Hockey academies and boarding schools have been growing in popularity in recent years. These specialized institutions are designed to help talented young players reach their full potential and pave a path towards professional play. While they certainly provide access to some of the most elite trainers and classes, there are some controversies surrounding them.

If you are considering joining a hockey academy, there are many things to consider before choosing which one to go to. You should learn about the things that you can expect when you begin training at an academy and determine if it is the right choice for you.

What is a Hockey Academy?

A hockey academy is a type of prep school where the ice-bound sport takes front and center. They strive to take promising young players and turn them into even better players with the ultimate goal of getting them into the NHL. These are basically schools reserved for the best players in their area.

Many hockey academies provide a full curriculum for their students, so they act as a regular educational center – just with an extra emphasis on hockey. Students will have plenty of the same classes as their peers, but they will also have courses that focus on hockey and will be practicing several more hours per day.

Often times, former professional players or administrators are hired to be part of the school’s staff. They might help to put together the hockey program or even coach the team from time to time. Students are often scouted and hand-selected by such staff members, making these schools loaded with talent.

What to Expect from a Hockey Academy?

If you are considering attending a hockey school or enlisting your child, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, these schools are usually quite expensive, sometimes costing over $50,000 per year. They are also very exclusive, only giving scholarships to the top hockey players in the nation. If you are one of the very top players in your league, chances are high that you won’t be accepted or that you will have to take on the entire price tag on your own.

With that said, these academies are a dream come true for hockey players. They get to interact with some of the other top hockey players in their class. The schools provide them with pristine facilities that rival those of the NHL. They are often much more polished and comprehensive than college facilities or those of the Major Juniors.

But more than just the facilities or chance to be around a group of like-minded peers, these academies excel at teaching and improving hockey skills. There is an obvious focus on becoming a better player, and it is clearly seen that the students and staff are dedicated to the game of hockey above all else. That is not to say that you can’t get a good education here, but the real goal is to graduate from the academy as a player who has improved enough to become professional.

Benefits of Hockey Academies

• Superior Facilities – Although many NCAA colleges have beautiful rinks and practice areas, hockey academies place a special emphasis on the sport, allowing them to allocate the majority of their resources to these features. Students rave about the quality of facilities at these schools.
• Professional-level training – Hockey academies put everything into improving their players, meaning that they can benefit from training courses that can only be rivaled by those of the NHL.
• Exposure to other players – When you join a hockey academy, you are giving yourself an opportunity to mingle and play with the best young players that the world has to offer. This will improve your game by allowing you to train with them and to compete against them.

Disadvantages of Hockey Academies

• Cost Prohibitive – these schools are very expensive, making them inaccessible to many lower income families. Many people view this is very unfair, giving preference to those players who already have certain privileges and access to quality training.
• Lack of Diversity – While it can be beneficial to learn and live with so many other hockey players, it could hurt a student’s social life as it often ends up revolving around the school without many options outside of it.
• Potential for Burnout – With the lack of diversity, some students may feel as though they are spending too much time on hockey. While they may remain passionate about the sport, their motivation may decline, and it could have a negative effect on their playing abilities.

Is a Hockey Academy a Good Choice?

This is a personal question and will depend on the priorities and characteristics of the player in question. There is no doubt that hockey academies offer some of the best training programs and facilities that money can buy. If you attend one of these prestigious schools, there’s an excellent chance that you will come out of it a much-improved hockey player.

However, you have to consider the effects that attending the academy might have on your personal life and potential career prospects. If you can stick to a strict schedule without making too many sacrifices in your social life, you may very well enjoy your time spent at the academy. But if you have a lot of other responsibilities that will falter because of your increased focus on hockey, then you might want to consider taking a different route.

Skipping out on the academy experience doesn’t mean that you have to stop playing hockey. These schools are still only utilized by a small percentage of young hockey players who have the means to attend. If you work hard at your NCAA school or Major Junior team, you may have just as much of a shot as going pro as the players that attend academies. While they are certainly fantastic options for improvement, they are not the only way to become a better player.