More than two dozen goaltenders-in-training spent the weekend learning from some of the best.
The second-annual R&R Goaltending Camp brought 36 players together in Terwillegar for three free days of training.
Tracy Stark, founder of the R&R Empowering Society of Alberta, started the camp last year in honour of her two sons, Ryder and Radek, who were killed in 2016.
“I just wanted to do something to make them proud and let their legacies live on,” Stark said. “It was my dream come true to make this happen.”
Stark said goalie training camps are some of the most expensive, and she wanted to offer the experience to children who would otherwise not be able to afford going.
Interest exploded after last year’s camp, Stark said, so they expanded the program.
“We had an overwhelming amount of applications,” Stark added. “This year we added 12 more kids just to make sure that every kid got the attention that they needed.”
Players ranged in age from nine to 18 years, with male and female coaches on site to help teach the boys and girls.
Koehn Ziemmer, drafted in the NHL last year by the Los Angeles Kings, returned to help teach at the camp for a second year.
He grew up near where Ryder and Radek were from, and said it’s something special to be able to come back and help more kids in their honour.
“Some of them it’s their first time putting on skates and even playing goalie,” Siemmer said. “Just give them the opportunity and hopefully they can go out and have a good year this year and play hockey.”
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Adel Ahmed