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PHOTOS BY JIm Hibbard Sharpening USA Hockey's Next Wave Of Goaltenders At The Boys National 15 Goalie Camp by Seamus Kelley GROWTH & COMMUNITY 32 // SUMMER 2026 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM E very summer, USA Hockey gath- ers 24 of the best goaltenders in the country in Amherst, New York, at the Boys National 15 Goalie Camp. Slotted between the conclusion of USA Hockey's Boys National 17 Festival and Boys National 15 Camp at the Northtown Center in Amherst, the three-day period from July 13-15 felt like a calm period around the rink between two weeks of USA Hockey Player Development Camps in upstate New York. The purpose of the camp is to provide an opportunity for USA Hockey, the coaching staff, and the 24 goaltenders selected for USA Hockey's Boys 15 Player Development Camp time to focus solely on goaltending development and evaluation before the other camp attendees arrive. "It's all about development, teaching, messaging and evaluation," said David Lassonde, USA Hockey's national goaltend- ing coach. "It's the first rung in the national goaltending ladder, and it's the first step in getting where they need to be to wear a U.S. national team jersey someday." Despite the quieter feeling around Daemen University's campus, which hosts all campers and staff for the entirety of USA Hockey's Boys Player Development Camps, there is no lapse in on-ice intensity during the camp. "My biggest takeaway from camp is that you need to compete every drill. You can never give up on a play," said Renner Andersen. Fellow goalie Owen Ryan added, "One thing I'm taking away from camp is to just compete on every drill, every shot and to just want the puck every time." The camp is designed to be a goaltend- ing-specific program for the 24 netminders who also participated at the Boys 15 Player Development Camp the following week. "There are video, mental performance, strength and conditioning, and team building sessions in addition to the on-ice portions of the camp," Lassonde added. "It's a comprehensive camp, both on- and off-the-ice." Some of the nation's best coaches and teachers were on hand for camp, includ- ing Julia Allain, the mental skills coach for the New York Rangers, who led the mental performance and team-building aspects of camp, and Alfie Michaud, assis- tant coach for the University of Maine men's ice hockey team, who led a video session with the players.