OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: NOT ALL IT'S CRACK-ED UP TO BE?

Are you willing to send your child away to a hockey boarding school that shares its parking lot with a crack house?

Okanagan Hockey Academy provides an environment where young hockey players can receive a high quality of education at the Penticton High School (ranked top 5 in B.C.). Really?

Here's what they won't tell you on the OHA website about Penticton High School. The high school campus where OHA boys attend school is adjacent to one of the most prolific crack houses in Penticton, BC.

An armed guard stands between the crack house and the high school during school hours. The OHA boys observe crack deals going down on a daily basis, as money and drugs are exchanged through a hole in the screen on the bottom floor of the crack house.

Once an OHA parent confronted the police officer regarding the crack house. He confirmed that, indeed, it is a crack house. This parent said, "If you know it's a crack house, why in the heck doesn't the RCMP shut it down?" The officer replied, "You'll have to take up your concerns with the Mayor of Penticton."

Last year, a druggie at the crack house pulled out a gun, which is the reason RCMP man the school parking lot during school hours. Unfortunately, there's no RCMP coverage at the crack house once school is over. A number of OHA boys over the years have caved into the temptation of drugs in Penticton, BC, becoming addicted to very serious drugs.

This is a caution to any parents considering sending their sons away to hockey boarding school at OHA. The boys are free to roam town and we all know how easy it is for kids to get into trouble without the guidance of their parents.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY IS FREE!!!!! for some......

Americans always pay full tuition while the local boys get waivers. Andy tries to keep this a secret because they need the Americans money to run the school. They are hurting financially. It is partly due to the recession and partly because of this blog page. Now if an American wats to attend OHA and pay full tuition, they know the deal going into it. They know about the crack house and the lousy living arrangements for their kids. They know the kids will be getting a public school education for Ivy league tuition fees.

If the Americans know what they are getting going straight ahead into it, OHA is robbing them with their eyes wide open. I certainly would not be very pleased to know certain kids get to go there for free.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY, 1, 2, 3... NOT IT.

I am trying to do enough research to choose the best hockey academy for my child. My experience thus far is that it is a game of roulette....which team, coach, billet, tournaments, even which bus transports them. Get the wrong one and you have paid to offer a disadvantage to your child. However, the players all seem happy regardless of whatever challenges they face (bullying, poor nutrition at billets homes, frequent bus break downs, over crowded hotel rooms, bad road trip meal planning....) Is any academy doing a better job of looking after the players? The front line workers (coach) should not bear all the responsibility. Their job is to coach. They need better support.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: STRAIGHT ANSWERS

Having had a son recently attend the OHA for a couple of years, the following comments might be of use to other potential OHA parents:

1. First class training facilities and ice.

2. Good quality coaching, particularly McLaughlin and Wesley.

3. Penticton High School is a very good high school, no drug issues, particularly for OHA players and the Pen High/OHA connection works very well, so don't listen to the rubbish about Pen High being a drug den.

Problem #1

The OHA does not play competitive hockey, rather a series of exhibition games combined with second rate tournaments. For a good to great player, ie., one who has a chance to make the WHL or BCHL at 16 or 17 the OHA is a waste of time. He will simply not be playing competitive hockey against the better players at or around his age. For a hard working player who is still a long ways from the top couple of rungs, the OHA would provide alot of training, ice time and some good coaching, which could be of a benefit for one year, no more.

Problem #2

Friends and family of OHA insiders, be they owners, employees or friends (see the cases of the Kerrs, Dirks, Playfairs...) These players will be placed on the top team without competition and regardless of their skills. Further, the top team that these players are on will enjoy a disproportionate amount of travel to the US for games.

