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Starting Early
School & Junior
Course Selection
Life After Hockey
Awareness
Introduction
Rules & Eligibility
Eligibility Explained
What to Ask Coaches
SAT/ACT
SAT Question o/t Day
Div I Teams
DIV III Teams
Introduction
CIAU Teams
Introduction
Rules & Eligibility
CCAA Teams
 Although balancing hockey and school is difficult at any level, your first true test will come playing Junior 'A' or Major Junior hockey. The move from minor hockey to junior is a big adjustment, athletically, academically, and personally. Although most players making the step up to junior will have had some experience with travel, it doesn't quite match up to a "road trip". Road trips in some leagues only amount to a few hours, but in others, they may amount to swings. Making the swing often means a few days travelling across the province or provinces, and it generally means your weekend on the road, sometimes a missed day of school, and most often little time for study. Being on top of your academics is essential during your junior years. Start early and develop good study habits. They will benefit you well, and they will play an even larger role if you make the jump from junior to university. Studying on the road is tough, but it isn't impossible. I played hockey with a guy at university who was in Law School. He had the ability to focus on studying during our weekend road trips. Many times he'd be studying at 3am on the team bus as we made our way home, and the rest of us slept. But that was his sacrifice. He wanted to be a lawyer. At the same time, he was also our leading scorer and team captain. He was one of three or four players who had the focus and ability to study on the bus. The rest of us would sleep, play cards, or watch movies. And I'm sure many of you can attest to that. In the end though, we had to buckle down hard when we were not on the road. If you can bring your study skills on the road, you are better off. But if you can't, you need to be that much more organized when you get home. Regardless of when or where you do it, studying has to be done. For many of you, not only will you be adjusting to studying on the road, but also you may be adjusting to studying at a new school. For many of us, the opportunity to play junior in our hometown probably just won't happen. That means new friends, a new family to live with, and a new school. Having your schooling in line will help you make this transition. Fortunately, both Junior 'A' and Major Junior leagues have made education an important aspect of player development. Most leagues have the majority of their games scheduled on non-school days, making it easier for players to stay on top of their academics. Academics have always played a role in Junior 'A' hockey as many players begin to make their bid towards an athletic scholarship. However, the importance of education has not been lost on the Major Junior leagues. When a player elects to play at the Major Junior level, he forfeits his academic eligibility in the NCAA, and the leagues have begun to combat this negative aspect by offering scholarships of there own. In the WHL, every year a player participates in the league, he receives a full year of academic study plus books. This Education Scholarship Agreement has made the league much more attractive to student athletes. Many students are also pursuing post-secondary studies while playing in the league?..with expenses paid for by their team. It should be noted, however, that there are many rules governing these scholarships. The other Major Junior leagues and teams have similar academic agreements available to their players, however these also should be thoroughly assessed. Before entering into a contract with any team, you need to be fully aware of the stipulations surrounding your educational agreement.
With all this said, junior hockey is exciting hockey, and it gives you the opportunity to develop many important life skills while playing. If you keep yourself on track academically, you'll find many more opportunities available to you once you leave. Hockey is a fantastic sport. For some of us, we'll be able to make a living playing hockey. For the majority of us, we won't be able to live solely through playing the game. Know this now, and start taking the steps to develop the skills that will benefit you for a lifetime. This doesn't mean giving up on your dream of hockey and golf, but we hope you'll prepare yourself for life after hockey. |
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