HERITAGE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS EXCELLENCE HOCKEY PROGRAM

HERITAGE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS EXCELLENCE HOCKEY PROGRAM

OVER THE 9 YEARS OF OUR PROGRAM A QUICK HISTORY…. . • Goal of the program is to provide a high-level of hockey to students within the Anglophone community to help ensure academic success. • Started with 2 groups (about 35 students), now 3 groups (60 plus) with many kids on the waiting list. • Created the program to increase practice time, reduce missed class time for games and practice by having everything take place on a condensed timetable (concentration programs). • Hockey Quebec next year - All AAA (minor/major) students cannot attend Heritage.

A QUICK HISTORY CONTINUED… • Despite being capable of making espoirs or AAA, very few of our players change to other schools. The majority who leave come back and graduate at Heritage. • All elite hockey is evolving towards schools. In the 9 years C. F. , De Mortagnes, La Magdelaine, CCL etc. have started teams (RSEQ Div. 1, LHPS). They are all affiliated with Hockey Quebec and pay for that right. Their students only play at school and are not permitted to play in the community. • The level of play within the community has been decreasing. • Heritage has been getting the best of both worlds as kids can play at school (GMAA) and in the community. • On average we only have a couple of students in each of our three Sports Excellence groups that opt out of the school team. In group 3 it is extremely

PROBLEMS WE HAVE NOTICED • Burnout and exhaustion due to late night practices/games. • Equipment forgotten…or not forgotten. • Community coaches forbidding playing at school, missing sessions or games. • Lack of productivity during sessions due to community games after practices. • Kids who opt out of teams in groups 1 and 2 want to play in group 3 and do not make it. Disruption to the group.

THE BACKSTORY • Hockey Quebec has declared all schools not affiliated with Hockey Quebec into Division 2 (non contact). • Places our students at a disadvantage to make higher level teams in the future (CEGEP, Prep. Schools, etc. ). • Threatened to shut down all hockey at schools that defied this ruling. • Games are an extension of our program. • Our league (GMAA) broke away and set up their own league (LHIQ) with English and Francophone public and private schools.

BACKSTORY -CONTINUED • Offer was accepted in principle by all our members, and their membership. • It was narrowly defeated by their C. A. for a few reasons. • Our reasons…. . • -$6500 per school to join • -60% of all games are on weekend in Showcase format (Friday, Sat, Sunday) • -Is product really better? In crossover games between LHIQ and LHPS schools, the LHIQ schools do very well. • -Rules , elevated cost, etc…

OUR LEAGUE, MOVING FORWARD • Success of our student athletes best monitored by their coaches. • Struggling, unmotivated and underachieving students can best be supported by teachers in an academic setting. • The LHIQ will offer 22 -26 games, not including playoffs. • Tournaments, and exhibition games for the Peewee, Bantam and Juvenile levels. • The competitive season will be extended until mid-April. • The LHPS league boasts a 94% success rate. At Heritage ours hovers near 100%!

THE CURRENT REALITY Peewee Bantam Juvenile Program $2150. 00 Program $2150 School Team $225 School Team $275 School Team $350 Community $800 -$1000 Community $1000. 00 - $1500. 00 $1000 -$1500 $3000 or so $3500 or so $ 4000 or so

SPORTS EXCELLENCE REQUIREMENTS Student athletes admitted into Sports Excellence Group 1 will be expected to play at school if selected. You may choose to play in the community, but your priority is Sports Excellence. Fees approximately $2500. (30 -35 games -100 sessions) Student athletes admitted into Group 2 will be encouraged to play exclusively at the school if selected, but may play in the community. Any conflict you must play at the school. Fees approximately $2500. (35 -40 games-100 sessions) Student athletes in Group 3 will only play at school if selected for group 3. Fees approximately $2600. 00 (40 plus games-100 sessions)

SELECTION PROCESS TIMELINE Selection process to be done by the end of April to determine group placement. School teams will be formed during the first couple of weeks in September. Q. What happens if my child is in Sports Excellence and gets cut from a school team? R. Any Sports Excellence student that does not make a school team will not have the team fees included on the total cost of the program (should be about the same as this year) but will be able to remain in the program provided there is space in his/her grade level and he/she is meeting all of the criteria.

FEMALE STUDENT-ATHLETES • We will continue to encourage and accept girls in the Sports Excellence Hockey program. • No guarantee for a Heritage girls team next year. If they play they will most likely be in GMAA. • GMAA rule regarding AAA and AA girls. • Requirement to be in the program is for female student-athletes to be playing at their highest level within their community. • Student-athletes will be placed in group 1, 2 or 3 based on skill-level. • On days that their group is scheduled to have a game they will be offered either an ice or off-ice training session with one of the other two hockey groups. • Program fees will be approximately the same as this current year.

HERITAGE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS EXCELLENCE HOCKEY PROGRAM