Problem #3

The best interests of each player are way down the list in terms of the priorities of the OHA. Priority #1 for the OHA is filling their teams, so that if they consider that your son is a lock to play with them next year then your son will not be playing on the top team. They like to fill up the bottom teams, again with little regard for skill level, and keep the top team open for friends and the odd top prospect. The best way to deal with the OHA is to show up for your meeting with the powers that be, with your post-dated cheques in hand, along with a resume of your son's history and negotiate your son's position for the next year. A parent from Nelson did just that this year, as the OHA had previously told him that he son would have to try out for the Quad team,which generally means that he will not make the team, and by forcing the OHA to choose then and there, they guaranteed the player's spot on the Quad team. Don't pay the OHA the money before you have your son playing where you want him to play. This past year, in what seems to have been a rather desperate attempt to build a competitive dream team, and again with no regard for players who had worked hard the previous year to move up the ladder, the OHA brought in several purportedly high end players, again apparently on a free ride basis. Unfortunately, the team (the Quad team) has been a flop: can't beat the only semi-competitive two teams that they play regularly (The Edge from Alberta and Wenatchee); can't even win a AAA tournament (whipped by the second team from Notre Dame in the Kelowna final); and of course they don't even participate in the best tournament for "Quads", the Mac in Calgary. In my view, Major Midget is the only way to go for the solid 15 or 16 year old in the Province of British Columbia and it costs less than 1/3 what the OHA charges.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY'S ALAN KERR QUIETLY DISAPPEARS FROM WEBSITE

With no announcement or fanfare, Alan Kerr evaporates from the Okanagan Hockey Academy website. He is no longer presented on the OHA website as an owner, a coach, or as a staff member.

What is the shake up at OHA?

Da, da, da..... another one bites the dust.....

Why would another retired NHLer leave the ranks of OHA without explanation. Is it because his own children have moved on so he is not there to give them preferential treatment anymore?

Once upon a time, Okanagan Hockey Academy fielded a staff entirely of retired NHL players. It was their best selling feature. Now they have doubled their tuition rates and slashed their staff experience. Only two retired NHL players remain on their coaching staff.

Who is willing to pay over $50,000 a year for this nonsense? Any takers?

When will Dirk and Wesley move on to a more respectable coaching position elsewhere? Time will tell the real story here, but it is safe to assume they will not be sticking around this cracker stand for long.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY RAISES FEES! THEY JUST DON'T GET IT!

Get your calculators out. This is gonna hurt!

THE FOLLOWING FIGURES ARE PUBLISHED IN THE OHA NOSEBLEED ENROLEMENT PACKET:


$19,500 plus applicable tax

$5,000 Transportation Cost (mandatory and non refundable) plus applicable tax

Okanagan Hockey Academy Tuition and Transportation $24,500 plus applicable tax

Billet Fees (if required) $ 5,000

Out of Province Education Fees (if required) $10,500

That is 40K before taxes and some more extra special fees!

The transportation cost is a mandatory and non refundable cost payable to the Academy for transportation services to and from billet homes and local tournaments in the area.

The Province of British Columbia government has introduced a new tax, HST, which is applicable to Okanagan Hockey Academy Fees.

GST (7% tax) is the applicable tax on paid Academy Fees on or before April 30th, 2010.

HST (12% tax) is the applicable tax on paid Academy Fees on or after May 1st, 2010.

(That is a $1,659 tax saving on full Academy fees paid on or before April 30th, 2010.)

WOW! Nice break. HA HA HA HA HA!

Payment Options

• Option 1 - Full payment ($800.00 discount applied if payments made by cheque, money order or wire transfer)

• Option 2 - 3 monthly payments starting July 1st, 2010 ($400.00 discount applied if payments made by cheque, money order or wire transfer)

• Option 3 - 6 monthly payments starting July 1st, 2010

• Option 4 - Contact Mike Seeley, CA Director of Finance at 250-493-1408 Ext 3352 for alternate arrangements

Exclusive of Fees

• Extraordinary trip fees (include airfare and ground transportation at trip locale)

• Bantam, Varsity and Jr. Varsity Teams $3,500.00 per year maximum

• Prep Team $7,000.00 per year maximum

How is your math? A non- BC resident who plays on the prep team can expect to pay 47,000 not including taxes. YIKES!

