and athletic development, refining my approach to training young athletes.

That journey led to the creation of the ADG Method—a framework designed to help kids build confidence, develop athletic skills, and foster a lifelong love for movement through play.

At the heart of the ADG Method is the belief that joy drives motivation and long-term participation. Rooted in the principles of Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan), we know that when children experience genuine joy in their activities, they become intrinsically motivated. This intrinsic motivation fosters sustained engagement and leads to the development of healthy, lifelong habits.

To cultivate this joy, the ADG Method revolves around two key principles:

Engagement - By immersing kids in fun, imaginative activities, we not only improve their athletic abilities but also ignite excitement and enjoyment at every step. When children truly love what they're doing, their skills improve naturally, and they begin to look forward to physical activity every day.

Competence - As children experience success in these activities, they build the confidence needed to take on new challenges. This growing sense of competence strengthens their love for movement and fuels persistence, empowering them to succeed in any sport or physical activity they choose.

Together, this balance of engagement and competence creates an environment filled with joy where kids thrive, building athleticism and a lifelong love for physical activity.

In crafting our sessions, we also integrate:

Discovery Learning: Encouraging kids to explore and learn through their own experiences.

Games-Based Approach: Using fun and interactive games to teach skills.

Self-Determination Theory Components: Fostering competence, autonomy, and connectedness.

Ecological Dynamics: Considering the interaction between the child and their environment.

Implicit Learning: Allowing children to absorb skills naturally without explicit instructions.

Free Play: Providing unstructured playtime to stimulate creativity and joy.

By combining these principles, the ADG Method offers a holistic and innovative approach to youth athletic development. It's not just about building athletic skills; it's about nurturing a lifelong love for movement and empowering children to thrive both physically and mentally.

Here's what some parents have said about ADG programs:

"This was an incredible opportunity for the kids and we are so happy we were given the chance to join. I wouldn’t change a thing you have absolutely knocked it out of the park! Thank you"

"My daughter love love loved it. Said I don’t remember soccer being that fun, can I go back tomorrow!!!! Thanks so much again"

"Yesterday was maybe the first time she didn't pout at hockey and smiled the whole time. Thank you for this! She had a blast!"

"You did an amazing job! Great progress and very fun for the kids. The coaches were all great!"

"Such an amazing program! He had a blast - thank you for putting this together"

"I think this is such a wonderful approach to the first few years of learning hockey. Thanks so much Kevin. I think this is so valuable and hope that we can continue to participate!"

"We absolutely loved this program. It was the perfect intro to hockey for our non-competitive daughter. We weren’t sure if hockey was going to be for her, but since week 1 of ADG Intro to Hockey she has said “Hockey is my favourite sport I have ever played!” Big thanks to the amazing coaches for all of the fun drills & activities!"

To learn more about my coaching philosophy with young kids, you can check out my Athletic Development Games Instagram account. 

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