ABOUT
Hockey today is about more than strength and speed. It’s about skill, precision, and the ability to think fast on the ice. At OTE Hockey Academy, our job is to help players develop those crucial skills—the kind that genuinely impact their performance and open opportunities to play at higher levels.
OTE isn’t a shortcut or quick fix. We are a dedicated, structured program committed to filling the skill gap often left by standard hockey programs. Players at OTE learn how to move better, handle the puck confidently, and make smarter decisions in real game situations. It’s skill development, done right.
Fundamentals First
Elite hockey starts with understanding how and why aspiring players need to master essential skills.
Quality Over Quantity
Effective and purposeful skill acquisition training sessions are not the same as endless flow drills.
Long-Term Growth
Our approach is patient, supportive and structured. At OTE we build skills that help make your future goals a reality.
OUR TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
Skill isn’t developed through random drills—it’s built through deliberate, focused practice. At OTE, our training philosophy revolves around developing elite-level skills by emphasizing fundamentals, coaching technical accuracy, and building hockey intelligence.
Players often are made to train at high speed without focus on precision. We teach players to move at "success pace" and focus on adding the small details first. By creating good habits players will deliver superior performance. Our sessions consistently reinforce correct skating technique, confident puck handling, passing and shooting, effective positioning, and better game awareness.
Confident players learn to think faster, react better, and perform more consistently—The skills they learn become game changers.
Meet the ACADEMY LEADERSHIP
SAM MOWAT
Director, OTE Hockey Programming
“Since the day OTE was founded in 2012, I have assigned myself two primary roles at OTE. First and foremost is leading the oversite and maintenance of the very high standard of performance and culture at OTE. This is for students and staff alike. I live this mandate every day at OTE. Secondly, I determine, with team feedback, where we invest and grow to ensure we stay on the leading edge of skill development and hockey trends. At OTE we follow a strict and egoless habit of continuous improvement. We hold ourselves accountable to "be better tomorrow than we were today.”
Sam earned a B.A. from U.W.O., and is a former business executive. He has the following training credentials:
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High Performance 1 Coach (Hockey Canada)
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Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach
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Precision Nutrition Certified (PN1 & PN Exercise Nutrition)
MAX MOWAT
Assistant Director, OTE Hockey Programming / Head Skills Instructor
“My job and passion are to ensure each Academy student gets the absolute best opportunity to maximize their skills while under my guidance. I take immense pride in what we provide at OTE. As head instructor and as an elite level hockey coach, I have seen first-hand the difference OTE can make with players on their game performance.”
"Adding OTE to your skill development plan for the season is the smarter choice"
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High Performance 1 Coach (Hockey Canada)
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Certified Hockey Skills Coach (Train 2.0 Certified)
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Elite Level Hockey Coach and Player
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BCEHL U15AAA Coach of the Year 2023/24
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U18AAA OKR MVP and 1st Team All-Star
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4 Years BCHL (Vernon) /AJHL (Okotoks)
WHERE OUR GRADUATES HAVE PLAYED
ELITE MINOR HOCKEY
JUNIOR
COLLEGE
PRO
DERRICK EZEKIEL
HOCKEY PARENT
"The nice thing with the academy is that he plays with different age groups. He is able to learn a lot from the older kids and look up to them instead of being with his same age group all the time."
BRYDEN EZEKIEL
PLAYER U15AA NORTH ZONE KINGS
"They have a professional environment that helps us develop all our skills. If you want to have fun and improve your skills, then you should join us!"
“I saw an incredible progression for my son's hockey performance from the start of academy to the end. The gains were incredible and gave my son's goalie ambitions legs to aim for higher and higher levels of hockey."
“I saw an incredible progression for my son's hockey performance from the start of academy to the end. The gains were incredible and gave my son's goalie ambitions legs to aim for higher and higher levels of hockey."
TERRI HIGGINS
HOCKEY PARENT
"The coaches are qualified, they're skilled, they've been around, and they've played up at higher levels. And they're just great with their kids, super engaging, great with communication. They're great with breaking down skills on the ice and off the ice, what they need to do to perform at their best and to improve and have fun."