What Exactly Is ASAP?

Our Accelerated Skills Advancement Program (ASAP) is a revolutionary approach to youth hockey player development and a perfect fit for the current state of the game.

Based on the foundations of intense on-ice training and individualized focus on skill development, ASAP is tailor made to help players “catch up” after months of being off the ice. The combination of intense training and personal attention from some of the Mid-Atlantic’s premier coaches across four separate one-hour clinics makes ASAP the perfect option for all youth hockey players to ramp up for the fall season — whatever it may entail.

“After this time away, all players will be coming back at their own pace,” said Sean Cannon, hockey director for First State Ice Hockey and coach of First State’s 10U and 18U Flames teams. “By being in a development program structured to show players their success, it’s a perfect way for them to regain confidence in all areas of the game.”

Players in Levels 1 and 2 of ASAP (as determined by a pre-term evaluation session) will focus mostly on skating, stickhandling and passing, with less emphasis on shooting and decision making while players solidify their fundamental skills. Players who have graduated to Level 3 will work on accelerating their decision making to “game speed” while still getting quality instruction on stickhandling, skating, passing and shooting.

Cannon will lead the ASAP sessions along with fellow Flames coaches Gary Yovanovich, Bob Thomas and Blake Hill, as well as a staff of skills coaches to include Mike Zimny (St. Mark’s High School), Jeremy Snyder (Philadelphia Little Flyers, Tomorrow’s Ice), Ian MacKenzie (various Delaware clubs), Brendan Harman, and current collegiate players Kyle Scott (Lebanon Valley – NCAA D3), Jay Luce, Ivan Sidoriak, Devin LeBlanc and Ryan Johnson (Delaware – ACHA).

“Working with Sean is something that I’m looking forward to because he’s a great guy, he knows the game really well, and he knows how to train and develop players,” said Snyder, who played for Towson University’s American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) team from 2014 to 2018. “Getting kids to love the game and trying to improve them every day is something I want to continue.”

Two ASAP terms are tentatively scheduled to take place at the University of Delaware Ice Arenas in August. ASAP is available to all youth hockey players, regardless of club commitment or school affiliation. Sign-up details will be available in late June.

First State Ice Hockey management will continue to monitor the public health landscape and follow all government and science-based directives in order to ensure a safe environment for all players to get back on the ice and prepare for a return to competitive hockey.