A former Border Bruin is returning to Grand Forks to put on a hockey camp at the local arena.
Matt Sebastian, whose parents and brother live here, is the head coach of the Grand Forks Minor Hockey Association which goes Aug. 25-29 at the Jack Goddard Memorial Arena.
The camp looks to be a big success and is already sold out.
“Matt is a former Border Bruin who coaches power skating in Calgary through a group called Fuel Performance,” said camp coordinator Scott Stewart. “He is back home at the end of the summer so he agreed to organize the camp.”
Sebastian, who is 26 years old, played for the Bruins in the 2004-05 season. He also played two years in Creston and a year in Castlegar.
After high school, Sebastian headed east to Calgary where he picked up his kinesiology degree at the university there.
“I now run a hockey development business in Calgary,” he said. “I have a couple of contracts. In the winter I work with a number of minor hockey associations.”
The biggest of which is likely the Blackfoot Hockey Association, which has over 700 players. “I’ll do the power skating and skill development for all the players,” said Sebastian. “I’m hired on as their hockey development director.”
Going into the hockey development business was a natural progression for Sebastian.
“I played until I was 19 and I was looking for a way to supplement my income,” he said. “During my junior career I always worked at hockey schools in the summer. When I got out to Calgary, the market was pretty wide open. I stuck with it and it kind of snowballed into me running my own gig out there.”
Sebastian said he was asked to coach at the camp by Stewart and he was happy to oblige.
“I thought it would be a good excuse to get away from the city and have a little working vacation,” he said. “I’m usually back in Grand Forks for a week or so at the end of summer anyway. It worked out really well.”
Sebastian said the camp will emphasize skill development such as power skating, puck handling, shooting, play recognition and “lots of fun.”