Ice Barn is setting out to revolutionize youth and performance hockey in the United States, starting right in Westfield, Indiana. The goal is to fundamentally change the youth and performance hockey landscape in the United States.
Stopping oncoming players from ever getting PAST YOU | iTrain Hockey
Ice Barn Academy is launching with an all-star team of coaches and administrators, in a state-of-the-art facility. Ice Barn was founded to fill the need in the Indiana hockey community for professional-level coaching for aspiring youth players who want to their fullest potential. For years, local players have been forced to leave the community for best-in-class coaching in order to improve.
Not any more!
Ice Barn is committed to bringing the best coaching techniques in the game to our community, as well as a cutting-edge training surface, one that uniquely forces players to improve simply by playing in its confined space. In addition, Ice Barn has state-of-the-art technology to teach athletes in real-time.
Read also: Gerry Youth Snow Pants: A Winter Essential
What Makes the Ice Barn Facility Different?
Ice Barn is a cutting-edge hockey academy program built to accelerate the development of hockey athletes and give them pathways to top-tier high school, collegiate, semi-professional, and professional careers.
Our academy is based around the 3v3 model of play. This model accelerates the individual development of hockey athletes, at any age, in their fundamental and team skills. In 3v3 hockey players get more puck touches and greater opportunity to put learned skills into practice, and with greater repetition to really hone their new skills.
The State-of-the-Art Ice Barn Indiana Facility
The Ice Barn Indiana facility is state of the art. It’s built to optimize the training experience for hockey athletes and designed for the 3v3 model of play. The unique size of our rink allows for an optimal coaching experience and more direct feedback for athletes. The rink has full-regulation marking, but is scaled down dimensionally to maximize on individual reps, as well as increased unit and team play. The quality of the ice itself is top-grade and designed to be hygienic and clean - and stay that way.
This is the ultimate environment to develop a hockey athlete.
Westfield, Indiana: A Prime Location
We’re launching Ice Barn in Westfield, Indiana. Westfield itself has outstanding accessibility. In fact, our brand new training facility is located just off the junction of US-31 and Indiana 32. Indiana is home to an untapped wealth of hockey talent with little to no access to true academy-style opportunities for high-performance athletes, or young athletes looking to build a better foundation for their game.
Read also: West Fargo Hockey Program
Our local community includes so many great options for healthy food, sit-down restaurants, shopping, event space, and hotels for traveling athletes and teams. Westfield is also home to a variety of trails, parks, and other recreational spaces. It’s the perfect community to host our program, as well as the families of our athletes.
Meet the Owners
Josh Mervis
Owner & Managing Partner Indy Ice Barn Owner and Managing Partner Josh Mervis has had about every role in developmental hockey one can find during his 30+ years in hockey. Starting in 1996 he was as an assistant coach at the University of Maine under the tutelage of Black Bears Head Coach Shawn Walsh.
Mervis then parlayed that coaching and development knowledge into a 26-year career in junior hockey that continues today with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. Beginning with the Danville Wings as GM and Coach, Mervis transformed the franchise from a struggling NAHL Tier 2 squad into a model USHL Tier 1 program. Following the success in Danville, Mervis moved on to start the USHL’s Indiana Ice in 2004, and then founded the the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2010.
During the course of Mervis’ leadership in junior hockey, his USHL franchises produced almost 400 NCAA Division I hockey scholarship players, and numerous NHL draft choices.
“Building this 3v3 rink is a culmination of everything I’ve learned in 26 years of working at the highest amateur level of the sport. I am convinced the constant application of skills, and repetition of on-ice decision-making, while being forced to move and play in small spaces will create the perfect development opportunity for young players.”
Read also: Youth Hockey in Clifton Park
WYSI Field Hockey
WYSI Field Hockey is aimed at teaching the fundamentals of field hockey in a fun and encouraging atmosphere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What days of the week are practices and what is the locations?
A: Practices will be held on Wednesdays from 6:45-8:30 pm.
Q: When are the games?
A: All games will be played on Saturday, 10:00am-12:00pm.
Q: Can I request a certain coach, or to be on a team with my neighbor for carpool purposes, etc.
A: No, per the WYSI Policies and Procedures (Section 7.C.6.b).
Q: What equipment should we have?
A: WYSI will provide field hockey sticks to use for the season. Players should have shinguards (soccer shinguards work) and a mouth guard. Cleats are recommended but not required.
Q: What kind of experience is needed to coach?
A: None, really. Especially with the younger kids.