Alright, so someone brought up Selects Academy Hockey. It’s one of those things, isn’t it? Sounds all prestigious and like a straight shot to the big leagues. Well, let me tell you, I’ve seen a bit of that world up close, or at least, close enough to get a good whiff of it.
It wasn’t me personally strapping on the skates aiming for that, thank goodness. My knees are shot just from watching. But my neighbor, Dave, his kid, young Matty, was a decent player. Real decent for our local league. And then Dave got this bee in his bonnet about these elite programs. Selects, or something like it, was always the dream he talked about for Matty. That’s where my, let’s call it, “hands-on observation” started.
The First Steps… or Missteps?
So, first thing they did, as I recall, was start chasing these showcases. You know, these weekend tournaments where scouts are supposedly lurking in every corner. We actually drove with them to a couple of these, just to support, you know, back when our kids were younger and played together sometimes. Man, the atmosphere. It was intense. Parents were more wound up than the kids, half the time. Dave was spending a fortune on travel, hotels, new gear ’cause Matty had to look the part, right? That was the initial phase of my “practice” – just watching the grind begin.
Then came the actual “getting noticed” part. This was where I saw Dave really get to work. It wasn’t just about Matty playing well on the ice. It was about who you knew, who your coach knew. Dave started networking like a madman. He was constantly calling people, sending out highlight videos he’d painstakingly edited. Matty, bless his heart, was practicing non-stop. Schoolwork started to slide a bit, but hey, hockey was the priority. That’s what Dave kept saying. I remember helping Dave sort through some tournament schedules once, just trying to figure out which ones were “must-attend.”
- Waking up at 5 AM for extra ice time.
- Missing family birthdays and holidays for another tournament.
- The constant pressure on Matty to perform, every single game.
I remember thinking back then, this is a heck of a lot for a 14-year-old. But Dave was convinced this was the only way. He’d point to some kid who made it to a D1 college through one of these academies and say, “See? It works!” He was deep in it.
The “Academy” Reality Check
Eventually, after a lot of pushing and showcasing, Matty got an invite to try out for a pretty big-name academy, not Selects specifically, but one of those top-tier ones. They flew out there. More money down the drain, of course. I heard all about it from Dave when they got back. The tryout itself was brutal. Kids from all over North America, all thinking they were the next Sidney Crosby. Matty played his heart out, but it was a numbers game. So many kids, so few spots.
He didn’t make the cut for that super elite one. Dave was gutted. Truly. Matty was quiet for weeks, just went through the motions. He did end up going to a good prep school with a strong hockey program, which was still a huge commitment, living away from home and all that. But it wasn’t the academy Dave had obsessed over for years.
My big takeaway from watching all this unfold? My “practice” in understanding this scene, so to speak. These elite hockey academies, like Selects, they’re a massive gamble. For every kid that “makes it,” there are hundreds, maybe thousands, who don’t. And the pressure, the money, the sacrifices… it’s immense. It changes families. It changes kids.
I actually dug into the details a bit more myself after seeing Dave go through all that. I started by just searching online for what parents were saying, not the official stuff. Then, I talked to a couple of local coaches I knew, guys who’d sent kids down that path before, to get their honest take. I even tried to find some real, unfiltered reviews or forum discussions from families who’d been through it. What I found was a lot of similar stories. Huge costs, massive time commitment, and absolutely no guarantees. Some kids thrive, sure. But a whole lot of them burn out or just don’t reach that top, top level everyone’s chasing.
So yeah, Selects Academy Hockey, and others like it. It’s a path, for sure. But it’s a very narrow, very expensive, and very demanding one. It’s not just about talent; it’s about luck, money, connections, and a whole lot of grinding. And sometimes, I wonder if folks really see the whole picture before they dive in. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype. I saw it happen, right in my own neighborhood.
