With its 50th summer concluded for 2023, Bertagna Goaltending has celebreated its final year as the
longest active goalie school in the country. Since its 1974 start at the West Suburban Arena in Natick, MA, Bertagna
Goaltending established a high standard for coaching goalies of all ages. It is estimated that more than 12,000 goalies
went through the summer program since the camp was first launched.
“It has been a great run and I have enjoyed every minute of it. But I think it is time to wrap up this part of my coaching career,” said Bertagna. “I hope to stay active – and relevant – with youth and prep hockey coaching. I still have the
energy for that.”
The first summer camp was run under the auspices
of the West Suburban Arena and had the legendary Yale
and Olympic coach Tim Taylor overseeing Joe as he
launched his own efforts. Bertagna credits Tim and Tim’s
own goalie coach, Warren Cook, with providing the
structure needed to get the camp off the ground. Cook
had enjoyed a college career at Dartmouth.
“Warren and Tim were very generous with their time
and knowledge and that is how all of this started,”
said Bertagna.
Bertagna hopes that former coaches, camp attendees
and even anyone who shot pucks at the camp will stop by
on Friday, August 4 at the Burlington Ice Palace in
Burlington, MA. He has booked an extra hour of ice
following the conclusion of camp on Friday, August 4, and
hopes to take an impressive group photo of all who come
back for the celebration.
The camp has coached goalies from aspiring mites to
future NHL greats. Among his celebrated students: New York
Rangers Stanley Cup-winning goalie Mike Richter, BU’s Rick
DiPietro and BC’s Cory Schneider, who went on to NHL careers;
Chuckie Hughes, who led Harvard to its only NCAA title;
women’s hockey pioneers Kelly Dyer and Erin Whitten, and
so many others.
Joe’s work at the camp, coupled with a lifetime of writing about goaltending, has led to other high visibility jobs as
a goalie coach. He was Boston Bruins goalie coach from 1985-1991 and served Tim Taylor in that role with the 1994 U.S.
Olympic Team. He currently works with Governors Academy goaltenders in the winter season.





Closed out 49th summer of camp with a special moment. Many years ago, Kevin Morrison brought his young 10-year old son Mike to my camp. Mike went on to Mainland the NHL and both father and son worked my camp as coaches. yesterday, Mike's 10-year old son Mason made his camp debut. Three generations of Morrisons!!
Get your copy of "Late in the Third" - Observations from Both Sides of the Glass By Joe Bertagna
Released in 2021
A retrospective on a long and stellar life in hockey from growing up in Arlington, Mass., to playing at Harvard and professionally and through his many years as a conference commissioner. Pick up a copy Joe's book "Late in the Third" today!
Visit LateintheThird.com
Former Boston Bruins goalie coach and current Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna being interviewed by Bertagna Staffer Mike Morrison and former UMass head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon at Frozen Fenway on NESN.