2017 Summer Camps Nearing Capacity!

Our 2017 Summer Camps are either sold out or nearing capacity. The Avon Old Farms Development Camp, Quinnipiac Elite Week and Brewster 2:1 Camp are all sold out.  

The Inaugural Women's Camp featuring Boston College Women's Goaltending Coach Alison Quandt, Cornell University Assistant Coach Edith Racine and Quinnipiac University Assistant Coach Amanda Mazzotta has only 3 youth spots remaining. 

Avon Old Farms Evening Camp 

The Avon Old Farms Evening Camp will feature two hours of on ice training in addition to a special vision training circuit that all goalies will be able to utilize thru the rest of their pre-season training and throughout the 2017-'18 season.  

Chelsea Piers Connecticut

The CPCT summer camps are 100% goaltending specific and designed for goaltenders that are committed to improving. 

For the full day CPCT camps, we will have two different video sessions. During the "Pro Active" video session the goaltenders will see the drills and skills that they will perform in the upcoming ice sessions. Then the "Re-Active" video sessions will give the goaltenders an opportunity to view themselves from the previous ice sessions drills.

During the full day CPCT camps, we will complete an hour of gymnastics class right at Chelsea Piers CT. This was an addition we made last summer and it was a huge success.

We will also be doing a special off-ice vision training circuit each day. There are only 9 spots remaining for the CPCT Camps. 

 To register for those few spots remaining in our 2017 Summer Camps please click below!

Tyler Haywood Becomes a Jumbo!

Pro Crease Goaltending is very proud of original Pro Crease Goaltending student, Tyler Haywood on his commitment to Tufts University. The Jumbos play in the highly competitive NESCAC athletics conference against the likes of Trinity College, Amherst College and Middlebury. According to Forbes Magazine, Tufts University is ranked among the top 20 undergraduate academic programs in the country. 

This past season Tyler played at Hotchkiss Prep School and had an impressive .924 save percentage. A native of Shelton, CT Tyler Haywood played at Mid Fairfield Youth Hockey. Tyler has trained with Pro Crease Goaltending for the past eight years. He also attended the USA Hockey Select 15 & 17 Festivals. 

Congratulations Tyler!

Trinity College Wins 2nd Consecutive NESCAC Title

The Trinity College Bantams had another banner season. For the second year in a row the Bantams won the NESCAC Championship. Upon winning the league championship the Bantams earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament. The Bantams advanced to the Frozen Four and into the National Championship game before falling to Norwich University. 

Pro Crease Goaltending Owner Jared Waimon has coached the Trinity College Bantams for the past nine years. In those nine years Trinity College has won a National Championship, three NESCAC League Championships and four different goaltenders have been named All Americans. 

Coach Scott Munroe is Back!

After completing his second season as the Goaltending Coach for the Moncton Wild Cats in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Coach Scott Munroe is available for private lessons this week at Newington Arena. Please see lessons for available times. 

Tips on the Purchase of Your Next Leg Pads

- The Goalie Room at Wesco Sports Center

This time of year, many goaltenders and their families are asking questions regarding the purchase of new equipment, specifically leg pads. Most of these questions are regarding size and style. Purchasing leg pads in person at an experienced retailer like Wesco Sports Center versus an online website will insure proper fit and the right pads.

Nick Niedert, Wesco's Goalie Room Manager, says there are 3 key things to consider when purchasing new leg pads:

Key #1 is proper sizing. There is a fine line between having enough room to grow and the pad being too big. Where the goaltender's knee falls in the pad and the thigh rise of the pad are equally important. The relationship of how those two components fit each goaltender will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Key #2 is the stiffness of the pad. Pad stiffness can have a great impact on a goaltender's butterfly. For example, if a goaltender is less flexible then a softer pad may be best.  Goaltenders can read on manufacturer's websites all about the stiffness of a pad but how that pad actually fits and feels is much different. 

Key #3 is the strapping system. Manufacturers today offer a number of different strapping systems with each one being slightly different from the other. The ease of the strapping system when you purchase new leg pads is critical to determine what is most comfortable for your own comfort.

Vaughn, Pro Crease Goaltending's official on-ice supplier, offers a range of leg pad styles that address the key points raised above. Let the experts at Wesco Sports show you what's best for your specific needs. Wesco Sports is conveniently located right off I-84 at 270 Federal Road in Brookfield, CT.

Coach Alex Westlund is Back For a Limited Time!

After a successful season as the Goaltending Coach for Medvescak - Zagreb in the KHL (Russia's top professional league) Coach Alex Westlund will be available for private lessons throughout the spring. This week he is available on Thursday at 6:00, 6:45 & 7:30pm at the Newington Arena. 

Rockwell Becomes a Wildcat!

Congratulations to Pro Crease Goaltender Michael Rockwell on his decision to study and play NCAA Hockey at Johnson & Wales University. A '97 birth year goaltender, Michael never played Tier I hockey growing up in Poughquag, NY. In 2015, while attending community college, he began training with Pro Crease Goaltending. 

