Schwan Super Rink will host U.S. Women’s National Team Goaltending Development Camp May 12-15
Blaine, Minn. (April 26, 2016) – The Schwan Super Rink at the National Sports Center in Blaine will host its second annual USA Hockey Women’s National Team Goaltending Development Camp from May 12-15, 2016.
The camp consists of 18 of the top American female goaltenders who are eligible for international play, including Alex Rigbsy (Delafield, Wis.) who backstopped the U.S. to gold at the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship, and Alex Gulstene (Evanston, Ill.) who led Team USA to gold at the 2016 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship.
Four Minnesota players have been invited to the camp, the most from any state. The Minnesota players are Shelby Amsley-Benzie (Warroad/University of North Dakota), Breanna Blesi (Maple Grove/Maple Grove H.S.), Chelsea Laden (Lakeville/New York Riveters), and Maddie Rooney (Andover/University of Minnesota-Duluth).
Minnesota is well represented on the coaching and technical staff as well. Robb Stauber (Long Lake), goaltending coach for the U.S. Women’s National Team, is the head instructor and will be assisted by Steve Guider (Blaine), who is the head girls’ hockey coach at Blaine H.S. Brent Proulx (St. Paul) is the equipment manager.
The players range in age from 15 to 24 and represent 14 different states. Minnesota leads the pack with four representatives, followed by Illinois with two and one from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Six players spent the 2015-16 season in college, 10 were in high school and two have graduated college.
Here is the schedule for on-ice training sessions. All practices are on rink 6, and are free and open to the public.
- Friday, May 13: 9:15-10:30 a.m. and 5-6 p.m.
- Saturday, May 14: 9:15-10:30 a.m. and 5-6 p.m.
- Sunday, May 15: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
A female-specific camp showcases the growth of women’s hockey and is the natural evolution of the program, allowing more goaltenders to participate and introducing a curriculum that is specific to the women’s game. Prior to the 2015 camp, female goalies conducted their summer training with the top male goalies as part of USA Hockey’s Warren Strelow National Team Goaltending Camp.
Here is a video story that the National Sports Center produced during the 2015 Women’s National Team Goaltending Development Camp:
