Online curriculums are expanding and evolving for youth hockey players

When it comes to youth hockey, life can get hectic at times.

Look no further than a six-day stretch this past November for Ben Mirageas of Newburyport, Mass., while playing for the USHL’s Chicago Steel: a game Friday at the Madison Capitols, another Saturday at the Green Bay Gamblers and one Wednesday at the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. That’s more than 500 miles of travel for the defenseman. But what about class time?

Step in online courses — in Mirageas’ case, the University of Nebraska High School — which helped him earn his high school diploma on his own schedule.

“For a student-athlete, especially hockey players, they have such demanding schedules that they’re in nonstop travel for games,” said Charlotte Seewald, assistant director at University of Nebraska High School. “They have crunch months and they can then focus on their studies in their down time.”

Such a program is part of a growing trend, one where hockey players can finish high school online as they travel far and wide in search of college hockey opportunities. Another popular program is the US Performance Academy, and the idea behind it is quite simple: an accredited high school that permits students to fit their school work around their hockey schedule, instead of the other way around.

“With hockey, I don’t know how many parents have said, ‘We’re tired of getting up at 5 a.m. for ice and practice and fitting that all in with school,’ but it’s a lot,” said Peter Smith, president of the US Performance Academy. “It’s a really hard lifestyle and before you know it, it’s 10:30 at night and you’re trying to fit homework and dinner in. Keeping it up, that’s not a sustainable model, and in middle school and high school, you need sleep.”

Such sentiments were echoed by Mirageas, who’s now taking summer classes at Providence College ahead of his freshman season. He said his time management skills were tested by taking online courses, an invaluable tool considering he last attended school in 2015-16 at Avon Old Farms.

The concept of online education was similarly hailed by Hannah Irving, the academic counselor of the Boston Shamrocks, a women’s junior program that’s based out of Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington, Mass. They attract players from throughout the U.S. and Canada, and Irving said she tries to instill in players that their academic performance needs to be commensurate with their on-ice skills.

“The flexibility of schools like these are so crucial for the girls,” Irving said. “So it relieves a lot of stress from the girls where they’re not like, ‘Oh my gosh I have to get this paper submitted by Wednesday night.’ With that said, it also means the girls really have to take their initiative and stay on top of their work and get it done when they time have available.”

That last part is crucial for the Shamrocks, who might spend a weekend playing games in Ontario, Minnesota or elsewhere, but also applies to any hockey player pursuing his or her degree online.

Often, these programs aren’t jampacked into the 18-week period of a high school semester, as students can take up to a year to finish their classes. There’s also variety, with students able to enroll in AP courses, typical subjects such as English and history, and special electives.

The entire process comes with academic advisors, too, a fact that Seewald took great pride in.

“Our academic advisors can evaluate their transcript and recommend a plan for courses and what that sequence ends up being,” Seewald said. “The end goal is to earn a diploma, so the kids aren’t just off in the woods trying to figure out what courses to take.”

Added Smith, on what he dubbed “learning coaches,” mentors who work one-on-one with families: “A player can say, ‘I’m leaving for two weeks to go to Europe for a hockey tournament,’ so the student might then adjust their hours and go from there. The learning coach works with students not just to manage the nuts and bolts, but it allows the kids to take ownership with their own learning.”

That learning process, though, comes at a price. In the case of the University of Nebraska High School, Seewald said a student can enroll in a full year of classes for $2,500, excluding additional fees. Meanwhile, Smith said a US Performance Academy student can complete their yearlong coursework for $12,100, an all-inclusive price.

Those figures might deter some, but that’s certainly not the case with Seth Murch (Lee, N.H.), an eighth-grader who plays for the Seacoast Spartans and is enrolled in the US Performance Academy.

Murch spends about 3½ hours a day on his studies, and the program let him travel the world — to France, Switzerland, Italy and Canada — for hockey tournaments that would have otherwise required missing nearly 40 days of public school.

“When I got home from normal school, I didn’t have as much time to do sports,” Murch said. “So when I heard about USPA and that it only takes a few hours each day and then it’s hockey, I got very excited. I get a really good education and learn a lot, but still have time to work on hockey.”

