Prep Schools

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Oh, but isn't it better to be playing travel and HS hockey? As travel hockey is more intense, scouts and coaches look at your travel years am I right or no?

the best route would be prep, juniors, and on. If you live in a hs hockey hotbed like MN, forget this, or even in say Boston, but otherwise travel, and regular hs won;t put you onto a college roster

I live in NJ where it's not that great. We play teams in Mass, the Natick Comets, who are their state team and we bea them.

I want to go to regular hs until my junior year, still playing travel hockey, and then to a prep school, and then juniors, and then college..

[Gongshow11 1]

perfect plan bud, thats the right way, education and hockey

[Langenbrunner15 0]

KK, I just want to go acedmics as a priority since the chances of me not making the NHl, so yeah.

[Jason Harris 31]

Three things from my time at Exeter, which was the late 70's, so things could have changed:

1) Freshmen had to take a gym class call Prep Spaz the first two seasons, unless they were able to make a JV or Varsity team; it was basically an introduction to all sports and fitness. After that, everyone had to play a sport, although most of us were on club sports. There might have been some esoteric choices that allowed someone to bypass a traditional sport, but I can't remember.

2) Both seniors and PG's were accepted.

3) Exeter never gave athletic scholarships, but there were a couple of athletes each year who were given "academic" scholarships, even if we all knew why they were at the school.

[hockechamp14 0]

I have been to a number of prep school games, and although I do not really get why--there are always a ton of D1 college and NHL scouts there when the top teams play.  I would say at least double what I see routinely at the EJHL junior games (the best junior league in new england). 

I personally think that you get faster hockey and better conditioning/coaching playing juniors, but at least for this past season the scouts do not agree.

The top level prep players are more likely to go to the nhl than the top Atl.J or EJ players. The top end talent is there more often in prep. The EJ, weather or not they are getting scouts is sending more and more kids D1 as oppossed to prep, which is dying off as a division 1 road.

http://insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/N...recruits_he.htm

as you can see there are some prep players going to great teams, but the top end prep talent is more likely to stay in the east than the top junior talent because the top junior talent will end up in canada or out west.

As far as sports go, if you're a good athlete at most schools, you can do whatever the heck you want. I was a weight room monitor as my "sport" for the fall and spring. -Don't expect to be that lucky at most prep schools however.

As far as whoever asked about avon old farms, I grauated from there last sunday, and it was a great experience and I made friends I'll keep for the rest of my life. I loved it there. As far as hockey goes, John Gardner is a scumbag and will tell everyone they can make the team. This year alone, at least 5 kids who he told he had a slot for got cut from the team. One of whom was a post grad!

We have a good baseball program with good coaches, who are very honest with everyone it seems (I managed for my spring sport last year and it seemed like they handled everything well). Our academics aren't top notch, but I bet you'll take classes that you'll apply a lot into real life before you're even in college. I know my enviornmental science class, economics class, and statistics class were all great classes with everyday real world application. I would dare to say that avon hockey is going downhill, but I don't know anything for sure. Our old assistant coach is now coaching at Taft. -- Dan Murphy is a great guy, a good friend of mine, and was my academic advisor my sophomore year. I'll be happy to answer other questions if you post them here or PM me. I feel I have a good understanding of prep schools.

[Gongshow11 1]

I have been to a number of prep school games, and although I do not really get why--there are always a ton of D1 college and NHL scouts there when the top teams play.  I would say at least double what I see routinely at the EJHL junior games (the best junior league in new england). 

I personally think that you get faster hockey and better conditioning/coaching playing juniors, but at least for this past season the scouts do not agree.

The top level prep players are more likely to go to the nhl than the top Atl.J or EJ players. The top end talent is there more often in prep. The EJ, weather or not they are getting scouts is sending more and more kids D1 as oppossed to prep, which is dying off as a division 1 road.

http://insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/N...recruits_he.htm

as you can see there are some prep players going to great teams, but the top end prep talent is more likely to stay in the east than the top junior talent because the top junior talent will end up in canada or out west.

As far as sports go, if you're a good athlete at most schools, you can do whatever the heck you want. I was a weight room monitor as my "sport" for the fall and spring. -Don't expect to be that lucky at most prep schools however.

