Body Contact, Battling & Checking Camps

Once a player has proficient skating & puck skills, body contact, battling & puck protection are the next set of skills to instill. Players must be able to use their body to win loose pucks, protect the puck, create turnovers, and maintain puck possession.

🏒 Schedule

 
WEEK #1: Monday July 20th – Thursday July 23rd, Holiday Rinks

  • Battling & Puck Protection Camp (2014, 2015, 2016 AAA/AA) = 10:00 – 11:30am
  • Introduction to Checking Camp (2013, 2014) Group #1 = 11:30am – 1:00pm
  • Introduction to Checking Camp (2013, 2014) Group #2 = 1:00 – 2:30pm
     
     
    WEEK #2: Monday Aug 17th – Thursday Aug 20th, Holiday Rinks

  • Introduction to Checking Camp (2013, 2014) = 1:00 – 2:30pm
     
     
    ⚠️ Camp Eligibility: Players should already possess a strong foundation of skating and puck skills. Those who are not yet strong in basic skating skills will struggle to compete in battle situations. The base for battling and body contact is your ability to be skate and strong on your edges. For those players we suggest looking at our Spring & Summer Skill Sessions to strengthen their skills foundation.
     
    ⚠️ 2014 Birth Years: 2014 birth year players are eligible for our Battling & Puck Protection Camp (non-checking) or our Introduction to Checking Camp. If your player is an average AA or lower level player we suggest signing up for our Battling & Puck Protection Camp to work on their Battling Skills Foundation. If your player is a AAA/higher end AA player we suggest Introduction to Checking Camp to start readying them for checking.

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    ⚠️ 2017 – 2020 Birth Years: See our Mite Summer Camps for our Mite Battling & Puck Protection Camp Monday August 17th – Thursday August 20th, 8:30 – 10:00am, Holiday Rinks

     

    For any questions regarding player level or registration, please email mark@markzarbohockey.com
     
    Players must sign up for full program; no partial sign-ups accepted.
     

    🏒 Program Details

     
    Total Practices: 4 practices → 6 hours of ice
     
    Maximum Players: 24 → 4 groups, 6 players per group
     
    Player Groupings: Players will be split into small groups by age, level and/or size to ensure lots of 1-on-1 attention and repetitions in all drills.
     

    🏒 Objectives

     
    Battling & Puck Protection Camp (2014, 2015, 2016 AAA/AA): Introduce age-appropriate body contact, battling, and puck protection skills. The goal is to teach players how to use their skating ability to protect and steal the puck, read and manipulate pressure, and gain confidence using their body effectively in game situations.
     
    Introduction to Checking Camp (2013, 2014):Players learn the proper mechanics of giving and receiving body contact in a safe, controlled environment. Checking is a skill — when players are confident and understand how to use their bodies effectively, they become stronger, more well-rounded players. The goal is to teach players how to give and receive hits properly, use checking to protect and steal the puck, and most importantly, keep themselves safe on the ice.
     

    🏒 Cost

     
    $150/player ($25/hour ice)
     
    Discount: $125 for players signed up for our Hockey IQ or Midget Programs
     

    🏒 Goalies

     
    We are in need of goalies for this program. No cost to attend. See our FREE! Goalie Ice page for details.
     

    🏒 Full Season Schedule

     

    Below is the full spring and summer calendar, NOT the currently available sessions. Sign-up form will list all currently available sessions for each program.

     

    🏒 Payment Policies

     
    To secure your spot(s), payments must be received by the dates listed below. Any payments not received by the specified deadlines may result in spot cancellation.
     

    • All Spring Ice (April – June): due in full by March 13th
    • All Summer Ice (July – August): due in full by June 1st

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      Venmo: Username: @Mark-Zarbo (3724) –> Preferred method of payment.
       
      Cash: Cash payments are accepted but must be received by March 13th.
       
      Personal Checks: Mail too address
       
      Mark Zarbo Hockey
      PO Box 41
      Grand Island, NY 14072
       
      Bank Checks: Set up Mark Zarbo Hockey with your bank’s bill pay system
       
      Mark Zarbo Hockey
      PO Box 41
      Grand Island, NY 14072
      Phone: 716-208-3724
       
      Credit Card:If you prefer to pay by credit card, please email mark@markzarbohockey.com to request a payment link.
       
      Note: A 2.99% + $0.30 processing fee applies to credit card transactions (this is the exact cost of the service). There is no fee for cash or check payments.

     

    🏒 Spring & Summer Cancellation Policies

     

    Spring Programs (April – June) Last Day To Cancel: March 13th
     

    Summer Programs (July – August) Last Day To Cancel: June 1st

     

    After specified dates credits will only be issued if we are able to find a replacement player to fill the spot. Once the program has started the roster is frozen and no refunds or credits will be issued.

     
    Players are always welcome (and encouraged) to find their own replacement. Please notify Mark Zarbo Hockey of any substitutions. Applies to all cancellations, including sickness or injury.

     

    🏒 How Do I Sign Up for Programs?

     

    To sign up, please complete the form below. Sign-ups are ONLY accepted through this form.

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    Step 1: Fill out parent/guardian contact information.

    Step 2: Select the number of players you wish to register. The corresponding number of player sign-up forms will appear.

    Step 3: Complete each player’s information.

    Step 4: Check the box next to each program you want the player to attend. Additional instructions or fields for each program will appear—follow these to complete the sign-up.

    Step 5: Repeat Steps 3–4 for each additional player.

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    After submitting the form, you will be redirected to a page to complete the liability waiver. You will also receive an email receipt containing:

    • A copy of your sign-up
    • Invoice and payment information
    • Confirmation email is sent automatically as soon as sign up is submitted, check SPAM/Junk folders if not received right after form submitted

     

    ⚠️  IMPORTANT: Double-check, save, and print the confirmation for your records. You are responsible for all dates signed up for.

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    Tip: You can register multiple players and for multiple programs on a single form—no need to complete separate forms for each player or program.

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    Press Submit 1x Only:  Once you are finished with your form press the submit button only 1x.  Please give our system a second to load your form.  If you press the submit button more than once it will cause a submission failure.

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    2026 Spring & Summer Sign Up Form

    Review your sign-up form before submitting. After submitting you will receive an emailed copy of your form as a receipt. Save or print this email for your records. Check SPAM/Junk folder if email receipt not received within 1 - 2 minutes of submission.

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    After selecting number of players, the signup forms for each player will appear.


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