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY DELINQUENT PAYERS?

Financial stability? The company (Okanagan Hockey Academy) has a controlling amount of shares up for sale. Panic mode when a potential new investor takes a look at the books and see how much is being paid back for less then ethical reasons by a certain employee in their ownership group or a house built and paid for with company money for another ex-employee also part of the ownership group. This company has some serious issues, not to mention their poor on ice performance, save for their top team. Good people get burned by OHA repeatedly and its pathetic to listen to their propaganda machine at work. Sure they spend 5 million bucks directly, but how many local vendors have to beg and plead to get paid for services? They push small business to the brink of bankruptcy, so yeah great for the community....

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY IS DESPERATE TO REBUILD

OHA has now stolen player Curt Lazar, a top WHL drafted player # 2 overall, from well respected POE by offering his family a completely FREE RIDE at Okanagan Hockey Academy. Some say this is a clear illustration of just how far the ownership at OHA has stooped in an effort to revive their dying program.

If the talk is about development, how will OHA accomplish this by surrounding this young man with low level players? How do the Americans feel footing the full tuition bill when they know OHA is busily passing out full ride scholarships? It's more of the same at OHA; the Americans pay the bill and the program continues to rape the dreams of young players.

Wonder how their enrolment is fairing this year?

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY CONTINUES TO UNRAVEL

How's this for damage control? OHS recruiter Fred Dobransky retires..

Fred quit on OHS. He was tired of the direction they were going and knew when something was spinning into an ego run organization. The main man praising him, is also the same guy that Fred dislikes the most. If anyone actually calls Fred, he's not retired, he's still working for Global Showcase and now that he's not with OHS, the Westside Warriors scooped him up to scout for them. How is it that he's announcing his retirement this summer, when he quit in February? Anyone that actually doubts it, call Fred. Not only did he quit but immediately his grandson was told he had to pay, so he left OHA. This is damage control at it's best. I seriously urge anyone to call Fred. He will tell you that he quit, they tried to brIng him back and he refused.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: LICENSE TO WHAT?

Here's a few facts for you that people may be interested in. After the tragic accidents involving high school teams and 15 passenger vans, OHA decided to have their staff licensed to drive them. Prior to that, they had a handful with proper licencing and the rest were driving players without the correct classification. They have even had a coach driving players in a personal vehicle while he didn't possess even a full licence in British Columbia. That's the equivalent of having a 16 year old that just got his New Driver designation driving your sons and daughters. I played at OHA, no longer do, but still have close ties to some of the guys there, if you want the truth, ask any of the players. Yes it was a good time, I developed off ice in the gym, on ice was OK, we were out matched pretty severely which I don't think helped in front of scouts at showcases, but if I was a parent I'd be looking at things like who's driving your kids and the risk they are taking.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: NOSE DIVE

Well, it's that time of year again. The packets are already being distributed to families to sign their sons up for another year at OHA. Sign on the dotted line early, and you lose all your negotiating power to get your son PRE-ASSIGNED to the top team.

The parents who hold out for a meeting with Alan and a guaranteed placement prior to signing fair the best. Gone are the days when OHA can strong arm families by warning them that the spots will be filled. No one need act quickly anymore. OHA's rosters are but half filled giving the perspective buyer (sucker) time to really think things over, and give the old head a good shake. The power of negotiation at OHA has shifted. It's no longer standing room only for admissions. The owners at OHA will be scraping for anyone to fill their rosters this August and they will promise the moon and the stars to get ahold of your money.

The turnover at OHA cannot be described as anything less than astounding. Boys come and go; dreams are lost, and parents hard earned money long gone. The program has gone successively downhill with each passing year. A perspective buyer needs to look no further than the results pages of their teams who grace the bottom of the barrel in the prep-school hockey world.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES

Let's talk about legitimate grievances that any player of any skill level would have with the program:

The coaches will teach you the general structure of a typical 1-2-2 but almost always fail to inform individuals and line mates of the subtleties that make the system successful (where to position your stick, when and where to pressure, etc.)