As far as whoever asked about avon old farms, I grauated from there last sunday, and it was a great experience and I made friends I'll keep for the rest of my life. I loved it there. As far as hockey goes, John Gardner is a scumbag and will tell everyone they can make the team. This year alone, at least 5 kids who he told he had a slot for got cut from the team. One of whom was a post grad!

We have a good baseball program with good coaches, who are very honest with everyone it seems (I managed for my spring sport last year and it seemed like they handled everything well). Our academics aren't top notch, but I bet you'll take classes that you'll apply a lot into real life before you're even in college. I know my enviornmental science class, economics class, and statistics class were all great classes with everyday real world application. I would dare to say that avon hockey is going downhill, but I don't know anything for sure. Our old assistant coach is now coaching at Taft. -- Dan Murphy is a great guy, a good friend of mine, and was my academic advisor my sophomore year. I'll be happy to answer other questions if you post them here or PM me. I feel I have a good understanding of prep schools.

ya real scumbag, doesnt win championships or anything

[Gongshow11 1]

Three things from my time at Exeter, which was the late 70's, so things could have changed:

1) Freshmen had to take a gym class call Prep Spaz the first two seasons, unless they were able to make a JV or Varsity team; it was basically an introduction to all sports and fitness. After that, everyone had to play a sport, although most of us were on club sports. There might have been some esoteric choices that allowed someone to bypass a traditional sport, but I can't remember.

2) Both seniors and PG's were accepted.

3) Exeter never gave athletic scholarships, but there were a couple of athletes each year who were given "academic" scholarships, even if we all knew why they were at the school.

no longer Srs and PGs. i dont know of one school who takes just a sr.

[chilaxin12 2]

I have been to a number of prep school games, and although I do not really get why--there are always a ton of D1 college and NHL scouts there when the top teams play.  I would say at least double what I see routinely at the EJHL junior games (the best junior league in new england). 

I personally think that you get faster hockey and better conditioning/coaching playing juniors, but at least for this past season the scouts do not agree.

The top level prep players are more likely to go to the nhl than the top Atl.J or EJ players. The top end talent is there more often in prep. The EJ, weather or not they are getting scouts is sending more and more kids D1 as oppossed to prep, which is dying off as a division 1 road.

http://insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/N...recruits_he.htm

as you can see there are some prep players going to great teams, but the top end prep talent is more likely to stay in the east than the top junior talent because the top junior talent will end up in canada or out west.

As far as sports go, if you're a good athlete at most schools, you can do whatever the heck you want. I was a weight room monitor as my "sport" for the fall and spring. -Don't expect to be that lucky at most prep schools however.

As far as whoever asked about avon old farms, I grauated from there last sunday, and it was a great experience and I made friends I'll keep for the rest of my life. I loved it there. As far as hockey goes, John Gardner is a scumbag and will tell everyone they can make the team. This year alone, at least 5 kids who he told he had a slot for got cut from the team. One of whom was a post grad!

We have a good baseball program with good coaches, who are very honest with everyone it seems (I managed for my spring sport last year and it seemed like they handled everything well). Our academics aren't top notch, but I bet you'll take classes that you'll apply a lot into real life before you're even in college. I know my enviornmental science class, economics class, and statistics class were all great classes with everyday real world application. I would dare to say that avon hockey is going downhill, but I don't know anything for sure. Our old assistant coach is now coaching at Taft. -- Dan Murphy is a great guy, a good friend of mine, and was my academic advisor my sophomore year. I'll be happy to answer other questions if you post them here or PM me. I feel I have a good understanding of prep schools.

Your right that the EJHL might send more kids D1, but there not ready to play as freshmen like prep players are. Congrats on AOF graduation. Like I said though prep tends to have kids ready to jump in as freshmen, you should know Augie DiMarzo, Jon Quick, Chris Davis, Mike Arciero, all went to top quality D1 programs and were able to help their team right away, where with EJHL kids, they normally take a year or 2 to make a impact unless they are like Rob Bellamy or some dynomite EJHL Player.

