Since establishing the Cro’s Ice Nest over two decades ago, Rob Crocock, has dedicated his time to building the confidence and growing the passion for hockey in youth across the Brantford community.
Crocock, who had a successful playing career, talked about his time playing in Brantford and then with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
“I started when I came up in the Brantford minor hockey system, and then I was fortunate enough to get drafted by the Belleville Bulls of the OHL, (which eventually became the Brantford Bulldogs) and made the team in my first year. I played for the Bulls for three years, but the knock against me from moving forward was my size, especially being a defenceman. The first thing NHL teams looked at when drafting was someone who was at least six feet tall and 200 pounds, even though I was very fast,” he said.
However, Crocock made the decision to go to York University under the OHL scholarship program.
“I had five really successful years at York. We won four Ontario championships and three CIAU (now USports) championships. I was amazed at how much I learned going into the university ranks, because the game-to-practice ratio was much higher. All of our coaches were very educated. Their style of coaching was very similar to Olympic team coaches, and making sure that you’re at your best when you need to be at the best…our team was always third or fourth place before entering the playoffs,” Crocock reflected. “That’s when we peaked, and we did well every year because of how we approached the game, especially when it mattered. OHL coaching is a little rougher and more physical which is typical of Canadian hockey, whereas Canadian University hockey, at that time, was more about strategy.”
After battling some injuries in his final year, Crocock would move on, discovering coaching later on.
“I went out into the working world [and] it wasn’t until I had children that I got into coaching. A friend asked me if I would like to coach with him. We went around looking for a place to make our own practice arena and decided on a barn. It was very unique, but gave us lots of space. And that’s where the name Cro’s Ice Nest came from and that’s how my business got its start. As they got bigger, expanding to seven days a week… I eventually bought the rest of the property. And then a client of mine would suggest moving to a bigger space for a rink on Colbourne where we have been since,” he explained.
While other centres focus on intensive and high-end training with emphasis on younger talent, Crocock has developed a niche; were he coaches children that are late to the sport.
“I mostly work with kids that are from the ages of eight to ten, that probably should have learned to skate when they were younger…but now they want to play hockey with their friends [recreationally] or to sign up for a league and play with them. Generally, within a month or two, we can get them up to speed where they’re comfortable going out to play. They’re obviously not the best players out there, but they just want to be good enough to play with their friends,” he said. “The facility is small and isn’t overwhelming. It’s just me or one of the other trainers with them on the ice. It’s certainly non-judgmental [and I look at] how I can get these kids to the point where they need to be. We teach them the basics and then they go on and have fun. That’s kind of the goal.”
Nevertheless, Crocock looks at each athlete on an individual basis, while offering price points that fit with families’ budgets.
“We like getting these kids into a small group, at about $25 an hour for each kid…so parents are very appreciative of that. We have found that sometimes these kids are having so much fun in these groups that they don’t really want to get into leagues. They want to just come in, learn and play here each week, which is really rewarding for me,” he said. “When it comes to more specialized or tailored programs, they start at about $70 an hour, which is very reasonable. And there are circumstances where I’ve had kids with special needs come in that and they want special practices before they join any groups. But usually, we find that once we get them going, they jump into a group with an issue, even if they’ve got some form of disability.”
Crocock also maintains the importance of enjoying the sport.
“I’m trying to teach kids that it’s not all about making it to a AAA level of hockey. You can have just as much fun playing singular or in the local league. Playing the game shouldn’t be stressful, especially at an early age…it should be fun and about learning, as well as] as something they look forward to doing. The game can’t be something that you’re worried that you’re going to go to and make a mistake and that’s going to be the end of the world. I feel there is too much stress on younger players in today’s game,” said Crocock. “They need to learn to love the game first, and then, if by chance, things are going well, then they can look to the future and be more serious about it. But that shouldn’t happen until they are in their mid to late teens. Unfortunately, many parents put all of their money into programs and extra training and at the end of it, their children are burned out. I believe it’s also important to get kids involved in other sports like soccer and baseball across different seasons, and not just focusing on hockey year-round. Another important thing is letting the kid be a kid, and letting them enjoy playing and having fun.”
Although Crocock has encountered the negative aspects of the sport, including parents pushing their children to the point of burnout, he has also seen many positive stories.
“One day out of the blue, I got an email from an individual from England saying that he was coming to Canada and looking to play. When he moved here, he lived in Fort Erie for a little while, so he was planning to commute to Brantford every day. I had a little apartment in the back of my rink, so he ended up living there and was closer to the training facility. He was working on basic things that I would work on with kids who are eight or nine years old,” Crocock recalled. “After helping him, he would try out and make it onto semi-pro teams with nominal pay. These teams would give you a place to live, and they would probably give you a job to coach kids in the community. He played in various teams in Europe. Although he wasn’t a strong player by any means, he found a place to play. And he had a life experience going there and doing it, and that was his passion. It was nice to see someone like him live out his dreams and find the right opportunities to play.”
Along with Crocock as being the main coach and instructor, he also has his son Mike Crocock, who helps train children (when he isn’t playing hockey over in the United Kingdom) as well as other hockey trainers.
“Working with Mike is great. He’s got the skills, talent and drive. So, when we get a player who is a little more focused on competitive hockey, Mike works with them and those specifics to improve that player for a higher level of play. When it comes to other trainers, I like having high school students who are in the community and play for the local leagues. Our kids respond well to these trainers,” he said.
After the success of the Cro’s Ice Nest in Brantford, Crocock has been busy developing his next centre in Woodstock, which will be opening in September 2025, which would be a joint venture with his wife Jessica.
“With this new facility, we are really putting a focus on having youth teaching youth, because we want to start out that way right from the get-go…I’ve been looking for years for the proper building to have a half-size rink because all the programs for younger kids now are half ice,” he said. “It’s going to have one ice pad, a skating treadmill, and a grassy area, which will provide about ten different sporting options for the kids (like soccer and T-ball), so they can do one or a few of them. The prices would be the same for all of them…if these kids can be introduced to many sports, they can easily find out which ones they like. Then they can go on and sign up for minor soccer or minor hockey if they want to continue. That’s the goal behind it all at the new location in Woodstock.”
After being involved in hockey for over 45 years, Crocock continues to relish in coaching and training youth while still learning a great deal every day.
“One of the biggest things I have learned, especially while running the Cro’s Ice Nest, is patience and the importance of helping others. Playing hockey was great while it lasted…I made a lot of good friends, had a lot of great experiences and memories. But I probably learned more from teaching hockey than I ever did playing it,” he noted. “Another takeaway is making sure it’s fun for the kids and that they want to come to the rink. I found that it’s so much easier to teach someone who wants to be there and wants to learn than it is to teach someone who is being forced to. Since opening the Cro’s Ice Nest it’s been a rewarding experience…getting the opportunity to help kids and families get connected to hockey and being part of the community.”