And if this concept works for a 13-year-old such as Murch, perhaps it could for you as well.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA HIGH SCHOOL

School address: 206 S 13th St Ste 800 PO Box 880226 Lincoln, NE 68588-0226

Head of school: Barbara Wolf Shousha, director

Director of admissions: Tami Phillips, registrar

Grades offered: 9-12

School website: www.highschool.nebraska.edu

Tel: 866-700-4747; 402-472-3388

What are the athletic benefits for an athlete going the online school route?

“The University of Nebraska High School’s flexible self-paced program allows athletes to complete their education while pursuing their careers. Students can earn our respected diploma online or transfer course credits to a local school of their choice. UNHS offers core and Advanced Placement courses that are approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for students seeking eligibility. UNHS also offers in-house personalized academic advising and transcript evaluation for student-athletes to make sure they are on track to meet all necessary requirements.”

What makes your program stand out from other online schools?

“Since our curriculum is created as independent learning that is delivered online, the University of Nebraska High School offers unique freedom in terms of scheduling, allowing students to work at their own pace whenever and wherever they need. Unlike other online schools, there are no deadlines or check-in dates. Students also can enroll in our online courses any day of the year and complete courses in as quickly as five weeks or take up to 52 weeks for completion. This freedom in scheduling does not mean that the quality and rigor of our curriculum is sacrificed. The University of Nebraska High School prepares students for college and to be successful when they get there. The quality of our curriculum is evident through our school’s state and regional accreditation and NCAA-approved courses, as well as the extensive list of colleges and universities our graduates are accepted to. Students may take individual courses and transfer credit to local schools or complete our diploma program.”

How much of a time commitment is online school in a student-athlete’s daily/weekly life?

“Students are advised to study at a pace that sets them up for success. Most students study one to 1½ hours per day, five days a week per course enrollment. If a student is enrolled in five courses, this means that the student is studying 25-37.5 hours a week. At this pace, the average to advanced reader should be able to complete courses in approximately 18 weeks. Students have access to their courses 24/7, so they may choose how to best schedule their study time around their athletic career.”

What are the success stories you share with prospective athletes and their parents about your alumni’s accomplishments?

“Alum Kassi Abbot went on to win an NCAA title with Plattsburgh State in March 2016. We have also had several student-athletes go on to play at the Division 1 and Division 2 levels as well as be drafted by the NHL.”

US PERFORMANCE ACADEMY

School address: PO Box 293, Elkins, NH 03233

Head of school: Peter Smith

Director of admissions: Kimberly Dow

Grades offered: 6-12

School website: www.GoUSPA.org

Tel: 877.350.8772

What makes your program stand out from other online schools?

“US Performance Academy is a private, online, middle and high school that is designed for the high-performance athlete. We encase each student in a multilevel support system. Students are assigned a learning coach who will be the main point of contact. Think about how an athletic coach will guide, teach and motivate an athlete. Learning coaches do the same, but for the student’s education. Our school is goal-oriented with an intentional focus on each student-athlete’s future. Whether their goal is collegiate, professional or Olympic, USPA aligns their academics to support their learning path.

How much of a time commitment is online school in a student-athlete’s daily/weekly life?

“While online courses offer flexibility, they also require selfmotivation and time management skills. Most students can expect to spend 4-5 hours per day on their coursework. We encourage students to review and/or submit work five times a week when not at major competitions. Our online calendar template allows students to schedule their coursework over a 12-month period to permit winter athletes to do more focused work during the summer and for summer athletes to increase their workload in the winter. Our learning coaches work closely with students to plan appropriate schedules.”

What are the success stories you share with prospective athletes and their parents about your alumni’s accomplishments?

“One of our proudest moments was being able to watch two of our student-athletes compete in two separate sports at the 2016 Rio Olympics. One of our Olympians, Anita, has now graduated from USPA and has gone on to continue to travel, compete and train with the best of the best in her sport. We are proud to have her as an alumni and we enjoy following her success. Our other Olympian is getting ready to graduate and has been accepted into one of the top engineering schools in the UK.”