News, Program Profiles

Program Profile: Pilot Mound Hockey Academy

by jmartin

Located in Pilot Mound, MB, Pilot Mound Hockey Academy joined the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) in 2016/17, winning a U17 Prep Western Championship in 2019/20.

PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY AND MISSION STATEMENT

Pilot Mound Hockey Academy is an academic-based (Hockey Canada Registered Sports School), 10-month hockey program located in Pilot Mound, Manitoba. Our mission is to provide a professional, education-based hockey program, richly embedded in community values, where players will develop multiple skills both on and off the ice; allowing them to learn life lessons and grow as respected individuals.

At Pilot Mound Hockey Academy, we truly believe that the real strength of a player comes from the core values they possess. It’s what we believe, and it’s what we teach! We focus on the following core value:

  • Integrity and Accountability
  • Development
  • Community
  • Teamwork and Respect

LIST OF TEAMS

  • U15 Prep
  • U17 Prep
  • U18 Prep
  • Female U18 Prep

LOCATION AND YEAR THE PROGRAM ENTERED THE CSSHL

  • Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Canada
  • Entered the CSSHL in 2016

EDUCATION

  • Partner School
  • What are some of the things your program does to provide educational support?
    • Daily study halls while student athletes are in the dorms, as well as planned school sessions on the road. Our dorm parents work closely with the school and work as liaisons with the teaching staff. Teachers inform our dorm parent and coaches if any schoolwork is missed, and student athletes will miss practice if additional time with teachers is required. We also have tutoring available as needed.  Our academic policy (below) provides more information on the educational supports provided.
  • How are grades monitored and how often?
    • Monitoring of grades is ongoing. Report cards (which occur four times per year) are shared with our student athletes’ parents, our dorm staff, as well as the coaching staff. Sign-off sheets are provided by the players to coaches which include comments from each teacher as an update of progress in their courses.
  • How are courses and the graduation path for student athletes chosen?
    • Courses are chosen by the students (along with parents) at the end and/or the beginning of each school year for academic year. We have a dedicated guidance councillor for PMHA student athletes, who assists and guides all our student-athletes in choosing the necessary courses for their future academic and career paths.
  • Do you have an academic probation policy?

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

  • Do you offer a billeting program or a dormitory for non-local student athletes?
    • PMHA provides student athlete housing in both the new and existing single occupancy dormitory rooms, with full access to state-of-the-art common areas, dining area, and fitness center.  Located in very close proximity to both the arena complex and the high school, everything our student-athletes require to succeed off the ice is found in the Buffaloes dormitory.
  • What kind of life skills to the student athletes learn by living in the dorms or with billets?
    • Pilot Mound Hockey Academy fosters the ability to work as part of a team environment. Student athletes leaving PMHA will have gained strong life skills, as well as leadership capabilities that will support them throughout their eventual life pathways.
    • Our student athletes are regularly connected with community volunteer opportunities.
    • Our student athletes are regularly involved in the operation and cleaning of the complex, lending a helping hand, assisting with community events and fundraisers, helping wherever needed on a regular basis. PMHA staff, directors and owners are all rooted deeply in the community and feel that volunteerism builds character, and it is just part of being in the Pilot Mound Community; this sentiment is an expectation of all the student athletes.

STUDENT ATHLETE HEALTH

  • How are injuries and sick student athletes monitored?
    • The Pilot Mound Hockey Academy management team monitors all injured and sick student athletes. The management team consists of our team physiotherapist, sports medicine doctor, coaches, managers, and our dorm parents. Each injured student athlete’s recovery is dependent on the injury. We have access to general practitioners, chiropractor’s, physiotherapists, and an orthopedic specialist. We follow their instruction as to a student athletes’ recovery timeline.
    • Concussion Baseline Testing & Return To Play Services: All PMHA athletes complete a baseline concussion test with one of our physiotherapists or athletic therapists in September. Our medical team keep baseline results on file in case they require it for reference should an athlete receive a concussion in the season. If an athlete does get a concussion in a game or practice, athletes report to the clinic for a concussion test with one of our medical practitioners. Once the practitioner determines the severity of a concussion, they provide instructions and information on next steps before an athlete will return to play. Our return-to-play guidelines include details on the extent that one can participate in class, gym and on-ice activities – all of which will be specific to one’s concussion symptoms.

SCHEDULE

  • What does the daily schedule look like for a student athlete in your program?
    • Student athletes schooling, as well as on and off ice training, is incorporated throughout their school day.  After dinner, there is a mandatory study hall from 6:30-7:30pm and once that is concluded students have some free time for their own activities, which can be some free ice time at the arena, going fishing or simply relaxing. There are mandatory team activities setup on certain days that can include volleyball, pickleball, yoga, volunteering or community events.
    • A full day at our academy includes meals; school; fitness; study hall; hockey development; free time; proper sleep/quite hours.
    • Our full daily schedule can be viewed here:
  • How many games can your teams expect to play?
    • All PMHA teams play a minimum of 50 games with some teams playing up to 55-60 games in a season. They include the CSSHL regular season and Championships, exhibition games and tournaments against elite teams across both Canada and the United States.
  • What does the on and off ice training look like?
    • Our on-ice development includes 215 on-ice hours for development in technical skills, situational skills, refined individual and team tactics, mental preparation and competition. Our student athletes can also expect to spend 240 hours in off-ice training in our new gym and shooting bays. Our comprehensive program is designed to enhance a student athletes’ ability to compete at the next level and consists of components such as cardio, speed, agility, balance, coordination sequences, flexibility, strength, endurance and power programs. We test, monitor and re-design programs throughout the year.
    • Gym Tour – https://youtu.be/WeVuMJNykiU
  • How long does your program run?
    • The Pilot Mound Hockey Academy program is 10 months long, beginning in the last week of August spanning the full length of the school year, not just the hockey season.

KEY CSSHL ALUMNI

KEY STAFF AND CONTACT INFO

PRICE

  • What is including in the price to attend the program? Breakdown of fees
    • Please inquire within.

CONTACT

  • What is the best way to contact the program?
    • Website: pilotmoundhockeyacademy.com
    • Email: info@pilotmoundhockeyacademy.com
    • Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok @pmbuffaloes
    • Phone: (204) 825 – 7667

 

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