Florek hosts “Skate With The Pros” hockey camp

MARQUETTE — This week, Mites, Squirts and Pee Wee hockey players made their way to the Berry Events Center for a special camp hosted by a very talented Marquette native.

Former Northern Michigan star Justin Florek was back in town to host a “Skate With the Pros” hockey camp in partnership with Advant Edge Sports Training. The camp was divided into three age groups, but the goal was the same for all the campers.

“Trying to keep it simple, but also pushing them a little bit. We’re working on a lot stick–handling and shooting today and a little bit of power skating. It’s pretty cool because off the ice they’re at Advant Edge, the place where we work out at so they get to kind of see on a day–to–day basis what I do, where I get to work out and things that I train and work hard to translate into hockey. It’s been a pretty cool experience so far and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week,” Florek said.

Florek added that once upon a time, he was just like these kids, working his way through the ranks of Marquette hockey and remembers going to camps, just like the one he is hosting this week.

“I looked up to a lot of guys. The Marquette Electricians, the Redmen, Northern and a lot of those guys volunteered their time to the community and helped and skated with us. At the time I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, so for me to give back right now, it’s kind of a dream come true to help these kids and show them that they can do the same thing I have and make a career out of hockey,” said Florek.

The camp wraps up tomorrow at the Berry.