Wednesday, 03. June 2026 |
Rookie Bulls Salzburg | Mini Camps at the Red Bull Icehockey Academy
From May 29 to 31, the young participants from the EC Red Bull Salzburg youth program took part in a variety of on- and off-ice activities. The camps are an internal program offered by the Rookie Bulls Salzburg and are primarily aimed at children in the U9 through U12 age groups. Around 130 young players already participated in the first two sessions. They were supervised by a large coaching staff from the Red Bulls. Among others, Daniel Petersson, Manuel Latusa, and Joshua Schmitz assisted with the sessions.
“The basic idea was quite simple: the kids should have fun on the ice,” explains Andrei Lavrov, who, after holding several coaching positions at the Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy, took on the role of Progression Coach for the U12 and younger age groups with the Rookie Bulls Salzburg this year. “Through the academy, we have access to ice rinks. At the same time, we want the kids to try out other sports as well. That’s why we combine the two.”
The focus is on a versatile and age-appropriate training program that follows the Rookie Bulls Salzburg’s mission statement. In a safe environment, young players are meant to grow, gain new experiences, and develop step by step. The core areas of Foundation, Progression, and Performance are not viewed in isolation but are playfully interconnected.
Training on the ice was also deliberately designed to be varied. Volleyball, spikeball, coordination courses, sprint games, tic-tac-toe, balloon races, and other game formats were integrated directly into the ice sessions. This allowed the children to practice important movement patterns, changes of direction, coordination, and speed without sacrificing fun.
“We incorporate the training elements into games,” says Lavrov. “The kids do sprints, changes of direction, coordination exercises, and lots of movements that help them in hockey and in their overall athletic development. But to them, it just feels like play and fun.”
There was plenty to do off the ice as well. A shooting station, a bounce house, and a visit from mascot Rob provided additional highlights and lots of smiling faces. Especially during the off-season, the mini camps are designed to instill in the children a love of movement, hockey, and community. Performance is deliberately not the top priority.
“The camp isn’t primarily performance-oriented,” emphasizes Lavrov. “The top priorities are fun, entertainment, and the joy of hockey.”
Following last year’s successful launch, the program has been expanded for 2026. Instead of three mini camps, there will be four sessions this year. This is due to high demand within the youth program and the strong interest shown by children and parents. The first camp already surpassed last year’s attendance figures, and the second camp was also very well attended.
Organizationally, the mini camps are also a major team effort. Many children, multiple groups, full locker rooms, changing ice times, and a lot of equipment present challenges for the team every weekend. Support behind the scenes is particularly important.
“A huge thank you goes out to all the supervisors, coaches, ice technicians, and all the staff at the academy,” said Lavrov. “From the cleaning staff to the academy management, the collaboration works extremely well. Without this support, a camp in this format would not be possible.”
The Rookie Bulls Salzburg plan to further develop the program for upcoming camps. In particular, the Sunday sessions will be structured even more like game days. Among other things, the plan includes tournament-style games and full-field matches where the children can play five-on-five just like the pros.
Following the first two camps, two more dates are scheduled for June: Camp 3 will take place from June 12 to 14, and Camp 4 from June 19 to 21 at the Red Bull Hockey Academy. The Rookie Bulls Mini Camps thus remain an important part of EC Red Bull Salzburg’s internal youth development program and reinforce one thing above all else: the joy of hockey.
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