Rothesay Netherwood School

Welcome to Gusto Hockey

Gusto Hockey is a skill-development program committed to helping aspiring athletes to enhance their skill sets and overall understanding of the game of hockey. We provide a positive teaching approach that encourages and allows players the opportunity to work outside of their comfort zones, take risks and make mistakes in a safe and controlled environment to become better, more knowledgeable players.

Gusto Hockey offers year round programs for players, teams and associations throughout southern New Brunswick. These include speciality clinics, summer hockey schools, fall conditioning camps, spring hockey programs and coach mentoring.

Current Hockey Camps

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About Gusto

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Guiding Principles
Mission
Gusto Hockey Development supports players, coaches and clients by providing unparalleled instruction and services. We focus on youth development and coaching education. In a fun, competitive atmosphere, Gusto breaks the game down to its fundamental components creating a solid foundation for the serious hockey player and|or coach.

Philosophy
Each Gusto camp is designed using a progression format. We feel this format is critical in the development of all hockey players. The first half of every ice session is devoted to fundamental skill development (technical skills and individual tactics). By isolating specific movements, we break down these fundamentals creating a solid foundation for any hockey player. During the second half of every ice session the more tactical aspects of the game are covered. Initially, the focus is on more complex individual tactics, but as the camp progresses, more in–depth team tactics and concepts are discussed. By incorporating small area games, team competitions, and high intensity scrimmages, we are able to provide our participants the total hockey experience.The progression, complexity and speed of our practice plans are dependent on the age and skill level of our participants.

Expectations
- Hard Work: Listen with your eyes and ears to execute to the very best of your abilities
- Learning: Take something valuable from every session
- Application: Apply the concepts learned at the next session
- Have Fun: An integral part of the hockey and learning experience
- Be Your BEST: Better. Every. Single. Time.
Core Competencies & Objectives
Core Competencies

Knowledge - Built on quality instruction... All staff members have enjoyed successful hockey careers, more importantly, are superb instructors

Passion - Our instructors love the game of hockey. It is this passion that fuels us and helps us to understand and to motivate hockey players.

Dedication - Outstanding qualifications, a strong work ethic and a genuine enthusiasm for teaching hockey skills are all characteristics of the Gusto team.

Experience - Our staff has a combined 40 years of teaching, coaching, instructing and playing experience.

Fun - The most important component of any hockey program. All our camps provide students with a curriculum based on structure, competition and fun.

Results - Our Total Skills Development Training will make each participant a more knowledgeable, confident and skilled hockey player.

Objectives - To Teach and to Develop

Technical Skills
- Hockey Fundamentals
- Skating
- Puck-Handling
- Passing & Shooting
Individual Tactics
- More Skilled & Adept Hockey Players
- Building on Fundamental Technical Skills
Team Tactics
- Small Area Games & Team Competitions
- Read & React... Developing On-Ice Awareness
Each Gusto practice plan is carefully designed and created for the specific age and skill level of our participants. It is our goal to create drills that challenge our students, effectively utilize the ice surface, build off a progression and are fun!
Instructional Model
Our staff follows a 6-step teaching process designed to ensure that each participant receives the very best individual and team instruction.
1. Discussion: We introduce the hockey skills concept to our students clearly describing all the individual parts.
2. Demonstration: All of our instructors posses the necessary skills to correctly and effectively demonstrate the proper techniques critical to students success.
3. Execution: Our staff members observe and evaluate as students execute the techniques and skills discussed and demonstrated.
4. Discussion: Our team will provide students positive and constructive feedback on an individual and team level.
5. Repetition: We believe that perfect practice makes permanent and repetition is the mother of mastery.
6. Application: We show our students how the skills and concepts we just discussed, demonstrated, and executed are applied to and used in game situations.
What the experts say
Experts from Hockey Canada compiled the following data with regard to a youth hockey (60-minute) practice and game.
Game Numbers
- Players will have the puck on their stick for an average of 8 seconds a game
- Players will average 1 to 2 shots per game
- Players will take an average of 18 shifts per game
Practice Numbers
- 1 efficient practice will give a player more skill development than 11 games collectively
- In a 60 min practice, a player will have the puck on his/her stick for approx. 8-12 minutes
- Each player will take a minimum of 30 shots on net
These numbers clearly indicate that practice is where development takes place. If we extrapolate the above statistics, during a 20–game 20–practice season (1:1 game/practice ratio) the best player on the team only controls the puck for 2.67 minutes during the entire season. Conversely, during practice (entire year), every player on the team would have the puck on his or her stick for 4 hours during the year.
Our instructors are constantly on top of the changing trends in hockey. Through many years of experience, hard work, attention to detail and a passion for the game, we have put together a curriculum specific to your age and skill level. The first half of every ice session is devoted to fundamental skill development (technical skills and individual tactics). By isolating specific movements, we break down these fundamentals creating a solid foundation for any hockey player, mite through junior level players. During the second half of every ice session the more tactical aspects of the game are covered. Initially, the focus is on more complex individual tactics, but as the camp progresses, more in–depth team tactics and concepts are discussed.

The Coaches & Contact

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Jordan DeLong

GUSTO Hockey Director

506-847-6404

Bio
Coach Jordan DeLong has been with Rothesay Netherwood School and the RNS Hockey Program for more than 10 years. This fall, he takes on a new role as Head Coach of the Prep Girls’ Hockey team. Prior to arriving at RNS, he played for the Woodstock Slammers of the MHL, winning a Kent Cup Championship in 2006. After Woodstock, Jordan went on to play NCAA hockey at Potsdam State, where he played for four years and received his B.A. Jordan started out his coaching career at the NCAA level as an assistant coach with the State University of New York (SUNY) at Canton.

For the past nine seasons, Coach Delong has served as an associate hockey coach with the Prep Boys’ Hockey team. He has also held the role of Director of Gusto Hockey, a community program which he helped to grow at RNS. Gusto Hockey offers programs for numerous age groups, including summer hockey camps, winter development, spring hockey, conditioning camps, checking clinics, rise and grind sessions, and individual skill development to name a few, and includes players from throughout Atlantic Canada. Coach Delong has also been an Assistant Houseparent in Mackay and Kirk houses and spent time in the classroom as a Physical Education Teacher. He takes pride in engaging and developing young student-athletes, so they are prepared for school, hockey, and life after their time at RNS.

Coach Delong, his wife Jocelyn, and their daughter Cameryn are without question a hockey family and are excited about this new opportunity to take the Prep Girls’ program to the next level.
Brandon Syms

GUSTO Hockey Technical Director

506-847-6404

Bio
Coach Syms hails from Cape Breton, NS. Hockey and fitness have been lifelong passions. After playing Minor, Major Midget, Jr. A, and college hockey, Brandon attended Cape Breton University to study sport and physical activity leadership. Wanting to stay involved with hockey and fitness, he acquired his High Performance One Coaching Certification and Personal Training Certification. Brandon coached the Cape Breton Jets at the Minor Midget level and became the Head Coach of the Joneljim Cougars at the Major Bantam level two years later. He has operated his own hockey development business called U15 Peak Performance, which encompasses both on-ice skill development and off-ice training. His passion for coaching is driven from wanting to make a difference in a positive way for everyone involved, both on and off the ice.