Outside it is 45°C. Inside our rink it is -4°C, the boards are freshly painted, and the Zamboni has just laid a clean sheet. While many European rinks shut down for the summer and your home club juggles a single sheet of ice with figure skaters and public sessions, Galaxy Hockey Academy keeps two indoor rinks running every single week of the year. That is the simple promise behind our international camps: when ice is scarce at home, players keep developing here.
Galaxy Hockey Academy is the UAE's largest ice hockey club, based at Sport Society in Mirdif, Dubai. We operate two indoor rinks — a 60×30 m main arena for U12–U17 and adult groups, and a training rink for U6, U8 and U10. Around 500+ players train with us across youth, junior, adult and women's programmes. The senior team, Galaxy Warriors, plays in the Emirates Hockey League (EHL) in purple jerseys with AMYLCO on the chest. Our junior squads brought home U9 gold, U12 gold and U18 bronze from the Junior Hockey League last season.
Why Dubai, Why Now
For hockey families in the US, Canada, Europe and Russia, Dubai solves a calendar problem. Winter break is the longest stretch of time off most parents will get all year, but home rinks are crowded and travel teams are on pause. Spring break sits awkwardly between league play-offs and off-season — too short for a real trip, too long to waste. Summer is the killer: European municipal rinks pull the ice, North American camps fill up by February, and skill stalls for ten weeks.
A camp week with us replaces that gap with structured ice every day, against new opponents, under coaches who have seen the game at the highest level. Players also leave with something less tangible: the experience of training in a club where Russian, English, Arabic and French are spoken on the bench, and where hockey is treated as a serious year-round sport in a city most people associate with sun.
Camp Formats
- Winter Break Camp (December–January) — typically two weeks running through the New Year holidays. Heaviest on game situations, small-area scrimmages and shared sessions with our U12–U17 teams. Best fit for travel and AAA players who want competitive reps over the break.
- Spring Break Camp (April) — a one-week format aligned with most European and North American school holidays. Focus on individual skill: edges, hands, shot mechanics, video. Good for players coming off a long league season who want to reset technique.
- Summer Camp (June–August) — our flagship international block. Multi-week, with rolling Monday starts so families can pick one, two or three weeks. Builds a full week around morning ice, afternoon dryland, and recovery, with at least one full scrimmage day.
What's Included on the Ice and Off It
- Ice time — five 60-minute sessions per week as standard, with optional power-skating and goalie-specific slots.
- Dryland — strength, mobility and reaction work programmed for the player's age group, run in the Sport Society gym.
- Video review — clipped sessions with coaches walking through positioning, support angles and decisions.
- Recovery — pool, sauna and a structured cool-down. Dubai heat is real; we treat hydration and sleep as part of the programme.
- Coaching — small group ratios, with goalies always working with a dedicated goalie coach.
Who You'll Skate For
Head coach Artiom Senkevich is a former KHL player and a former head coach of the UAE national team. He runs camp curriculum and leads the older age groups. Assistant coaches Maxim Saveliev and Oleg Ignatiev handle skill development and junior groups. The academy was founded by Iurii Lomakin and Vladislav Lomakin, with NHL legend Alexei Yashin serving as advisor — yes, that does mean visiting players occasionally get a few minutes of his time during summer camps.
Logistics — Easier Than You Think
Dubai is one of the simplest hockey destinations to organise:
- Visas: Citizens of the US, Canada, UK, EU member states, Russia and most of Latin America receive a visa on arrival or visa-free stay. No paperwork before flying.
- Flights: Direct connections from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, New York and Toronto. Emirates and flydubai handle hockey bags as oversized luggage — we'll send a packing note.
- Hotels: We recommend two zones. Mirdif for short transfers (10 minutes to the rink) and quieter family stays. JBR / Dubai Marina for families who want beach evenings, with a 35-minute morning drive.
- Transfers: Daily rink shuttle included in international camp packages. Airport pickups arranged on request.
- Off-ice: Beach afternoons, desert evenings and indoor activities scheduled around training, not on top of it.
Pricing
Local Camp Galaxy sessions, which run Tuesday to Friday, 09:00–10:15, are 500 AED for the full camp or 150 AED per drop-in. These are the baseline rates and a good option for families already living in the UAE or extending a holiday.
For international visitors we build custom camp packages on request, which can include ice, dryland, video, transfers, hotel coordination, off-ice activities and goalie coaching. Typical weekly packages range from 2,800 AED (≈ USD 760 / EUR 700) ice-only to 6,500 AED (≈ USD 1,770 / EUR 1,620) all-inclusive excluding flights. We send a quote within 48 hours of your enquiry.
What Families Say
[PLACEHOLDER — to be filled with a real testimonial from an international camp family, including name, city and age group of the player.]
Request a Camp Slot
Spaces are limited per age group, and goalie spots fill first. Tell us the dates you're considering, your player's age and level, and whether you need help with hotels and transfers.
- Phone / WhatsApp: +971 50 859 9547
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @galaxy_sport_club
- Web: glxyhockey.com
Request a camp slot by filling in the form below — we'll come back with availability, a recommended programme for your player's age group, and a full quote.