Celebrating a Decade of the Matt Martin Hockey Academy

Seven-year-old Joseph Repetti was bursting with excitement after the very first day of the Matt Martin Hockey Academy on Monday, where he got his first taste of learning from the pros and skating with his fellow campers.

“When he got home, he couldn’t stop talking about it,” said Joseph’s grandfather, Steven Repetti. “He’s definitely having a good time. To see the smile on his face, it’s great to watch him have fun out there.”

Joseph certainly collected a wealth of stories when the week-long camp carried on. He was one of roughly 210 kids – of all ages and skill levels – who were immersed in a fun, instructional and competitive hockey environment all week. They enjoyed skating, stickhandling, mini games and scrimmages and received individualized attention from coaches, including Martin himself.

“We really enjoy doing it, it’s something I have a lot of fun with every year,” Martin said. “All the fans and people that come seem to really enjoy it and a lot of them continue to come back, that’s all you can ask for.”

Martin finds it especially rewarding to watch returning kids have a fun experience, stick with hockey and improve year after year. Eight-year-old Marcello ‘Hammer’ Hamerman is relishing his third camp, preparing for his first season on the P.A.L. Junior Islanders, a tier three junior ice hockey team in the United States Premier Hockey League.

“He loves to come here and play, he talks about it non-stop,” said Marcello’s mother, Michele Hamerman. “He just loves to be on the ice and looks forward to training, I’ve seen him improve every year. He’s thrilled to see Martin and the other players he brings out every year. When the Islanders come and sign autographs, he loves that.”

Martin’s camp features a star-studded lineup of current and former Islanders every summer, which enhances the experience for the kids. Current and former Islanders like Casey Cizikas, Josh Bailey and Cal Clutterbuck pitched in to coach on-ice sessions this year, while Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri and Ryan Pulock spent time throughout the week to make sure every kid got an autograph.

“I know the kids really look forward to meeting the players and meeting different players every year,” Martin said. “I think it excites the kids and it’s awesome for them to do that.”

The event has become a staple in the past decade. When Martin kicked off camp in 2015, he was five years into his NHL career and looking for ways to give back to the Long Island community when he thought of the concept for the camp. His then-teammates including Bailey, Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck jumped in to help in the early years and they’re still active volunteers. Now, their own kids take part in the camp and partake in the fun.

“It comes full circle in a way,” Martin said. “It’s awesome.”

This summer’s camp is Martin’s first since his retirement after 15 NHL seasons, including 13 with the Islanders. He jumped right into a management role as Special Assistant to the GM, but still has an itch to be on the ice.

“I was scoring so much on these kids this week, I can probably still play, I feel pretty good,” Martin joked. “But there’s still so much reflection to do on my career, a lot of people to thank.”

Martin’s continued dedication to his charity initiatives is rooted in two of his biggest mentors, Isles legend Clark Gillies and former football player (and Martin’s father-in-law) Boomer Esiason. As a young athlete, he remembers the various golf outings, galas, bowling and softball games both Gillies and Esiason hosted for charity and aspired to follow in their footsteps. Even when Martin played in Toronto for two seasons, he continued to run the annual camp on Long Island.

“Long Island is a special place for me, it’s where I call home now,” Martin said. “The community has been so good to me over the years, and it’s a pretty special thing to give back. It’s something I don’t take for granted.”

The action-packed week at Northwell Health Ice Center is ultimately all for a good cause. Proceeds from the event support Martin's foundation which aims to benefit the NYPD Widow and Children's Fund, the Boomer Esiason Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis, ACDS, and the Islanders Children's Foundation.

"It just shows the type of person he is," Cizikas said. "The things that he does for the community, for Long Island, and for the people here, he goes above and beyond. It's who he is and it's who he's always been, he's someone that we all look up to."