„Elite hockey is becoming increasingly balanced. In practice, all five players attack and all five defend, which makes the most common game situations—one-on-one battles—and the ability to solve them more and more important. And not only from the offensive side, but from the defensive side as well. Players learn deception, dekes, puck protection and combination play, but also forechecking, puck retrieval, body battles and defending. It is a very demanding camp, both technically and physically. At the same time, because it contains more game-based work, both players and parents enjoy it.“
The training program, prepared directly by Jaromír Pytlík, is designed for young hockey players who want to improve their skills under the guidance of top skill coaches, recruited mainly from professional players or the HTA Coaching Academy. An automatic system assigns players to courses precisely by age and then to small groups within each course. Thanks to the training organization and group rotation, six coaches—specialists—work with the players during a single training session. Two head coaches lead the session and supervise the entire training process. This ensures excellent feedback and correction of mistakes for every player. In addition, players complete specific OFF-ICE training as part of the camp, with content tailored to the focus of the program. Regeneration is also crucial in such a demanding schedule, and it starts with quality nutrition. That is why HTA sports nutrition and hydration are available during the training programs under the supervision of a leading nutrition specialist. This makes the HTA training process highly effective.
„What I like about this camp is the progression. Players first learn the offensive elements without resistance, then the defensive elements, only after that do we add resistance, and finally we move into game situations. That helps players understand the entire concept much better. If you want to experience a truly demanding camp that develops difference-makers, choose this one.“
HTA training focuses on individual skills. It is not a week-long camp; due to the high intensity and demands, it runs for three days. The program is comprehensive and includes skill instruction, games on small and full-size ice, and specific OFF-ICE preparation.
Preliminary and indicative group division:
In the interview, Jaromír Pytlík shares his approach to developing young players, focusing on detail and finding his own paths in training. He explains why it is important to build the right habits from an early age, test new methods over the long term, and base player development on quality, patience, and a genuine understanding of hockey skills.
At the same time, he shows the principle HTA has followed for years – not doing things simply because they have always been done that way, but looking for methods that genuinely move players forward.
