Hockey Camp Kicks Off at SGAA

Most camps are a five day, one week camp but at the SGAA, the hockey camp is every Tuesday for two hours running for eight weeks beginning June 14th and running through the first week of August. 

This is done so that people won't forget everything when the season begins in the Fall. The camp is run by players ranging in age 16 up to 30 years old from the American IHL (American Inline Hockey League). It is a fundraiser for the Georgia Syndicate, so it can pay expenses when players travel. Expenses include hotels, buses, food and other important things while on the road.

In the AIHL there are eight divisions and the Syndicate plays in the Gulf Coast Division with Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. The season runs from December 1 through the last week of April. The AIHL is the highest level of inline hockey in North America.

Bill Schriver, general manager of the Georgia Syndicate hosts the camp for kids from first grade through middle school at the Dual Deck Arena on McGee Road in Snellville.

"The camp is a win win for everyone," Schriver said. "Our players are the instructors and coaches and they volunteer, but we raise the money for our league."

So the children get top of the line instructions from the best players in the metro area and the team raises the funds to play in the league.

The Georgia Syndicate has two teams, an Elite team and a Minor team. The Elite team finished the season this past April in second place while the Minor team was in first place in the standings. They estimate the cost of being in the league is around $20-$25,000 and that includes paying for the referees and scorekeepers as well as the travel expenses.

"People come into the rink to sign their kids up for football and baseball and had no idea there was a rink or hockey here," Schriver said. "Then they get excited and want to sign their child up."

For those who don't know how to skate, the SGAA offers free instructions on Tuesday night. Schriver explains that unlike football or baseball everyone is playing constantly. There are six to seven on a team, and only four on the floor at a time, and they are continually switching out because of nonstop action.

"Hockey's not like the other sports," Schriver said. "The kids love it and the big challenge is that inline hockey is not like ice hockey. There are no checking, no fighting, and we don't encourage violence."

Although it can be an expensive sport  -- when equipment is involved, Schriver has implemented a new program where parents of past players donate equipment. Now, some players can get their equipment for free. There were more than 30 youth who didn't have the funds to get equipment, and the program assisted them. Leagues are popping up all over metro Atlanta, and Schriver said it is definitely a lifelong sport.

"There are players ranging in age from 8 years old to 60 years old," he said. "So this is definitely a life long sport."

Currently, there are 24 youth attending the camp, but some sign up late and Schriver expects at least 48-50 by the end of the summer.