Program Details
Location
Central Almaguin is a friendly, rural community located 30 minutes south of North Bay, Ontario and is a 2.5 Hour Drive north of Toronto, Ontario. The beautiful Central Almaguin Area has 6,000 residents who certainly love their hockey. In Almaguin, the Spartans players are all well known and really become a part of the community. The Spartans players and staff participate in a number of community events and assist a number of community groups throughout the season through volunteering. The Spartans ownership group also donates over $8000 annually to these groups.
Arena
The Spartans home arena is the South River Machar Arena, which is also home to the world renowned Hockey Opportunity Camp. Located in the arena is the Spartans Private Dressing Room, which is equipped with 27 Professional Player Stalls. The Spartans also have a coach’s office and pro shop/equipment room, which is equipped with a professional level blade master sharpening machine where players receive professional level skate sharpening from Spartans equipment manager Dennis Spencer who has over 20 years experience as an equipment manager and skate sharpener. Denis worked 2 seasons with North Bay Battalion (OHL) and 10 plus seasons in the NOJHL for the North Bay Trappers and Powassan Voodoo.
The Spartans have great support every night, averaging 275 fans per game in the regular season and over 400 to 500 fans per game in the playoffs.
Training Facility and Off Ice Training
Every Spartans player has a gym membership to PL Fitness, which is a 24-7 facility. PL Fitness is a modern facility with top level weight and cardio equipment as well as a pool, hot tub and sauna. The Spartans have fitness testing upon arrival and weekly team sessions to work on areas of weakness and improve overall conditioning with our Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Loughran. Paul is also the owner and operator of PL Fitness and provides individual instruction to players on a daily basis at the gym. In the off-season, Paul trains 6 Players who are currently playing NCAA D1 Hockey and Professionally. Paul’s sessions with the Spartans are designed based on the conditioning and nutrition programs being used at the NCAA and Professional Level.
Games and Practices
The Spartans play 42 Regular Season Games, 2 Exhibition Games, GMHL Showcase Tournament in Niagara Falls, Ontario and the GMHL Playoffs. In total, players will play a minimum of 49 Games and as many as 75, depending on playoff performance.
Spartans Practice 4 days per week.
Regular Week
Monday – On Ice Practice 1:00 to 2:00 & On-ice Practice 8:15 to 10:00 PM
Tuesday – 6:30 to 7:30 PM Team Off Ice Conditioning & 8:15 to 10:00 PM On-ice Practice
Wednesday - Practice 3:00 to 4:15 PM
Thursday - Practice from 3:30 to 5:15
Friday - Home Game
Saturday - Road Game
Sunday - Off Day.
Players also have small group sessions at PL Fitness two days per week.
Billeting
Players are billeted with local families in South River and Sundridge. The cost of billeting is $500 CAD per month.
Player Promotion
If you are looking for a junior hockey program that will prepare you and assist you in advancing to the next level, then we are the program for you. The Spartans high success rate of moving players on to the next level is due to the professional level coaching on a day-to-day basis that players receive in Almaguin. It is also due to the effort of the Spartans staff in using its large network of college and professional contacts all over the world to find players a place to play. Spartans forward Erik Erkers stated “From day one, General Manager David Forde and the coaching staff told me; If you work hard here every day trying to improve and help this team win, we will get you to the next level. When the season was over they had four professional contract offers for me and assisted me every step of the way.” The Spartans are committed to developing players to advance and succeed at the next level as players and young men. We develop players into well-rounded and successful adults, not just into good hockey players. With the expected player promotions from the 2016-2017 team, the Spartans organization will have moved 30 players on to college or professional hockey in 3 seasons.
Program Cost:
Each Player pays a registration fee to play for the Spartans. This fee covers all league costs, busing to every game, meals after every road game, ice costs, gym membership and the Spartans Equipment Package. Included in the Spartans Equipment Package is 2 CCM Pro Stock Sticks, CCM Gloves, CCM Helmet, CCM Warm Up Suit, T-shirt, Shorts, Skate Sharpening, Team Hockey Bag and Tape all of which players keep. Players also have use of Spartans pant shells, jerseys and socks for the season.