[hockechamp14 0]

ya real scumbag, doesnt win championships or anything

he uses the same logic you do... amazing.

Have you ever met the guy?

[hockechamp14 0]

Your right that the EJHL might send more kids D1, but there not ready to play as freshmen like prep players are. Congrats on AOF graduation. Like I said though prep tends to have kids ready to jump in as freshmen, you should know Augie DiMarzo, Jon Quick, Chris Davis, Mike Arciero, all went to top quality D1 programs and were able to help their team right away, where with EJHL kids, they normally take a year or 2 to make a impact unless they are like Rob Bellamy or some dynomite EJHL Player.

I disagree on that. There tends to be a mix. The players you mentioned are all doing well, but there are also junior players who are making a difference. I think it has more to do with age and playing experience than anything else. Like a 20 year old prep OR junior player is more likely to have an impact than a 17 year old who never repeated a year in school who is going straight from graduating.

[DarkStar50 679]

The 'rents just dropped 60k the last few years and the coach cuts your ass after making a bs promise. That is a definition of scumbag. The person who called him out went to the school! Championships are built on team, not just the person calling the shots. I would rather play and compete than play and win for that type of coach.

[Project824 0]

Wow, this thread really picked up...

As far as info goes, yglod's got some good stuff - I believe he went to a prep school and thus info should be first hand.

Regarding the requirements for playing sports: Most US preps require you to do a sport of some sort each season for their accreditation. 99% of prep schools do not offer gym classes like public schools, so they get around that by requiring a sport each season. These sports aren't necessarily interscholastic, and often aren't very athletic, but they count as physical activity, which the private school's accreditation requires. Back in the day when going to prep school was all about networking, making rich friends and getting into an Ivy League school, playing 3 sports was just about representing your school.

Most guys we'd know who are there for hockey are often some of the better athletes in the school and being competitive by nature, would rather play another varsity sport than say intramural badminton. Keep in mind that although a lot of preps are hockey powerhouses, they are small fish when it comes to sports like football, so average sized hockey guys can make the varsity team. It's pretty much common to see your prep hockey stars playing soccer or football in the fall, and lacrosse, baseball or golf in the spring, even though they might not be very good at the other sports in comparison.

SAC is a Canadian school and might have different standards.

It's rare for a kid to go to a prep as a senior. The common thing is for a matriculating HS senior to repeat his junior year, so he's actually a junior, to try to get his grades up, and mature more physically.

As far as preps producing more top pro prospect talent, you're right, but keep in mind the age of many kids being watched in prep. They're often sophs or juniors, 15 or 16 years old. Most of these kids will leave for a top junior league, whether it be Major Junior or the USHL. Scouting is a 4 year projection these days, so a DI or pro scout at a prep game is making decisions on what he thinks the kid will be 4 years from now, after playing junior. In that respect, prep is a lot like Tier I Midget AAA (ie the Midwest Elite League) - the talent they're looking for is in the 15-16 year olds, who are still at least one stop from showing up on a campus or the draft board.

And yglod11 - Yep, nothing more annoying that having a kid or his dad tell you he got a scholie to play DIII hockey. It says right on the paper "Financial Aid package". If you're gonna lie, at least make it a good one.

[hockechamp14 0]

And yglod11 - Yep, nothing more annoying that having a kid or his dad tell you he got a scholie to play DIII hockey. It says right on the paper "Financial Aid package". If you're gonna lie, at least make it a good one.

don't some DIII schools offer wierd scholarships like "leadership" scholarships to kids who are usually good athletes? I could be wrong, but I've heard of it.

[gavin 0]

Are we talking about DIII NCAA here? Cause I was under the impression that a guy I know playing at Finlandia (DIII) is playing under scholarship.

Further, USC's Club Hockey Site says that "according to the NCAA out of 133 schools within the U.S. with varsity hockey programs (57 Div. I, 8 Div. II & 67 Div III) each may offer 18 scholarships, yielding 2,394 nationwide throughout all three divisions. This does not mean that all schools offer the same number of scholarships."

[Project824 0]

Are we talking about DIII NCAA here? Cause I was under the impression that a guy I know playing at Finlandia (DIII) is playing under scholarship.