The pervading culture of high-school hockey in Penticton frowns upon extra-curricular team-building (line mates developing set plays, d-men talking to goalies about breakout strategy, etc.)

Individual or teammate-to-teammate improvisation, planned or otherwise, are strictly and forcefully suppressed.

These should be considered more important than who's getting the lion's share of the coach's attention or who's snorting what; these are they real hindrances to your son's development as a hockey player (let's be honest: you AND the oha don't give a f**k about developing "moral values" or wtf they say they do)

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT

OHA is definitely an unsafe environment. There is a crack house right next to the HS. It is a PUBLIC school. Want to pay 40K for a public school just because they have hockey? Think about what an insane thought that is for anyone to consider. They fix teams and do not help the kids move on to higher play, as they claim. They kids who have moved on came to OHA with very special discounts (a fraction of the 40K tuition) and those kids are so good they were going to move on anyway with or without OHA.

If you are an American the story is even more bleak. In their entire history they have not moved an American player to the BCHL Jr A. They will offer to put in a word for your son to play NORPAC (bottom feeder league for kids going nowhere). A few American kids go to KIJHL, but very few and that will become the end zone. I believe they moved 1 player that was American on to a Div II or III college scholarship this year. Note that the young man left OHA to play in Wenatchee for a year to get real development which makes me question what role OHA really played in getting him to a college level, albeit Div II or III.Look at the west coast (SoCAL or NorCAL) hockey. OHA got wiped clean in every AAA US tourney they entered last year. The OMAHA league is solid but cannot compare to USA AAA level hockey. You are better off staying in the states and dealing with the politics that come your way at home.

The politics at OHA are just as bad and you end up with empty pockets at Nose bleed tuition for public HS.If you insist on looking to send your son to Canada, look at POE in Kelowna. The kids go to a private Christian school and the program is very good. They go back and forth with OHA when they play at all levels and their tuition is a fraction of the cost. The other one to consider in Notre Dame. Don't look for these guys to blow smoke up your a$$ because they won't. At Notre Dame they will place your son according to ability. At OHA is all about negotiating your son's team place BEFORE tryouts. At least at Notre Dame you know exactly where your boy stands.

OHA has some good coaches. Actually, they have some very good coaches. Unfortunately, Oakes and Kerr tie their hands and greatly limit the impact they could have on the boys if they had the freedom to do their jobs. It starts with Kerr telling them exactly who will play on their teams, again based on parent negotiation, and it goes downhill from there. OHA has two very good coaches on their coaching staff, Blake and Rob. The other very good coach they had was Steve, but he has finally broken free for greener pastures.

Good luck!

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: ANDY OAKES IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

I used to play for OHA. I too was promised things that never came to fruition, but that is not an issue with me.

OHA is a business and Andy operates it to make dollars. It is awful how he has changed, people that knew the old Andy can attest to this.

I don't want to bash on anyone, I am not angry, as a former player though speaking to prospective parents I have this to say...

I would not send my child to OHA because it is not a family. There certainly is brotherhood among the teammates, but from a checkbook standpoint, each recruit is a dollar sign. The nicest Andy will ever be to you is right before he gets you to sign up for OHA, he is quite the actor, and not ashamed to make grand claims about your hockey future to get to your wallet. The all-mighty dollar has its ways of tearing down good people, and Andy certainly is not the same man he was when he brought the IDT to OHS. I am certain too that you can get more for less elsewhere too, if finances are a concern.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: CRACK HOUSE NEXT TO CAMPUS

OHA was recruiting my son and we nearly sent him to OHA when a friend made us aware of this website. I confirmed the existence of the crack house from a local family who sent their son to OHA 5+ years ago. Thank God we did not send our son to be billeted in a place which lacks supervision and is full of drugs.

