By: Justin Bradford

The Elite Edge Hockey Showcase kicks off its 15th year today at Ford Ice Center Bellevue. While things have changed due to the current pandemic, it’s still set to be a week where hockey players from across the country gather to receive phenomenal instruction both on and off the ice. Throughout the week, extra safety measures will be in place to ensure the safety of all the participants.

“The one thing, and I can’t say this enough, is that Ford Ice Center has done an amazing job in the month or so that they’ve been open already to get things to an incredible level of safety,” said program director Brandon Walker. “Some of the other things we’re doing are box lunches instead of buffet style lunches of the past, we’re having our coaches wear masks on the ice, behind the bench at all times. Players will have to wear masks at all times unless they’re playing. We’re going to have no spectators in the upstairs area. They’re going to be limited because it’s necessary. We’ll also have a screening for any spectators. All players will be socially distanced in lectures and seminars.”

While things will certainly be a little different this year, participants can still expect to receive top notch training from coaches representing multiple leagues from around the country. There’s even a new partnership this year with the Eastern Hockey League that should open up even more opportunities to the athletes attending the showcase.

“We’ve partnered with the Eastern Hockey League this year for the first time to make sure there’s a large number of their teams coming down,” said Walker. “That’s a great league for our players and a great stepping stone for our alumni. We have a greater variety of leagues and coaches this year.”

Instruction on the ice is something that is obviously common at all showcases, but what coaches and players alike agree upon is that it’s the off-ice seminars that make the major difference with Elite Edge. From exercise classes to nutrition to leadership, Elite Edge spends a tremendous amount of time with athletes to prepare them for their future.

Josh Petrich, the Co-Director 18U head coach for Omaha AAA Hockey Club and assistant coach for Omaha Lancers of USHL notes how important these sessions are for the development of hockey players.

“I think the off-ice part is key,” said Petrich. “If I’m talking to a parent about Elite Edge, I would talk to them about the off-ice and how it sets them apart. The amount of knowledge with nutrition, physical performance with off-ice testing, the classroom sessions are above and beyond and speaks volumes when you have coaches taking part.”

Goaltender Noah Brandau, who’s originally from Columbia, TN, but currently playing with the USPHL’s Philadelphia Hockey Club echoed those thoughts after attending Elite Edge for four years.

“All the off-ice is really great, said Brandau. “Especially the yoga that we do and testing is a good way to know where you’re at and where you can improve. That’s what I’m looking forward to again, the progress I’ve made. They give out report cards at the end of camp. I compare them each year to see how much better I’ve gotten.”

There are many things that set this showcase apart from others, but one thing that Walker really focuses on is the relationship difference. Players and coaches are seeing each other every summer for many years, building relationships. That relationship is what can turn into an opportunity for a player.

“A lot of our coaches come back annually,” said Brandon Walker. “They make it a part of their yearly recruiting calendar. When they do that, and a player makes it a part of their summer calendar, when they’re really looking for an opportunity, whether it’s junior or college, they’ve developed a relationship with the coach by the number of years they’ve come here and gotten to know each other. These things don’t just happen overnight. It takes a lot more in developing that relationship.”

Putting the entire experience together means developing a player that has respect for themselves, their teammates, their coaches and the game. Elite Edge is helping to develop athletes that go on to become leaders.

“To me, hockey has taught me to put others before myself,” said Noah Brandau. “As a goalie, it’s really easy to get wrapped up in my own statistics and how I’m doing compared to how my team is doing. It’s helped me play for teammates and for the win. All the people I’ve met through the sport have been awesome.

Add a pandemic to the sport, and these young athletes are learning an even greater respect for the game. Having coaches at Elite Edge that value that and see it in their players are the kind of people you can trust in helping teach future stars.

“It’s going to be important for kids to understand that they’re back in a rink and doing what you love, but you still have to respect boundaries,” said Josh Petrich on the pandemic playing a role in how the game has had to adjust. “You don’t want it to become a long term thing. Take care of your space now so that the camp and next season can go off without a hitch. Kids are going to be able to relate more when you talk about the end goal. They’re going to have a respect for it."

We’ve seen plenty of future draft picks and NHL players come from Elite Edge in recent years. Let’s see what leaders step up this week that we’ll see stories written about in the future.