c.o.d.p.

council member retired · Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:09 pm

how good is this olympic develop program ? Is it really run by Blathwick (sp?)? Who has experience or knowledge of this program?

thank you in advance

hocktang · Post by **hocktang** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:32 am

CODP is a very good program. Jack Blatherwick isn't actually there running the practices, but he designs what the CODP coaches should do. The main coaches are Marcy Bidlon from the Minnesota Thoroughbreds, and Lenny Vannelli. It has a very good on ice program with high speed practices, and the off-ice is very intense with plyo-tubes that are very heavy (40-60 lb.) and the coaches really push the best from the players and try to prepare them to the highest level.

joehockey · Post by **joehockey** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:38 pm

My daughter has done the CODP program for three years and it has been great. It is very rigorous and they expect you to attend and work your hardest to improve. They tend to only keep kids in the program that work and support others in the program. From this stand point it gets a concentration of good kids and is very different than other camps or HS STP programs that may not push players (that is a generalization sorry to the effect ones). Cost this year is $850 up from $750 last year - there is also a spring program to prep for NDP and a fall team that are seperate cost.

http://www.codpmn.com

The other option and program that does a good job in developing players is the OS program run by Winny Brodt and Ronda Curtain. Cost is $550 or $650. They also have a spring league and a fall league.

www.skaterslink.com

Either program will make a player who wants to work hard to improve better.

Hux · Post by **Hux** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:15 pm

hocktang wrote:CODP is a very good program. Jack Blatherwick isn't actually there running the practices, but he designs what the CODP coaches should do. The main coaches are Marcy Bidlon from the Minnesota Thoroughbreds, and Lenny Vannelli. It has a very good on ice program with high speed practices, and the off-ice is very intense with plyo-tubes that are very heavy (40-60 lb.) and the coaches really push the best from the players and try to prepare them to the highest level.

The plyotubes, as with other aspects of the program, are geared to the athlete's ability. In many cases, the athletes use their own body weight until they have mastered the proper biomechanics of the exercise. Weight is then gradually added as their strength and proficiency increase.

There has been discussion ad infinitum about the merits of each program in prior threads. The principal difference between the two is in the intensity of the on and off ice activity, and the commitment that is expected of the athletes participating.

As far as how successful this program is, let me put it this way. Of the 9 girls who made the U18 Select team and were invited to the Women's Festival in Lake Placid last August, 7 of them had been through CODP. Of the 22 girls on the U18 Select team, only the CODP girls (and Miss Erickson, and Miss Coyne) had even the slightest ability to do any of the strength drills that were part of the testing done on the players.

Bottom line: If you have aspirations of making a National team you will need to be in better shape than the next player, regardless of how good your game is. The stakes have been raised considerably, and just because you can put the puck in the net or go to one end of the ice faster than someone else isn't going to guarantee you a spot. Both programs will make you a better player. CODP will also make you a stronger, better conditioned athlete.

SportsMa · Post by **SportsMa** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:20 pm

Too bad that CODP does not continue to have multiple sites across Minnesota.

joehockey · Post by **joehockey** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:23 pm

Hux wrote:
hocktang wrote:CODP is a very good program. Jack Blatherwick isn't actually there running the practices, but he designs what the CODP coaches should do. The main coaches are Marcy Bidlon from the Minnesota Thoroughbreds, and Lenny Vannelli. It has a very good on ice program with high speed practices, and the off-ice is very intense with plyo-tubes that are very heavy (40-60 lb.) and the coaches really push the best from the players and try to prepare them to the highest level.
The plyotubes, as with other aspects of the program, are geared to the athlete's ability. In many cases, the athletes use their own body weight until they have mastered the proper biomechanics of the exercise. Weight is then gradually added as their strength and proficiency increase.

There has been discussion ad infinitum about the merits of each program in prior threads. The principal difference between the two is in the intensity of the on and off ice activity, and the commitment that is expected of the athletes participating.

As far as how successful this program is, let me put it this way. Of the 9 girls who made the U18 Select team and were invited to the Women's Festival in Lake Placid last August, 7 of them had been through CODP. Of the 22 girls on the U18 Select team, only the CODP girls (and Miss Erickson, and Miss Coyne) had even the slightest ability to do any of the strength drills that were part of the testing done on the players.

Bottom line: If you have aspirations of making a National team you will need to be in better shape than the next player, regardless of how good your game is. The stakes have been raised considerably, and just because you can put the puck in the net or go to one end of the ice faster than someone else isn't going to guarantee you a spot. Both programs will make you a better player. CODP will also make you a stronger, better conditioned athlete.

Hux great points on CODP and no question on the strength development and what the program has done for players involved.

I don't know the exact stat/overlap might be 1-1, but many of the girls in your count were also in the OS programs (Leagues, Prospects Camp with College Coaches and with the Jr. Whitecaps which is aligned with OS).

I am a big fan of CODP for what it has done for my daughter but you are seeing the top girls in increasing numbers doing both programs.

gopher25 · Post by **gopher25** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:53 pm

What bothers me about CODP is that they ride on the coatails of their premeir athletes. I think the best athletes/players are going to be the best no matter what they do in the off season, as long as they continue to train and improve. CODP tends to say we coached the Krissy Wendells, Winny Brodts, Darwitz..ect. Well actually they all probably had great youth coaches before they ever even had CODP and that probably had more influence on them than any summer program and their god given talent of course.

I have heard great things about CODP as far as the program, I have also heard some not so many great things about how they play heavy favorites. OS is also a great program. Both are coming from the teachings of Jack Blatherwick/Herb Brooks. I guess it just depends on what you want to get out of it.

I guess what I would like to see is how many of these players start out average and become better because they did CODP, IMPACT, OS, ect. I guess then I would decide if it was worth 1,000 + per summer.

trilogy · Post by **trilogy** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:15 pm

Makes some sense that on an older 17/18 national team you'd find that most of them came up through codp.

OS has only been around for what, 3 years? 4 years? They will be able to count a few more heads in that group each year I bet.

The younger girls that will emerge the next few years will be better trained than those in the past. Off season programs are growing, both CODP and OS have had phenomenal growth the past few years.

Remember just a few years ago there were still girls coming out for hs hockey with no prior experience. My goodness, how the times are changing.

goalzilla · Post by **goalzilla** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:40 pm

I have nothing but great things to say about CODP and their coach's. My daughter can't wait until CODP training starts, they physically push you and she thrives on that. As far as coach's Marci, Lenny and the others they were great to my daughter. What I appreciate as a parent is that at the first practice it was made clear that if you are going to be late or not work then it may not be the place for you. As a parent who just shelled out $$$ I only want my player around others that are there to push each other. This will be year #3 for us.

twowayplay · Post by **twowayplay** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:08 pm

CODP rocks! When a kid likes something becuase they push her to work hard, that's all I need.

hocktang · Post by **hocktang** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:23 am

SportsMa wrote:Too bad that CODP does not continue to have multiple sites across Minnesota.

they do in mankato, and duluth, and out of state sites such as st. louis, and pheonix.

SportsMa · Post by **SportsMa** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:10 pm

Thanks, I was not aware of Mankato. Do you know when the try-out dates for Mankato are?

Was aware of Duluth area. Would love to see one in NW or North Central Minnesota.