We may have drug problems in the US but the government does not ignore drug dens. In the US they are raided and shut down. Apparently in Penticton the government thinks its good enough to have a rent-a-cop stand outside the crack house during school hours. That is not good enough. It should have been shut down. It makes me think someone in the RCMP or government is getting a kick back from drug deals.

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OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY PREP: A TEAM OF QUITTERS

Okanagan Hockey Academy lays an egg against the Edge while being crushed 10 ZIP. Is anyone surprised? Even coach Blake Wesley is referring to them as quitters. See the attached article: http://www.bclocalnews.com/sports/69004147.html

Is Okanagan Hockey Academy really where you want to send your son at 40,000 a pop? Remember, it's a public school in the drug infested town of Penticton, BC with one of the most prolific crack houses in the city sitting right beside the campus. FYI: The cops won't shut it down.

Andy and Alan still claim OHA is the premier prep school is Western Canada. Really? It seems after a king sized whooping from Edge, it's clear there's a much better program only one province away dominating OHA in a big way. Bonus: No crack house sitting next to the high school campus.

http://www.edgeschool.com/

We understand the tuition is much more reasonable too!

Here's the blurb from the Edge website about the first meeting against the limping OHA squad:

BOYS PREP DO THE MONSTER MASH IN HALLOWEEN WEEK-END FINALE @ OHA

Edge Boys Prep coaches Kevin Willison and Brent Gogol knew their troops were having a solid week-end at Okanagan Hockey Academy with some dominating performances in the first two games. They might not have expected Sunday's outburst however as they watched the lads belt host OHA with a 10-0 blasting. In the first CSSHL meeting of these two squads, Edge definitely had the upper game as Brady Ramsay continued his incredible season with 3 more goals while Tanner Labbe, Max Reavis and Tanner Hicks each sniped a pair and Austin Donaldson had a singleton.

With the victory Edge remained comfortably atop the CSSHL standings with a clean 6-0 slate for 12 points. When league scorers are posted next week, look for the names of Ramsay, Hicks, Labbe, Paylor and Reavis to be prominently mentioned.

Three games, three victories, 20 goals for and 3 goals against - all in all, a great week-end for the Boys Prep!

Detailed results of Edge success in the Prep league found here:

http://www.edgeschool.com/page.php?p_id=5&s_id=20&t_id=69

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY PLAYER OF THE MONTH? ...OOPS!

If you want your son to be forgotten, send him to Okanagan Hockey Academy!

Wake up! Obviously OHA staff made that comment or someone still with the blindfold on. You poor poor thing. The entire OHA quad team moved on because of the boys own talent NOT OHA at all. OHA did nothing but try to hold boys back, these boys were survivors of the OHA program. You are so out of the loop it is pathetic! Get your head out of the sand.
OHA can't even update their website team photos to this year and didn't even bother to put in a player of the month nominee for their KIJHL team that they are oh so proud of owning. That is a hint Alan/Andy nominate a player of the month for your treasured second from last place junior B team. September is past but you still have time for October-it will look like you care just a bit! Ready?....GO!

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY COMING APART AT THE SEAMS

Notice how OHA tried to take credit on their website for 'Moving the entire Major Midget AAAA team' BS. Those kids from AAAA and their parents refused to send their kids to OHA another season even if it meant them not playing this year or dropping down to whatever or wherever they could play. The boys were seen by other teams, without OHA's help or input at spring camps and in turn invited to fall evaluation camps in and out of province. The boys scrambled desperately to find teams to play for this season - who would appreciate them for their talent (pre OHA experience), just so that they would not have to go back to OHA. Parents were happy as now they could afford to buy their own kids a car instead of yet contributing to another one for the Kerr family. Then OHA tried to take credit for them all moving on. Pathetic. OHA had nothing to do with the entire QUAD team moving on. NOTHING. The boys told them they were NOT going back there no matter what. The boys who couldn't make any other Junior A or B team ended up being added to the old Sting team now the Penticton Lakers -Junior B or Alberni Bulldogs, -both owned by OHA just so that they would have a place to play and OHA could take credit for moving them on. By the way...Junior B with OHA costs the same $40,000, whereas other Junior B team players/parents are paying almost NOTHING!

