By Janet Schultz, NYHOL
Former Buffalo Beaut Maddie Norton, and a former member of the Lancaster/Iroquois/Depew Western New York Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Team, will keep hockey players moving and engaged as they take part in her Pre-Tryout Clinic on Monday, March 29.
The Clinic will be held at the Depew Ice Pavilion, 90Gould Avenue in Depew.
“We will touch on a little bit of everything,” said Norton. “Power skating, stick handling, shooting, passing, battling, positioning and conditioning.”
Designed for female hockey players in the 2009 and 2010 age categories, Norton says it is important to learn and develop those skills necessary to perform at higher levels later on.
“Obviously 12 year olds aren’t being recruited, but a skilled 12 year-old will have much better success and be ahead of her peers when it comes to that recruiting age.
“Those who haven’t perfected those basic skills could be left behind,” said Norton.
She speaks from experience.
“I felt behind most of the girls I played with just because I came into hockey later than most and never really participated in skills clinics that taught all those things I mentioned earlier.”
Norton feels that, at times, the parents are more competitive than the players. But players and parents should note that 12U is the last year before teams are eligible to participate in the USA Nationals. Why is that important?
USA Nationals are where recruiters go to look at girls. Plus the experience itself is one that every girls cherishes while they are there and especially when they return home.
Looking at local youth teams, Norton notes that the teams that stick together are more successful than teams that continually bring in new players every year. This makes Try-Outs very important, thus making the skill sets Norton teaches very important.
She feels that the hour and half clinic is just the right time to keep the girls in a hockey mind-set in the post season so they don’t lose it before tryouts, especially this year when leagues started late, had shortened seasons and things are just not “normal.”
Norton loves hockey.
She began with street hockey and in seventh grade moved to ice hockey. She played for the Buffalo Regals and then Lancaster/Iroquois/Depew of the WNYGVIH League. With Lancaster she played goalie. Then it was on to the University of Buffalo where she made her mark. Playing four years and going to the Nationals all four with a Championship in 2018. She recorded 137 goals and 55 assists for 192 points in 61 regular season games. She was awarded the Zoë M Harris Award for the best club hockey player in the nation. Her goal in college was to make it to the NWHL and she did, playing for the Buffalo Beauts.
She also served as an assistant women’s ice hockey coach at Holy Cross.
“Hockey is one of my life’s passions, so if I can’t play I’d like to help others play to the best of their ability,” said Norton.
As for Norton’s future in the sport…stay tuned.
The clinic will run from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at a cost of $25/player. There will also be a goalie coach, so goaltenders are welcome.
For registration go to https://docs.google.com/…/130hks…/edit
The clinic is limited to 30 players total, so its first come, first served.
