Two former Yorkton Terriers have teamed up to offer a unique camp at the Farrell Agencies Arena in Yorkton this week. Derek Serdachny and Lynden Sammartino, who helped the Terriers claim a league championship in 2006, have brought their separate hockey schools together to offer local kids the chance to learn all aspects of hockey.
Serdachny, who runs Serdachny High Performance Power Skating & Hockey camps, started his camps in Yorkton at this time last year.聽
鈥淲e focus more on the fundamentals of skating,鈥� he explained. 鈥淥ur goal is to make them faster, stronger, smoother skaters.鈥澛�
He said they teach their students technique in stick handling and puck skills, and what kids need to know about being a smart hockey player. For the older age groups, they also work on body contact.聽
When he鈥檚 not hosting his summer camp, or teaching during the school year, Serdachny also does private lessons and sessions with local teams including the Terriers, and he鈥檚 hoping to work with the RawTec Maulers this year as well. He鈥檚 made his way out to places like Sturgis and Kamsack to do sessions with their minor hockey programs.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to stay local. It鈥檚 kind of my way of giving back,鈥� he said.聽
At this time of year, bulletin boards all around Yorkton are plastered with various hockey camps that are offered before the new season starts.聽
Serdachny said what makes his camp different is having instructors who really care about the kids.聽
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 something that鈥檚 missing from a lot of camps and it鈥檚 something we strive for. Parents appreciate that we show that we really care about their kids鈥� improvement,鈥� he said.聽
Serdachny has instructors around him who are familiar with some of the local kids, and who know how be positive role models.聽
Special to this year鈥檚 camp was the partnering with Lynden Sammartino Goaltending Consulting.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 not the biggest goalie specialist, so my goal was to get a goalie coach to Yorkton who knows what they鈥檙e talking about,鈥� said Serdachny. That鈥檚 why he chose Sammartino, who spent three years as a Yorkton Terrier from 2005-2008 at the same time as Serdachny.聽
Sammartino, who lives in British Columbia and works as the Victoria Royals goalie coach during the hockey season, said it didn鈥檛 take much convincing for him to come back to Yorkton for the week.
鈥淭o come and be able to give back to the young kids of the community 鈥� that was the biggest thing that drew me out here,鈥� said Sammartino. He also said it didn鈥檛 hurt that he got to see some of his former teammates.
Sammartino has been involved in the hockey world since his days with the Terriers.
鈥淚鈥檝e been running goalie schools for about 10 years since I finished playing in Yorkton, from novice kids up to guys who are in the NHL now,鈥� said Sammartino.聽
He said the biggest thing his goalie school offers, especially to the younger kids, is learning the fundamentals of the position and simplifying the game. For the older kids, he focuses on refining the knowledge they already have and advancing from there.聽
Both Serdachny and Sammartino agreed that it鈥檚 nice to be reunited on the ice at the FAA again.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 brought back a lot of memories 鈥� a lot that I haven鈥檛 thought of in a while,鈥� said Sammartino.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 been fun. I鈥檓 pretty excited for the week,鈥� he said on Monday.聽
The Serdachny/Sammartino camps wrap up on Friday, August 18.聽
