Hockey Camps

What Hockey Camps does

Heartland Hockey Camp is a privately-held residential hockey camp founded in 1985 by US Olympian Steve Jensen and his wife Sandy Jensen, located on a 164-acre self-contained campus in Deerwood, Minnesota, in the Brainerd Lakes area. The camp operates the only privately-owned dual ice arena setup on a single campus globally, supplemented by 52 dormitory lodging units, a 4,464 sq ft off-ice training center, 7,600 feet of private lakeshore on Portage Lake, and recreational amenities including tennis courts, mini-golf, a power shooting range, and a pro shop. It serves youth players (ages 8+ across Mites, Squirts, Peewees, Bantams, and High School tiers), girls, goalies, and adult players through week-long residential summer sessions with up to six hours of daily ice time and a 6:1 camper-to-coach ratio.

The business model is direct-to-consumer: parents register online through the Regystra platform, pay camp tuition, and may add lodging upgrades ($200 per camper for deluxe dorms), private lessons ($150 per hour), and ancillary services such as skate sharpening ($8), linen rental ($50), WiFi ($10), extra-night stays ($100/night), and airport shuttles. The camp is staffed by over 60 seasonal coaches, counselors, EMTs, nurses, and doctors, with a 4:1 camper-to-counselor supervision ratio. Technology is instructor-facing rather than AI-driven, encompassing high-speed video review systems, radar speed guns, laser timing devices, biomechanical video analysis, and a 20-camera security system. Marketing is conducted through the company website, blog ("Heartland Happenings"), email newsletter, Instagram and Facebook, and testimonial-driven word of mouth.

In December 2025, Heartland was acquired by 200x85, ending family ownership under the Jensen family. Pete Carlson was appointed Executive Director effective March 2, 2026, and the company announced $1.5 million in facility upgrades and two new product lines for 2026 (Girls Week and Adult Hockey Week Experience), as well as the Heartland Helping Hand Campership Program supported by 200x85 and Premier Ice Prospects. The camp continues to serve a global camper base (40,000+ lifetime participants) and operates primarily during the summer season.

Name

Hockey Camps

Legal name

Heartland Hockey Camp

Website

https://heartlandhockey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heartland Hockey Camp operates a 164-acre residential hockey camp in Deerwood, Minnesota, offering week-long youth, girls, goalie, and adult hockey programs with elite coaching, dual private ice arenas, and on-site lodging for individual players and families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Training Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ice Rinks & Winter Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAG)

Keywords

• Hockey camps
• Sports training
• Youth athletics
• Hockey instruction
• Residential camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Deerwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Camp Tuition and Registration: Residential summer hockey camp tuition for youth, girls, goalie, and adult programs. Includes lodging, meals, ice time, and recreational activities. Camps run one-week sessions during summer months.
2. Premium Lodging Upgrades: Deluxe dorm upgrades with AC and mini fridge at $200 per camper; family lodging options; upgraded apartment units with private amenities
3. Private Lessons: One-on-one hour-long instruction sessions with Heartland coaches at $150 per lesson, available during evening hours throughout camp week
4. Camp Services and Rentals: Additional revenue from skate sharpening cards ($8), linens rental ($50), wifi purchases ($10), extra night stays ($100/night), and airport shuttles
5. Pro Shop and Merchandise: On-site hockey pro shop selling equipment and merchandise to campers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The company is named "Hockey Camps" and appears to operate in the hockey camp and instruction sector. Specific details of the offering are not evidenced in the provided input.

Product overview

Heartland Hockey Camp offers a comprehensive portfolio of residential hockey development programs centered around its unique self-contained 164-acre private campus in Deerwood, Minnesota. The core offering consists of Youth Hockey Camps at four skill tiers (Skills, Select, Super Select, AAA) across multiple age divisions, complemented by specialized Girls Camps, Goalie Camps, and Adult Hockey Camps. Additional offerings include Private Lessons for personalized one-on-one coaching, upgraded lodging options, airport shuttle services, and the Heartland Helping Hand Campership Program for financial assistance. The camp provides extensive amenities including dual ice arenas, training facilities, waterfront recreation, and dining services—all integrated into a single immersive experience that combines elite hockey instruction with traditional summer camp activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ lifetime campers trained over 40+ years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Premier Ice ProspectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Heartland Helping Hand Campership Program, providing full and partial scholarships to families who face financial barriers to camp participation. Helps carry forward the Jensen family's charitable legacy.
• EventConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Heartland Helping Hand Campership Program, contributing to funding for campership awards for deserving players.
• Groome TransportationminorOthersNon-affiliated shuttle service that provides transportation from MSP airport to Heartland Hockey Camp for $100 each way. Not responsible for issues arising from their service.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• USA Hockey: National governing body for ice hockey in the United States that sets standards, runs Development Camps, and certifies player development programs — Heartland operates within the player pathway USA Hockey administers.
• IMG Academy: Premier multi-sport residential training academy in Bradenton, FL offering elite hockey programming alongside dozens of other sports — comparable in business model (residential sports training with tuition + lodging + ancillary services) but far broader in scope and scale.
• US Sports Camps (Nike Sports Camps): Network of residential and day sports camps across the US including hockey-specific programs; a much larger aggregator competing for the same youth hockey family wallet share with broader multi-sport breadth.

Regional players

• Hockey Hall of Fame / Hockey Canada Development Camps: Canadian hockey development organization that runs national and regional player development camps mirroring Heartland's residential elite-development model, with comparable target audience of aspiring competitive youth players.
• National Sports Center: Blaine, Minnesota-based multi-sport facility that runs hockey training programs and is where Heartland's new Executive Director Pete Carlson previously spent 29 years — a geographically overlapping peer with significant hockey programming depth.

Others

• Shattuck-Saint Mary's School: Minnesota-based boarding school renowned for elite hockey development and feeder to NCAA/NHL talent, with summer hockey programming — comparable elite-development positioning but structured as a year-round academic institution rather than a camp operator.

Direct peers

• Gretzky Hockey & Sports Centre: Residential hockey training facility in Brantford, Ontario founded by Wayne Gretzky, offering elite on-ice development with private ice surfaces, lodging, and coaching — a near-direct comparable to Heartland's self-contained hockey development model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heartland-hockey-camp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hockey Camps