(Caledon, ON – March 2023) – The Hill Academy is proud to announce that Hockey Canada has officially sanctioned The Hill Academy as an accredited school in association with OMHA and OHF. Offerings will include U-14AAA, U-16AAA and U-18 Prep teams led by world-class coaches for the 2023-24 school year.
“The Hill Academy was founded in 2007 on the powerful concept of balancing academics and athletics in the safe and developmental environment within a convenient schedule,” said Founder Peter Merrill. “The latest exciting news regarding OHA sanctioning not only supports this belief, but also legitimizes The Hill Academy’s execution of these principles to the hockey world, including athletes, families and future destinations.”
The accreditation by Hockey Canada will only add to the first-class, one-of-a-kind experience for dedicated student athletes provided at The Hill Academy. The legacy of The Hill is highlighted by the success of alumnus at both the collegiate and professional level on and off the ice. In only 15 years, The Hill boasts 62 Division 1 hockey commits to schools like Harvard, Yale and Michigan, 15 first-round OHL draft picks, 20 NHL draft picks and 25 active NHL players. Student athletes will have the opportunity to play with and compete against the best players in Ontario and take the next step in achieving their goals.
“The Hill provided me with everything that I needed to succeed at Yale,” said Hill Hockey alum Robbie DeMontis. “Academically I was exposed early to the American school system, testing requirements, and NCAA protocol gave me an edge over other Canadian athletes who didn’t have direct access to that information. Athletically, I had high-end coaches who had a passion for helping athletes move on to the next level, and programming that mimics that of the NCAA. Everything at the Hill is set up so that you can get just a little bit better everyday, and after 4 years, it paid dividends. And getting to go to school with your best friends and play the sport you love everyday and that’s pretty fun too.”
Hill Hockey General Manager Brett MacLean will continue to lead the groundbreaking hockey program for his eighth year at the helm. MacLean joined the team after an impressive career as a player both professionally and internationally. After being selected in the first-round of the 2004 OHL Draft, he notched 288 points in 245 games played. A second-round pick in the NHL, MacLean suited up for four years before being forced into early retirement due to a heart condition. Since retirement, MacLean has been involved in coaching and personal and skill development.
“We’re extremely excited to have been sanctioned by Hockey Canada for the upcoming season,” said MacLean. “By now having the ability to offer teams from U-14 through U-18, we believe our student athletes will now have the best opportunity to learn and grow in an environment that allows for maximum development, while maintaining a balance between academics, athletics, and recovery. We will now be able to guide our student athletes on a 3–5-year development plan that will not only give them great exposure but also better prepare them for their next level in the OHL, NCAA, Jr. A, USports and beyond.”
The Hill Hockey coaching staff is built of professional, experienced coaches who’ve found success at every level. With emphasis on character development, skill development, professionalism, academics, conditioning and competition, The Hill coaches embody the values of the program and are the first resource for student athletes.
U-14 AAA team is led by head coach Ryan Toomey (Mercyhurst University, 2009)
U-16 AAA team is led by head coach Rick Ferroni (Arizona State, 2007)
U-18 Prep team is led by head coach Travis Wight (University of Maine, 2006)
Full bios can be found here.
For more information or interest in the program contact brett.maclean@thehillacademy.com. For breaking news and updates, follow Hill Hockey on social @thehillacademyhockey.
-----------------------------------
ABOUT THE HILL ACADEMY
The Hill Academy was founded in 2006 in order to provide optimal academic and athletic programming for dedicated student-athletes. Located in Caledon ON, just 45 minutes north of the GTA, the Hill campus sits on 134 acres of beautifully forested land. The campus offers students bright classrooms, daily outdoor education, a state of the art athletic training experience, Hill Performance gym facilities, running and hiking trails, new turf field, exclusive off-site rink access, and an expansive boarding complex.
Hill graduates have been placed in some of the most prestigious academic and athletic institutions in the world. The Hill Academy is an institution for students who are committed to striving academically, and who would like an opportunity to take an in-depth exploration into their respective sport.
For more information, visit www.thehillacademy.com and follow on social media: Instagram @thehillacademy, Twitter @TheHillAcademy, and Facebook @TheHillAcademy1845