Primal Athletics
Located in the Aberdeen Rec Plex, we are professional trainer-led programming with capabilities to use two ice surfaces, large gym and dryland area, 4 lane hockey shot gallery and skate sharpening. We are proud to be able to offer food and drink with an on site restaurant, All Star Cafe. We offer a full hockey experience under one roof to aspire and achieve elite skill sets on and off the ice.
Aberdeen Recreation Complex »Our Mission :
At Primal Athletics, our mission is to unleash the innate potential within every individual, fostering a community where passion for sports meets the primal drive for excellence. We are dedicated to providing cutting-edge training, innovative equipment, and a supportive environment that empowers athletes of all levels to surpass their boundaries and achieve their most ambitious goals.
Please Email primalathletics2022@gmail.com for registration details for Fall 2024
Our Facilities & Features
On-Ice Training
We have 2 ice surfaces located in Aberdeen.
One is our 200×85 NHL-sized skating rink which has ice all year round.
Our second surface is 145×58 which is 2/3 the size of an NHL-sized skating rink and will be host to pre-organized skills camps, 3on3 games, learn-to-skate programming and tournaments with skills competitions.
Our on-ice trainers will use equipment from Edge Boss Hockey which specializes in creating hockey training products built to promote skill acquisition and training development.
If you coach a team and would like a session led by our Primal Athletics instructors who create personalized training programs at any level of skill, please contact primalathletics2022@gmail.com.
Ice Rates
When booking with any Primal Instruction : $250+GST/Hour
Rink 2: $220+GST/Hour
If requesting an on ice instructor, please inquire for pricing
Private 1:1 lessons on ice
Please contact us for 1 hour sessions tailored to your specific goals
Price varies based on time of day.
Small group training on ice- up to 8 players
Please contact us to build a program for a pre-set small group
Price varies based on program specifics
Practice Take-Overs on ice
Let the Primal Instructors take over a teams practice
Contact us to arrange
Off ice Areas( Shooting Gallery and Primal Fitness)
Can be booked as 1:1 sessions, small groups up to 4 or as a large group up to full team size.
Prices begin at $75+GST and range to $150+GST/hour
*Shooting Gallery area can be rented out to teams for their own events*
Our Instructors
Our team consists of highly experienced individuals with extensive experience and mad skill sets. Hone your skills with our experienced instructors.
Donnie Munro - Instructor
Donnie Munro was born in Saskatoon but was raised in Langham, Saskatchewan. He has been playing hockey since the young age of 3 years old and later got trained at the highest level.
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He left home at the young age of 14 to play hockey. He has played in five leagues over the course of his career – WHL, UHL, IHL, ECHL, and WCHL.
His hockey career ended after a significant injury to his Achilles tendon. Donnie has had a whole range of serious injuries and surgeries from playing hockey and other sports. But, he has been able to rehabilitate himself so that he can continue doing the things he loves to do. Mr. Munro is a specialist in body rehabilitation and an expert at working around his clients’ injuries and imbalances. He pushes his clients in a positive manner so they can achieve their desired goals.
He opened up his first fitness facility in Saskatoon called Metamorphosis over 18 years ago. At Aberdeen Recreation Complex, he has trained a whole range of clients ranging from under 10 years old to over 60 years old. His training gym in Saskatoon has evolved over the past few years and he moved his focus to young hockey players and athletes.
Donnie is results-oriented, and always has results with anyone he has and continues to train. His positive outlook on life helps build self-confidence in all his clients—young and old. It has always been a dream of his to have his own rink and training facility in one place. He will continue to run his private fitness facility in Saskatoon while also focusing on the new on and off-ice training facility in Aberdeen. Donnie lives in Saskatoon with his wife, Sarah. He has three children, Skyler, Cohen, and Goldie. He is an animal lover and has three dogs and two cats. Donnie loves staying active. He loves to waterski, mountain bike, downhill ski, and, of course, play hockey and train others to play hockey. He is so excited about this new and exciting venture and looks forward to the future and growth in Aberdeen and the newly renovated facility.
What People Are Saying about Donnie
Donnie has a true passion for helping kids develop and become better hockey players. Donnie knows how to push players while at the same time giving them the confidence they need to succeed. Donnie has always been our son’s biggest cheerleader, which has helped him believe that he can play at the highest level! If your child would like to play at the top level. I would highly recommend Donnie’s program!
