Spring Travel (SQ/PW/BTM)

The Northbrook Bluehawks are excited to announce our Spring 2024 Hockey Program, which will feature new additions to the curriculum from years past. We have restructured with an emphasis towards skill development. To contribute towards individual player on-ice goals, our program will begin and finish with on-ice combine base line testing to track our players progress through the spring season. Testing will consist of skating, shooting, and puck control. Skaters will be split into age groups based on their respective levels (SQ/PW/BT) and each level will have 18 overall ice touches through the spring program. Weekly practices will include stickhandling, power skating, shooting, and inter-squad scrimmages in the "Blue and White" games, led by our elite coaching staff.

We will be adding a new off-ice feature called "Bluehawks Academy". Each level will have a total of 4 off-ice video sessions. Our coaching staff will prepare NHL clips and talk about positioning, on-ice tendencies, and hockey systems in a class room setting to increase our players understanding of the game and enhance their hockey IQ's. This off ice video will then be reinforced on ice during the next practice for further comprehension of the concepts. 

All players are encouraged to participate in tournament play. Players will be placed on tournament teams by coaching staff. Players planning on returning for the fall 2024-25 season are strongly encouraged to participate. Go Bluehawks! 

Please keep in mind that second year players in the fall will move up a level in the Spring. Birth years for spring as follows:

Squirt: 2014-2015

Peewee: 2012-2013

Bantam: 2010-2011

The season will run from March 5 through May 23. There will be nothing scheduled during Spring Break, March 23 to March 31.

While we strive to provide a consistent ice schedule, please know that the Sports Center has other events that will impact our ice schedule throughout the spring season. As a general rule, here is when our groups will be on the ice:

Squirt Travel: Tuesdays 7:00 & Thursday 5:20 or 6:30

Peewee Travel: Mondays 7:00 or 7:15 & Wednesday 7:00

Bantam Travel: Tuesday 8:10 & Thursday 7:40

Spring hockey will begin with on-ice combine baseline testing. Individual scores will be recorded at the start and finish of spring. The three areas each player will be evaluated include:

• Skating
• Shooting
• Puck Control

Our goal is to improve individual scores through focused development throughout weekly practices. Providing our staff with baseline testing scores establishes a goal to work towards and achieve.

Of the two weekly skates, they will include:

Stick Spin/ American Development Model (ADM) with Bluehawk Staff / Positional Specific Training (Session 1): First skate of every week will consist of skill work. Cody Murphy, Hockey Director, will run his StickSpin clinics which focus on stick handling and puck control. StickSpin is a program with 10+ years of history in the North Shore, with alumni in the NHL/NCAA ranks. Here is a video testimony:

These sessions will include other skill based training such as power skating, shooting, edgework, etc. Players will also be split into groups (Forward/Defense split) to focus on positional specific training.

Blue & White Games(Session 2): Controlled Scrimmages/Scrimmages 3v3, 4v4, 5v5, Power Play, Penalty Kill, and small area games.

Bluehawks Academy: Off-ice video in a classroom setting. 4 video sessions for each level for the spring.

Developing Hockey IQ is a critical component in the overall growth of a hockey player. This new feature added to our spring program focuses on teaching the players the fundamentals of the game on a team and individual level.

Each age group will have 4 off-ice edited video sessions led by our coaching staff displaying tendencies, positioning, and systems that make NHL hockey players elite. There are commonalities that are applicable to our players and if learned can make a major difference in individual play. Bluehawk Academy will take place in a classroom setting at the Northbrook Sports Center.

The following practice from Bluehawk Academy, the players can expect to work on the details taught from the video session to reinforce the lessons shown. This application will help further their collective hockey IQ.

The off-ice video sessions are expected to last 20-40 minutes each. Dates and times TBD.

An example of what the players can expect can be found in the button link below.

The Northbrook Bluehawks are pleased to announce our continued partnership with Good as Gould Goalie School for the 2024 spring season. With over 30 years of experience, we are excited to have them on board and working with our goalies on a weekly basis.

Times: TBD

Tournaments will be a separate fee for those that wish to participate. Teams will be picked by coaches based on skill level and performance during weekly clinics. Everyone that wants to play in tournaments will have an opportunity to do so. We are striving for 1-2 tournaments per player.

Fees:

Chi-Town Shuffle: $200

All other tournaments: $150 each

Tournament Slate

Chi-Town Shuffle: Chicago, IL (tentative, awaiting acceptance)

Battle on the Boarder: Pleasant Prairie, WI

Glacier Invitational: Vernon Hills, IL

Krolak Cup (Bantam Only) : Northbrook, IL

Tournament schedule by level

Squirt

• Battle on the Boarder - April 12-14
• Chi-Town Shuffle: April 19-21
• Glacier Invitational - May 16-19

Pee-Wee

• Chi-Town Shuffle - April 19-21
• Battle of the Border - April 26-28
• Glacier Invitational - May 16-19

Bantam

• Krolak Cup - April 12-14
• Battle of the Border - May 10-12
• Glacier Invitational - May 16-19