Further, USC's Club Hockey Site says that "according to the NCAA out of 133 schools within the U.S. with varsity hockey programs (57 Div. I, 8 Div. II & 67 Div III) each may offer 18 scholarships, yielding 2,394 nationwide throughout all three divisions. This does not mean that all schools offer the same number of scholarships."

Yes, we are talking about NCAA DIII. The NCAA states very specifically that Division III athletes do not receive athletic scholarships. Plenty of DIII guys receive "need based" financial packages, but only a minute percentage might not be paying tuition, and those are the few that are exceptional students (academic scholarship), athletes (benefit of the doubt in "need based" financial packages), and they're go getters (apply for various other scholarships available). Nobody playing NCAA DIII hockey is on a full boat.

USC's website is made by guys who don't fully understand NCAA hockey and read by people who understand even less. They are a club team, and nobody in club receives any benefit that is hockey related.

There is no longer NCAA DII hockey, all teams have either moved up to DI, or down to DIII and abide by their standards.

NCAA DIII has been discussed above.

Only NCAA DI teams can offer a maximum 18 total full scholarships. Keep in mind that some colleges, such as those in the Ivy League, do not offer athletic scholarships. The Air Force Academy and Military Academy do not give scholarships, but their students don't pay tuition regardless of athletics. Some conferences limit their schools to less than the 18 scholarships to level the playing field within the conference. And some programs, mostly newer ones at smaller schools, simply have not been given the funding from their institution to offer the full 18, and thus have less to work with.

Remember that NCAA teams dress 20 players, including 2 goaltenders for each game. What does this mean? Not everyone dressed in the game is on a full ride. That doesn't include the guys sitting in the stands. An average college roster will have 25-28 guys on it. The reality is that even at a top gun program, a Michigan, a BC, a Maine, the coach will hand out full rides to the blue chippers, probably anywhere from 8-12 of the 18, and then split the remaining ones into partial scholarships. A school with less than 18 would adjust accordingly. One extreme example is Robert Morris University, a school that added DI hockey 2 years ago. Without any true blue chip recruits and a low number of scholarships to hand out, they had about 3/4 of the team on a 1/4 scholarship. Not exactly the glamour that people usually think about playing DI.

The funny thing is that if the guy at USC had a clue, the real statistics would actually make his statement stronger.

[lesterhenson 0]

If you looking for a school that isnt upwards of forty thousands dollars, Culver Academies in Indiana might not be a bad choice. Currently, It cost my family about 29 thousand for my sophmore year. The records on their website show that SST and Culvers prep teams are pretty competitive, each had nearly equal amount of wins against each other. Mind you though, Culver is a military school. It is not an ROTC program or affiliated with the government, but it is somewhat military structured. (Uniforms, etc) Out of the three schools i have visited and met with (SST, Cranbrook, and Culver), I liked the atomosphere and offerings of Culver the most. But that is just me. A lot of boarding schools do require you to do three sports a year, but keep in mind, they also offer intermuals instead of competitive sports, like begining hockey etc.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Anyone here hear about Thayer Acadmy in Braintree, MA?

[acollette49 0]

i played against these schools:

Avon Old Farms

Canterbury

Choate-Rosemary Hall

Kent

Salisbury

Taft

Trinity Pawling

and from what i remember Canterbury and Salisbury were the best teams i have ever played against, other than Lawrenceville Prep in NJ. but that was about 10 years ago...things may have changed.

[hockechamp14 0]

i played against these schools:

Avon Old Farms

Canterbury

Choate-Rosemary Hall

Kent

Salisbury

Taft

Trinity Pawling

and from what i remember Canterbury and Salisbury were the best teams i have ever played against, other than Lawrenceville Prep in NJ. but that was about 10 years ago...things may have changed.

canterbury is pretty good, they're one of the better schools. I'd recomend going to Cushing if you're going for hockey but you're not recruited. Even thier varsity B kids get recruited pretty often by colleges if you never end up getting to varsity. A lot of the northern schools are good which aren't mentioned here, such as Nobles, Thayer, Exeter, Andover, and of course Cushing.

