Local hockey academy redefining a normal school day

The Algoma District School Board will be hosting an information session tonight for parents interested in enrolling their kids in the Hockey Canada Skills Academy for the 2024-25 season.

Primarily involving students in Grades 7 to 10, the program provides athletes from Korah Collegiate, Superior Heights and White Pines with the opportunity to develop their skills from local professionals on the ice while earning high school credits off the ice.

With nearly 70 athletes involved this year, the academy develops players up to their draft year when they turn 16.

Korah principal and academy administrator Steve Caruso says the program has been “an incredibly engaging experience” for all involved, which he explains has been highlighted by a number of success stories throughout its six-year history in Sault Ste. Marie.

“It’s something that’s been really growing, and we’ve developed a few OHL and university hockey players,” he said. “We had three OHL draft picks in the program last year alone. It’s that extra time a lot of them attribute to fine tuning the skills they don’t have the opportunity to do in their regular practices.”

Among the former academy participants making a name for themselves in the hockey world includes Jared Coccimiglio (University of Maine, NCAA Division 1), Calem Mangone (Saginaw Spirit, OHL), and Connor Toms (Windsor Spitfires, OHL).

Additionally, the program has witnessed plenty of female talent as evidenced by Brielle Caruso and Milana Perri who have moved on to the post-secondary level in the OUA, and Haley Howe who is playing in Division 1 women’s hockey at Lake Superior State.

While there’s been no shortage of talent that have skated through the academy, Caruso admits that getting drafted to the highest levels of the sport only touches the surface on what the program is really about.

“It’s not about making the OHL or NCAA – those are all bonuses,” he said. “We love the stories about the kids who have never played competitive hockey and had an opportunity to develop their self-confidence in the game while getting credit at school.”

“Like any program, you get out of it what you put into it,” he added. “Whether or not it makes a difference in the end doesn’t really matter because you still get to play hockey and you get credit for it. It’s about doing something you love and getting credit for it.”

The Hockey Canada Skills Academy is broken down into two age groups:

High school program (Grades 9 and 10)

• 50 hours of on-ice time dedicated to skill development (first semester only)
• 60 hours of off-ice training (fitness training, theory, health and hockey curriculum)
• 110 hours of careers and civics curriculum with focus on sport and culture
• Instruction from qualified teacher and community skills expert

Elementary program (Grades 7 and 8)

• 60 hours of on-ice time dedicated to skill development from September to March, twice a week
• Instruction from qualified teacher and community skills expert

Academy instructors include familiar local hockey names like Mike Oliverio, Jeff Toms, and Mark Matier – just some of the many former players who make the program special according to Caruso.

“Our staff is incredible; we assemble them very carefully,” he said. “They’re people who have strong morals in the community, and they’re good hockey people. They keep things light but competitive, and it’s really helped with the kids’ development.”

“We have so many different people who have played the game and now have jobs in the community,” he added. “It’s about chasing the dream as hard as you want, but have a backup plan because you’ll have a job someday.”

Even though the program is aimed at developing skills for the younger half of high school students, Caruso says athletes in Grades 11 and 12 are eligible to participate as well.

“It’s all repetition in the fine motor skills, and our older athletes benefit from it too,” he said. “You’re not coming off exhausted, you’re not skating up and down doing suicides. It’s all edge work, stick handling, and puck protection.”

The current cost of the program is $500, which includes ice time, transportation, as well as Hockey Canada Skills Academy jersey, socks, shorts, and t-shirt.

“This program is worth upwards of $15,000 in the Toronto area,” Caruso said. “We’ve had kids from down south with Sault connections move here for the program.”

To learn more about ADSB's Hockey Canada Skills Academy, an information session will be hosted this evening in the multimedia room at Superior Heights at 7 p.m.