THUNDER BAY -- Joel Scherban wants young hockey players to have access to the tools they need to reach their full potential.
The former Lakehead Thunderwolves captain and head coach is the part-owner and director of hockey operations of Infinite Hockey, a new state-of-the-art training centre that is the first of its kind in the region.
The facility, which is located on Rolland Street, has both a dryland conditioning space as well as a simulated ice surface area that has a number of stations which provide a variety of skating, shooting and stickhandling drills, all with equipment to measure and track performance.
“It is raw training and it’s presented in a fun atmosphere. The way it’s presented in here you can monitor your progress over time,” Scherban said at their open house event on Saturday.
“Everything gets uploaded to the internet automatically so it’s a nice facility where we can focus on individual skill development and repetition.”
It’s the type of resource Scherban, a former OHL standout with the London Knights, said he wishes was available when he was younger.
The facility is the next step for specialized hockey development, which has provided many opportunities over the past decade.
The training centre complements many of the region’s existing hockey schools in bringing out the best of local youth and putting them on par with their counterparts in southern Ontario and other parts of the country.
In addition to Scherban, the training centre boasts decorated local hockey stars such as former Thunderwolves netminder Chris Whitley and player turned fitness guru Steve Bailot as instructors.
He believes the sky is the limit for who can benefit from the facility.
“We believe all skill levels, all ages,” Scherban said of the targeted demographic. “We have programs for initiation level players all the way through minor hockey. We hope to have the AAA Kings in here, junior teams. I know the local NHLers have indicated they want to come in here during the summer.”
Along with providing players with a place to train during the summer, it also offers countless possibilities for those dedicated to improving any facet of their game.
With ice time often in high demand, players can refine their craft without having to worry about getting kicked off.
“It’s a spot where they can go and fire pucks for an hour straight if they want,” Scherban said. “That’s something you can’t do on ice in most cases.”
Carson George, a 13-year-old playing for the bantam A Fort William Hurricanes, envisions himself getting out of the facility’s skating ramp, an inclined surface where athletes skate up it to measure their bursts of speed.
“It’s a great way to improve on your quick stride,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting this at all. It’s great in here.”
Staff estimate that more than 500 people visited the facility during the open house.
