/ Skills Plus Hockey
Recommend 13- 519-589-4849519-589-4849
- eric@skillsplushockey.com
Sport: Hockey
Location: Waterloo, ON, Canada
Expertise:
Skills Plus Hockey delivers high-performance, small-area skill development designed to elevate every player’s skating, puck control, and game IQ. With programs built to enhance on-ice technique, boost physical fitness, and strengthen a player’s understanding of the game, Skills Plus creates an environment where athletes can progress with confidence—while still having fun.
A Proven Training Model
Each session is structured to maximize puck touches and deliberate practice, with players working with a puck roughly 80% of the time. Training includes:
• 10 minutes of Power Skating: balance, turns, pivots, crossovers, edge control, and stride development
• 10 minutes of Mass Puck Control: stickhandling, dekes, puck protection, and agility
• 30 minutes of Small-Group Skill Stations: applying new skills in game-realistic, small-area situations
Players are grouped by skill level to ensure challenge, confidence, and effective progression. Training focuses on developing the ability to execute with speed in tight spaces—exactly the skill set coaches seek at every level from recreational hockey to the NHL.
Group Training Advantage
Skills Plus offers the ability to register as a group, allowing teammates and friends to train together. Each group receives its own dedicated ice space, improving:
• Speed and execution
• Repetition and quality of reps
• Decision-making under pressure
• Passing, puck protection, and quick-release shooting
Because hockey is increasingly played in small spaces, Skills Plus trains players to thrive there.
Led by Elite Coach Eric Calder
Eric Calder brings unmatched experience as a player, coach, and skills specialist:
Credentials:
• BA and Business Diploma – Wilfrid Laurier University
• NCCP High Performance II – Hockey Canada
• Certified Hockey Canada Skills Coach
• NCCP Level 3 Theory
• Can-Fit-Pro Certified Personal Trainer
• First Aid (Trainer 2)
Coaching Experience:
• 21+ years with Skills Plus Hockey
• Canadian University, Junior B, and elite Professional coaching in Europe
• Minor hockey coaching and skill development
• Former lecturer – Theory of Hockey, Wilfrid Laurier University (2004–2015)
Scouting Experience:
• OHL scout – Kitchener Rangers
• Evaluator at major selection camps
Playing Experience:
• 11 years professional (NHL/AHL + elite European leagues)
• Memorial Cup Champion
• CIAU All-Canadian
• Canadian MVP – World Junior Championships
• Two-time European Cup Finalist
• Multiple-time Canadian Ski Marathon finisher (Gold, Silver, Bronze levels)
A Highly Trained Instructional Team
All Skills Plus instructors are elite athletes with advanced technical proficiency. With a 4:1 player-to-coach ratio, athletes receive hands-on teaching, accurate demonstrations, and a supportive environment that drives rapid development.