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY ENROLMENT WAY DOWN

Like a pathetic game of limbo, Okanagan Hockey Academy is singing a new tune, "How low can you go?" Predictably, the teams this season are collectively losing, losing, and losing.

Penticton Lakers, formerly the Sting, has begun the season with, shall we say, less than a bang?

14 games played, 12 losses with the Lakers firmly planted at the bottom of their division with no way out of the hole they have dug for themselves. Only one team in the KIJHL has a record slightly more terrible, the Columbia Valley Rockies. It's going to be a long year for the OHA boys with the early losses piling up.

OHA coffers are a bit depleted this year. Is this due to the economy? Their teams are down a minimum of twenty players from last year with area British Columbia players dominating this year's rosters. Very few American boys have returned to the OHA program and new recruits are nil. You might recall we exposed the OHA sliding tuition scale last year. The Americans are the ones the owners rely upon, for the most part, to foot the full tuition bill, while the local boys and sons of staff members practically attend for free.

Stay tuned as the blog heats up over the next few months. We will be following these losing teams and undoubtably hear countless stories of politics during tryouts and disgruntled players doing everything possible to leave OHA.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: QUALIFICATIONS

"lots of ice and trips 55 games NHL coaches , Power Skating, Yoga the program has impoved much since last year!"

ok alan (or whoever), let's go over these one by one:

1)yes lots of ice, but you shouldn't have to go on road trips to calgary every month to play hockey in canada, and you DEFINITELY shouldn't have to drive an hour to kelowna just to practice once a week from april-july.

2) nhl coaches? Dirk and Wesley are legit, but just because you were qualified to get your face punched in for 9 years does not qualify you to teach skills and systems to young players who may or may not have better skating and hands than you. I can't comment on Randy Jaycock, but it's a bit of a misnomer to call a perennial bench-warmer an nhl player.Dixon Ward? his doctor took a blood sample and it was 80 proof (and he rarely even shows up). that nhlpa card only covers a 8x5cm part of your ass. you still have to cover the rest.

3)power skating yes. if a player is a real athelete, he will benefit from this (about 20-35% of your enrolled players).

4)yoga yes. about 3-4 times during the season, more regularly in summer. but really, who cares?

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: DRUG PROBLEMS

No, they do not perform drug testing - they should. You sign that it is okay to do, but when the coaches son is one of them using drugs and/or alcohol no kidding they won't do them.Yes they promote your son -if you are personal friends.Yes the boys do get some exposure on road trips which results in letters for spring/main camps for Junior A and B teams, but don't ever voice a concern about the program because when the teams contact Alan for a previous years referral watch out. My wife and I know of some families that have fallen misfortune to this. Many know to see through it and don't bother making the referral call to Alan at all.Yes the OHA has connections with the NCAA, but after you enrol with OHA, and a few months pass and the scout from the NCAA won't recognize you, your wife, or your son in an empty room.Yes the boys miss many many classes for ice time or on or off ice training. Time that they can't make up especially with resentful teachers.Yes they have an absolutely beautiful new office with decorative brick walls and waterfalls. Simply stunning.Yes they have kicked some academy boys out of the program for misbehaving and not following rules and of course kept all the money.Yes they had dismissed an academy staff member for issues non disclosed but related to certain 'deals'.No they do not support your son, it is a 'gonna watch you till we get you' approach.Yes they have problems getting billet families due to past bad experiences, many have backed out and said enough.Yes sometimes there are up to 4 academy boys in one billet house.No the billet coordinator does not go and check out the homes prior to billeting the boys, some live in basement rooms with no windows, or closets -just 4 walls.Yes, the boys develop their skills on ice but not as much as they should for the amount of time they spend on the ice with ex NHL'ers.Yes the boys mature but mainly because of the morals, values, goals that they come with and strong support from their families at a distance.Yes most of the players from last season have decided not to return because of their personal disappointment with the program.Yes global is not what it is promoted as, there are not many scouts present. Vegas is better than Burnaby. Yes letters do come from some scouts that do attend, it is a big recruitment tactic, but also every other money making camp as well that your e-mail is shared with. Every player at OHA summer camps receives a global invite which recognizes them as an elite player, even if they are house league level.Yes the boys are kept busy with their schedule, but we can not stress enough how many classes they miss, school is definitely second in the OHA program. If they fall behind because OHA schedules most of their practises etc during certain class time, the boys are blamed for falling behind.Yes we understand they are making some adjustments for this coming season -wonder why?We regret moving our son to OHA