Vermont Academy is D2.

[sNIpEr3 0]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but aren't Lecavilier(SP) and a good number of current NHLer's ex-Hounds?

Yes he did so did Brad Richards and so did Lecaviliers brother!!!

[warrior37 0]

at big schools like michigan is it possible for players who dont get the ride from the hockey team that they could get a scholly from alumni?

[Gongshow11 1]

Anyone here hear about Thayer Acadmy in Braintree, MA?

roenick and amonte went there

[Gongshow11 1]

Are we talking about DIII NCAA here? Cause I was under the impression that a guy I know playing at Finlandia (DIII) is playing under scholarship.

Further, USC's Club Hockey Site says that "according to the NCAA out of 133 schools within the U.S. with varsity hockey programs (57 Div. I, 8 Div. II & 67 Div III) each may offer 18 scholarships, yielding 2,394 nationwide throughout all three divisions. This does not mean that all schools offer the same number of scholarships."

Yes, we are talking about NCAA DIII. The NCAA states very specifically that Division III athletes do not receive athletic scholarships. Plenty of DIII guys receive "need based" financial packages, but only a minute percentage might not be paying tuition, and those are the few that are exceptional students (academic scholarship), athletes (benefit of the doubt in "need based" financial packages), and they're go getters (apply for various other scholarships available). Nobody playing NCAA DIII hockey is on a full boat.

USC's website is made by guys who don't fully understand NCAA hockey and read by people who understand even less. They are a club team, and nobody in club receives any benefit that is hockey related.

There is no longer NCAA DII hockey, all teams have either moved up to DI, or down to DIII and abide by their standards.

NCAA DIII has been discussed above.

Only NCAA DI teams can offer a maximum 18 total full scholarships. Keep in mind that some colleges, such as those in the Ivy League, do not offer athletic scholarships. The Air Force Academy and Military Academy do not give scholarships, but their students don't pay tuition regardless of athletics. Some conferences limit their schools to less than the 18 scholarships to level the playing field within the conference. And some programs, mostly newer ones at smaller schools, simply have not been given the funding from their institution to offer the full 18, and thus have less to work with.

Remember that NCAA teams dress 20 players, including 2 goaltenders for each game. What does this mean? Not everyone dressed in the game is on a full ride. That doesn't include the guys sitting in the stands. An average college roster will have 25-28 guys on it. The reality is that even at a top gun program, a Michigan, a BC, a Maine, the coach will hand out full rides to the blue chippers, probably anywhere from 8-12 of the 18, and then split the remaining ones into partial scholarships. A school with less than 18 would adjust accordingly. One extreme example is Robert Morris University, a school that added DI hockey 2 years ago. Without any true blue chip recruits and a low number of scholarships to hand out, they had about 3/4 of the team on a 1/4 scholarship. Not exactly the glamour that people usually think about playing DI.

The funny thing is that if the guy at USC had a clue, the real statistics would actually make his statement stronger.

there is d2, with them playing a d3 schedule and then having their own tournament at end of season, i think northeast-10??

[Gongshow11 1]

i played against these schools:

Avon Old Farms

Canterbury

Choate-Rosemary Hall

Kent

Salisbury

Taft

Trinity Pawling

and from what i remember Canterbury and Salisbury were the best teams i have ever played against, other than Lawrenceville Prep in NJ. but that was about 10 years ago...things may have changed.

canterbury is pretty good, they're one of the better schools. I'd recomend going to Cushing if you're going for hockey but you're not recruited. Even thier varsity B kids get recruited pretty often by colleges if you never end up getting to varsity. A lot of the northern schools are good which aren't mentioned here, such as Nobles, Thayer, Exeter, Andover, and of course Cushing.

Vermont Academy is D2.

find me a B team guy who went anywhere, only playing B, and remember, cushing wont take canadians, as I was told, we can find the same talent in the US. im sure a crosby would change this, but i'm saying

[gavin 0]

find me a B team guy who went anywhere, only playing B, and remember, cushing wont take canadians, as I was told, we can find the same talent in the US. im sure a crosby would change this, but i'm saying

I'm sure Crosby wouldn't think about them for a second.