Ryan Blais
Donnie believes in these kids! He wants them to succeed as much as the parents do. He actually takes the time to correct them on the ice as they work on drills rather than letting them keep doing the wrong things over and over. Bottom line, they have a lot of fun too!
Shawn Robson
General Sales Manager, Wheaton GM
Mark Olexson - Instructor
Mark was born and raised in Saskatoon. He played minor hockey throughout his childhood and has been training with Donnie Munro for the past 15 years.
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Mark is looking forward to the new and exciting challenge that will take place at the Aberdeen Rink. He loves working with all clients and is specifically excited to continue working with young hockey players and athletes, helping them achieve their desired goals. Mark enjoys all sports and spends time with his family and friends when is not working at the gym. He is excited to head the drylands training programs that will take place when the new facility is open.
What People Are Saying about Mark
Mark has been an exceptional addition to the training of our sons. He has an ability to develop appropriate training at any level of athleticism. He pushes our boys (11,14) to the best of their ability while maintaining correct form and preventing injuries. He makes a point of learning who they are and what their fitness needs are to maximize their development. Our entire family has booked training with Mark and the entire environment was enjoyable from start to finish because of Mark’s knowledge and how he encouraged us to be our best. We put our work in while having fun and building supportive lifetime connections.
Mike Tietz - Instructor
A multi-sport athlete well versed in multiple sport specific training. Coach Mike believes in a “we” not “me” approach to athletes.
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A firm belief in putting the client-athlete first has helped him grow from a small grassroots trainer to recently turning down an interim position with the UBC Thunderbirds women’s team, so that he can stay close to his family and continue to build upon existing relationships with athletes in Sask.
On Ice: Coach Mike realizes that training and hockey are continually evolving, and he believes that his training is a reflection of that. Continually educating himself, he takes pride on an extremely high-satisfaction rate from clients. Next-gen skills mechanics, edgework, agility, evasiveness and power are his strengths, but the secret he believes is learning who his clients are. He loves the challenge of finding ways to motivate and get results out of everyone and realizes that not everyone responds to the same stimuli.
In Fitness: Coming from a multi-sport background( Track and field, hockey, powerlifting, wrestling) Coach Mike likes to implement a well-rounded form of training but his specialty is strength building, power and explosiveness. With sports in general, Coach Mike believes that agile, explosive and powerful athletes have an upper hand. Coach Mikes training in the gym reflects this.
Hockey Shot: Coach Mike spent several months in BC getting a first hand look at Connor Bedard’s trainers when Connor was a youth. This along with learning how to analyze the top NHL players shots and put it together into a language that anyone from 5-50 years old can understand, has made him an extremely valuable resource for any age and skill level. Whether you are looking for a minor tweak or a complete video breakdown of mechanics, there is nothing the Hockey Shot room and Coach Mike hasn’t come across without being able to adjust and implement better performance.
Josh Thorimbert - Primal Goalie Instructor
I have been playing goal from the time I was 8 years old and training goalies beginning at age 16( over 15 years and counting).
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I was offered a scholarship to play for Colorado College Tigers NCAA Division I in Colorado Springs. I played 4 seasons while attending school and graduated with an Arts and Science Degree. I attended Manitoba Emergency Servies College to obtain me Fire Fighting Accreditation and currently work for the Saskatoon Fire Department. My wife and I are proud parents to our children. I am excited to work in progressing goalies development and skills in and off the ice with Primal Athletics
Andrii Lupandin - Instructor
Coach Andrii has been part of Primal Athletics for over a year now. He played his youth hockey for the famous Druzhba 78 team from Kharkiv Ukraine that barnstormed across North America.
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He is an outstanding defenceman known for his Superior skating and offensive skills.
Player and Coaching Highlights:
💥Ukrainian U18 European Champions
💥Selected first round of CHL European Draft by Brandon Wheat Kings
💥Played 4 seasons with Wheat Kings and named MVP in his final year
💥16 year Pro Hockey Career in IHL, AHL, ECHL, CHL, UHL- 7 years Pro Hockey in Europe.
💥Youth Hockey coach resulting in Ukrainian U13 champions and provided private training in Ukraine for 8 years
💥Most Recently, assistant coach of Team Ukraine @Quebec International U13 Tournament 2023
If you are looking for individual skills/ team training or small on ice group sessions with Andrii- contact Primal Athletics
Spencer Hetherington - Fitness instructor
Camp & Programs
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