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: INSULTS YOUR BOYS AT 40K A YEAR

Yes, there is absolutely a well known crack house next to the school, which on occasion security is hired by the city to stand by and direct kids away from, -but they just meet around the corner -there is only one security guard there, he can't be on all four sides of 24-7 (store) at the same time.Yes they have tutors 'so to speak', do they ever go on out of town trips to help the boys as promised -no, never.Yes the boys go on road trips during review weeks -right before exams and have no tutors on the trips to help them study or answer questions for them. POE excels in this area, tutors go on road trips and a separate study room is booked at their hotel for them to use.Yes, you can hire private tutors in Penticton -at an additional $30.00 - $35.00 per hour. Most are students or recent grads.The curfew calls almost never ever happen, and the boys are pre-warned when they will occur.The boys attend a public school, with many teachers of very poor ratings -see 'rateyourteacher.com' for specific teachers.Yes, it is true most teachers are in an uproar because they do not want the hassle of having academy boys in their classes -why, because they miss so much school, that is a very heavy burden on them to try to get them caught up. Can you blame them?Yes, the OHA 'honor role' is fixed, the academy classes are like spares with an academy teacher walking around to help them if needed. The boys get high 90's in this class, but low grades in the core courses, average it out and voila! -good marks = honor role.Yes, drugs are rampant at Penticton Secondary School and there are known dealers in the same classes with the OHA boys.Do you really want to spend $40,000 plus to have your prospective hockey son at a public school sharing a desk with known school drug dealers?Yes, there are some success stories for OHA boys - but you have to know the connections, as for Cole Manning -awesome job for him, the 'real' OHA blog didn't mention that at the banquet Alan Kerr stated "I guess this shows that miracles can happen" when referring to this boy. Typical comment from Alan.Yes, when the coaches go on road trips, a few of them spend more evening/night time in bars drinking than supervising the boys.

We regret the move to OHA.

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: TEAM FIXING REALITY

"Last summer Alan Kerr approached my son at summer camp about attending OHA. We already had plans to send him to Notre Dame. Alan promised my son a spot on his top team as a means to motivate us not to send our son to Notre Dame. I did not like this approach. It is essentially an admission that the teams at OHA are fixed well before the boys arrive to school in the fall. 

My son likes the summer camp but we prefer to play at Notre Dame during the school year."

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: IT'S A CON GAME

"The worst thing about OHA is that the players don't get scouted and the school does virtually nothing to promote them. At $40,000 a year and those huge house payments Alan has, why would he want to move them? haha! Somebody has to pay for that Mercedes too! That would be you if you think telling everyone you send your son to OHA is worth that. Their program is a con game."

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: SAVE YOUR MONEY

"There are a number of top quality organizations in the US. I wouldn't waste my time or money to send them to Canada. We've done both and I would suggest having him stay in the USA. There is a lot more opportunity if he is a US citizen in the states. Besides that every year more and more NCAA teams are securing many of their players through the USA Junior programs which are mostly Americans. The programs in the USA are as good or better than any of those in Canada. That's our personal 2 cents based on participating in both. OHA is definitely not worth the money. Notre Dame in Canada has a good program or Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota. These are the more premiere prep schools, yet there are politics there also. Have him make the best team he can and work like crazy to develop his game."