For the 2016-17, season Pro Crease Goaltending was able to help Michael earn a spot in the NAHL with the Topeka Roadrunners. A mid-season trade brought him to the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack where he caught the attention of a number of Division III schools before deciding on the Johnson & Wales Wildcats. The 'Cats are coached by James LaCour who serves as an instructor during Pro Crease Goaltending's annual Elite Week(sm) Camp. 

Congratulations Michael!

Poreda is NCAA Bound!

Jimmy Poreda, 2016-17 Conn. Junior Rangers

Congratulations to Pro Crease Goaltender and Coach Jimmy Poreda on his commitment to the Plattsburgh State University Cardinals. The Cardinals are one of the most successful NCAA Division III programs over the past 30 years during which they've had a winning percentage of .742 and made 17 NCAA National Championship Tournament appearances and 9 NCAA Division III Frozen Four appearances. 

Jimmy is an excellent example of commitment and long- term athletic development. Not considered a "top" goalie while playing youth hockey, Jimmy disregarded his status and just kept playing goal and enjoying his time on the ice. Not until he joined the Connecticut Junior Rangers at age 18 did he receive consistent goaltending instruction. Under the guidance of Pro Crease Goaltending Head Instructor Matt Michno, Jimmy learned how to play to his size, utilize better and more consistent techniques and read the opposition.

Congratulations Jimmy! 

West Point Commitment for Jared Dempsey!

A very special congratulations to Pro Crease Goaltender Jared Dempsey on his commitment to West Point this past week! West Point plays in the NCAA Division I - Atlantic Hockey Association against the likes of Holy Cross, Bentley and fellow service academy Air Force. 

Jared over came a great deal of adversity in his junior hockey career including suffering serious knee injury while playing for the Connecticut Junior Rangers in 2015-16 and then being traded this past season while playing in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) before settling in with the Wichita Falls Wildcats. 

"Pro Crease Goaltending really helped me focus on the smaller details of my game. The minor adjustments that Jared and Matt have stressed, such as hand placement and efficiency of my movements, were instrumental in getting me ready for fast paced junior games. Thanks to Pro Crease Goaltending I'm able to realize my dream of playing Division I hockey.      

       - Jared Dempsey                   

Welcome Sydney Rossman!

Pro Crease Goaltending is very excited to announce the immediate addition of Sydney Rossman to our Coaching Staff.  Sydney recently finished an amazing NCAA Division I Collegiate career at Quinnipiac University during which she set school records for shutouts (26), wins in a season (30) and consecutive wins (10).

During her Junior season the Bobcats won the ECAC Championship and a trip to the NCAA National Tournament. Among numerous awards, Sydney won ECAC Goaltender of the Year honors, was an ECAC Hockey Player of the Year Finalist, named the 2016 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Quinnipiac Team  MVP and Four-time ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Month. Sydney will graduate with an astounding .938 save percentage and 1.16 goals against average. In addition to her on-ice acumen, she was also selected as a Quinnipiac Scholar-Athlete.

Prior to attending Quinnipiac, Sydney won three Minnesota State High School Championships with Excelsior High School in Minnetonka, MN. She has also attended three USA Hockey National Select Camps and Warren Strelow Goaltending Camps. Additionally, she attended the USA Hockey U18 Women's World Championship Team Camp.

Sydney is available immediately for private lessons at the H3 Mini Rink in Hamden, CT. She will also be coaching at all Pro Crease Goaltending Summer Camps including our Inaugural Women's Camp June 19th - 22nd at the Newington Arena in Newington, CT.

"I'm very excited to be joining Pro Crease Goaltending's staff. I'm particularly looking forward to helping grow the woman's game and looking forward to Pro Crease Goaltending's Inaugural Women's Camp in June."

Welcome Sydney!

Sanford To Join The Fighting Irish!

Congratulations to Pro Crease Goaltending student Nick Sanford on his commitment to Notre Dame University. Nick began training with Pro Crease Goaltending while attending the Westminster School in Simsbury, CT. Nick is the second Pro Crease Goaltender to play for the Fighting Irish. Nick Stasack spent two season on the NCAA Division I team from 2014 - 16. 

"I would not be at this point in my career without the support of Pro Crease Goaltending. They have taught me about how much work it takes to become a successful goaltender and helped lay out a proper development path to help me achieve my goals. From coming to my practices at Westminster to the summer camps, they were there every step of the way."          

       - Nick Sanford, Notre Dame Class of '21

Leonard to be a Nittany Lion!

Congratulations to Pro Crease Goaltending's Cameron Leonard on signing her National Letter of Intent to play for the NCAA Division I Penn State University Nittany Lions. Cameron follows many other female goaltenders that have re-located to Connecticut to play prep school hockey and train with Pro Crease Goaltending.

The Lady Lions play in the highly competitive C.H.A. Conference with out-of-conference games against top national teams including Boston University, Princeton University and Quinnipiac University. 

Cameron currently plays for the Choate Rosemary Hall School in Wallingford, CT. A native of Cary, NC, Cameron previously played for the Raleigh (NC) Youth Hockey Organization. 

Congratulations Cameron!