GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Wild West is a summer hockey camp in Great Falls that gives young players a full day of on-ice and off-ice training with local coaches and players.
One of the camps lead coaches, Marc Troyer, said the increase in youth hockey players is more than just an extra few kids a year.
“Montana amateur hockey did a poll, and right now [Great Falls is] the fastest growing city in the state as far as the last two years,” Troyer said. “That uptick in our numbers is something else for us to be really proud of.”
The Great Falls Ice Plex plays host to the University of Providence and the Great Falls Americans hockey teams.
It is back to being open year-round as of 2025, and Wild West launched its camps last summer and drew athletes from across the state.
Casey Shaw, a youth hockey coach at the Wild West Hockey Camp, said the camps structure is “different” from others in Montana.
“We do ice time; we do dry land,” Shaw said. “We then feed the kids lunch or dinner, depending on, you know, what day it is. Tonight we start later. So, they get dinner tonight. Tomorrow and Sunday, they get lunch from us. Then we do off ice. Shooting and stick handling, which the Americans owner, he lets us use his facilities for that, and then they get back on the ice after that again. So, we have the kids a total of about six hours for the day.”
The staff focus on more than just hockey, encouraging the players to get to know each other and build friendships that will last beyond their playing days.
Fourth grade camp attendee and son of Marc Troyer, Beau, said the connections made are what make it special.
“I think this year they’re working on it a lot more, and it’s just so fun to see old friends and make new ones,” Beau Troyer said.
The Great Falls Americans are hosting “Try Hockey For Free” youth camps throughout the rest of the summer. It provides an opportunity for kids new to the sport to learn from experienced coaches. Check out gfaha.net for more information.