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY DOESN'T MEASURE UP

"They definitely don't get a prep school level education at OHA. They really don't even get the level of education you would receive at a top flight public high school in the US. You pay a top price, yet you don't get what others offer for about the same price. I would agree with the other comments that Notre Dame and Shattuck are much better than OHA, although OHA at one time pitched their program as in that same league. They aren't in that league either on the hockey or academic side. Those schools have a long standing tradition of which OHA has nearly none. OHA surely doesn't have the character those schools have or have ever met with the level of performance and success they have. Talk is cheap. Measure them by their past performance. OHA comes in last, just like most all their teams this year."

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY IN SEARCH OF FRESH MEAT AT GLOBALS

One of our readers recently offered some advice re: Okanagan Hockey Academy and their recruitment plans at Global.  It's the perfect place to find players who are hopeful they will draw the attention of scouts.  Instead, they often fall victim to the OHA machine ready to reach into their pockets and take $40,000 after a bit of schmoozing.  It's a great strategy and a mighty big payday!

"Its amazing the amount of crap they feed people to get them to write that check in the spring. We never did. We paid as we went. I wouldn't recommend this program to anyone, yet if you get taken in don't pay in advance. You will regret it. I think the word is getting out on these guys. They usually are working the showcases hard at Global Burnaby and Las Vegas. Don't get sucked in. Go make a real team which you can be proud of playing for."

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: BOTTOM OF THE BARREL

How does Okanagan Hockey Academy stack up with other TRUE prep schools academically and with respect to hockey quality?  The following comment gives an interesting and thoughtful perspective:

"Notre Dame and Shattuck St. Mary's have a number of teams within specific age brackets. This means your player has to be a top player to play on their top team. If they aren't, they will put them on a more developmental team. They both have good programs and have a lot more depth than OHA. Their lesser teams would run over OHA's best teams. Both of these schools do not billet the players as they live in dorms. Both of them also offer much better academic opportunities for the about the same money as OHA. For what OHA charges you should be getting a prep school education. You get it at ND and SSM. You don't at OHA. The money actually goes in the owners pockets and the Americans fund their Canadian friends that can't afford to play there. As you would expect at OHA the more affluent players are Americans, while the less affluent are the Canadian cronies of the Kerr's. I guess OHA is pretty good if you are looking for a over priced, mediocre hockey program, mediocre public education, while paying a premium for others to attend for free. The owners of OHA seem to think that is a hell of a deal."

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: LAST PLACE

"Thats funny. Looks like Alan and Andy are back on this site. A word of advice to them. Stop sending the same thing acting like a prospective or existing parent who talks about the other peoples players not working hard enough, getting in trouble and being sent home, and what a great opportunity it is for all the players at OHA. Blah Blah Blah!!!!!!!

Very, very few players have been sent home because of bad behavior, very few have come all that way and not worked hard. Have some common sense. What parent and player would come there and spend that kind of money to not give a top effort? That's ridiculous!

What it comes down to again is very poor performance. Every team in last place. Very few advancements in recent years outside the OHA organization. That is how you measure the success of the organization. These guys have done a masterful job convincing parents that coming is last is OK as long as the players are developing. Doesn't that tell you something about the organization. What championship level player ever thought it was OK to come in last. That is again ridiculous!"

OKANAGAN HOCKEY ACADEMY: A CRACK HOUSE NEXT TO CAMPUS?

"That's about the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! Justifying the existence of a crack house right across the street from the school. It's like saying yeah its okay just stay away from it. What does that say about the school, OHA, the city, the police, that they know its there and don't even do anything about it." 

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"a bunch of punk ass dudes were shooting up heroine in a van right in front of academy kids at the 24/7,,,this was 2 years ago, but the fact remains. the fuzy muf were notified and they busted the junkies. They pulled them outa the van with the needles hanging from their arms, all in front of some OHA boys."

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"yes, it is absolutely true there is a crack house right behind the 24/7 where the OHA boys are picked up daily. Penticton is not a safe place to send your kids."