Thursday, March 15, 2012

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.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

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.

hahahahahahahahahaheeheeheeheeheeeheehehe..

Anonymous said...

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.

POE and Edge are both much better programs. OHA says they drug test but they really don't. There was a player last year that would have died from drug OD if the parents did not rush in to save him.

Anonymous said...

drugs are really bad in Penticton. The OHS boys in the summer are not safe either. Some local gang members broke into one of the dorms, glass was flying everywhere and like 6 cop cars came to break it up.

Anonymous said...

It's funny isn't it? All these unsuspecting parents laying down the big bucks, what is it? 40 grand now? All to have their kids at a school next to a crack house the city refuses to shut down.

How many of those families would drop their kids into the land of drugs if they knew how bad it really is in Penticton?

Anonymous said...

if they got rid of the crack house on campus, that is a good thing. As of a few months ago, it was there right next to the school. The new school is right beside the old school so its not exactly far from the crack house. Still, getting rid of this single crack house does not mean there are not a dozen more within a 5 mile radius. Penticton is a very dangerous place to send your kids to school. Drugs are everywhere in Penticton and the discipline at OHA for kids known to use drugs is non-existent.

Anonymous said...

If your actually a player then you know it's a rotation basis that guys sit. With injuries throughout the year, guys don't miss all that many games. Alan's son is in the bottom 4 for most games played as well. No player has played all the games they've had this season. I play for Dirk and have missed 4 games this season.

A crack house is near the school, yet BC recognizes Penticton High as one of its top schools every year. Applications to the Ivy League get an additional 15% put onto grades because of the curriculum at Pen High. Kids get picked up outside the doors of the school, which has a construction site between it and the crack house. So safety isn't much of an issue.

Anonymous said...

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 ok 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.

As to the school, again we are very familiar with it. The teachers are good, yet its hardly a place of academic giants. The grade thing is because the grades are calulated differently in BC rather than the USA. The reason they add points is simply because you can make a 50% and still pass in BC. 50%!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hell thats an even chance in just guessing! That's another big secret they don't tell you about touting their high number of players on the honor roll on their website. You know what grade you have to average to get on the honor roll? 70%, some honor roll status. You can make any pig look good if you lower the bar enough and nobody knows it.

Anonymous said...

Letter Percent
A+ 95–100
A  90-94
A− 85-89
B+ 80–84
B  75-79
B− 70-74
C+ 65-69
C  60–64
C− 55–59
D  50–54
E or UN or I  0–49 (temporary)
F  0–49 (permanent

Here's the grading scale. No wonder they tell you 80 some percent of the players get on the honor roll which is 70% and above. OHA makes a big deal out of it, yet being an academy player is practically a pass on school up there. You make it through school just fine, yet when you are complete you aren't prepared to go to College.

And they don't add 15 points like someone said it more like maybe 3 to 5 to transfer to the USA based on the College accepting it. Penn High is a good school with good teachers, but is nowhere near the top schools in the US. They claim to be one of the top high schools in BC which is probably right, yet its all relative. No offense intended but it's not like BC is recognized as a great place of learning.

Anonymous said...

Same old BS from same old person.
#1 Drugs are everywhere...No escaping that fact. It is how your kids deal with the issues that count. Curious where the author of this post is from?
In the states where there are no drugs... Yeah right and your kid was a player too.

Your kid got booted, you are bitter and now all you have to do is sit and whine. You are a pathetic excuse for a human being...

One more thing you say what does it say about... the school, town, police etc.. While what does it say about you to be attacking everyone and everything in return for your being kicked out a couple years ago..Like I said Pathetic.

Anonymous said...

WOW you are really upset. Well you know what they say, THE TRUTH HURTS. I live in Penticton and the drugs are BIG TIME, no Bull S***.

Anonymous said...

Drugs are everywhere that is true but its not too great to have a crack house practically sitting on the HS campus and the city of Penticton is unwilling to shut it down. What is that about? Is the Mayor's nephew running it or something?

OHA also does not enforce curfews. Kids are on drugs. They do not drug test (not a single time when my son was there). Essentially, they do nothing to control drug and tobacco use among the boys. It's pitiful.

Anonymous said...

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

Anonymous said...

So you are questioning the RCMP? One if not the best police force in the world. Perhaps there is no proof?
Perhaps they are inocent until proven guilty. Not just a bunch of sensational stories aimed at turning people off OHA. Yeah, there is no alternative motives behind all these stories. Are u saying you wouldn't like nothing better than to shut down the academy to get your revenge? By the way we would all like to hear why you left? You have been avoiding that one for months now....it doesnt matter it would just be another lie anyways..

Anonymous said...

Dear: Revenge,

RCMP, one of the best in the world is a far reach. They are OK. PROOF: Are you blind? It's sitting right there. GUILTY: Fact, it is a CRACK HOUSE, DUMMY. TURNING PEOPLE OFF: OHA has done a really good job of that. STORIES: What stories? You mean all these FACTS. SHUT DOWN: They are doing a really good job of that on their own.( I will say they have made some changes because of this BLOG ). LEAVE A SINKING SHIP: I do not know why the Blog Master left, but we left because of the deals that were made before tryouts.( those are still being made ). Now please don't post again, you only make a FOOL out of yourself, and it would only be more LIES. Do i smell Andy or Alan? ADVICE: When you LIE it will come back and bit your ass. ARE YOU HEARING ME ANDY. SIGNED: BIT MY ASS, ANDY. It is not going to get any better it's only going to get worst. This is coming from ALL the people you have lied to. SO hold onto your chair Andy it's going to get rough.

Anonymous said...

You have all this supposed inside information and live in Penticton.
Lets hear who you are..... Your boy has left the academy you have nothing to worry about.... Unless all this is lies... oh right.

By the way change your writing style when you claim to be someone else. Just like last time when we noticed your blog entery times were somewhat suspect.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you mean if i still had my boy there you would do something to him? I know, just like all the times some of the boys where found drinking or doing drugs the coaches would bag skate the whole team. That was real smart.

No lies just facts.

Anonymous said...

So you were aware of drinking and drugs but left your kid there anyways?

Says a lot about you... and your facts!!

Anonymous said...

anyways is not a word dumb ass. You are either a kid who gets A's in study hall to boost your false GPA or you are a washed up NHL'er who never finished college and had one too many concussions, Alan perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Before going ballistic about one crack house (there are plenty more within walking distance of school), realize that Penticton has a few demographic realities.

It is in the heart of central BC, where countless tons of the world's finest marijuana grows both naturally and artificially.

Ecstasy and cocaine do not carry the same stigma amongst teenagers in Penticton that they do in other places.

It is also a large distribution point for American and Mexican gangs who will then move the product east to Alberta as well as north all the way to Alaska. This is very common among population centers in otherwise remote areas (ex:Denver is a huge distribution point in America). Whenever there is a glut in the market, prices tend to go down. marijuana is usually under 200$/oz. in the city (the average is around 300)

Penticton's economy also relies heavily on tourism, which further boosts the illegal economy.

One must also take into account the human effect this has. When people hear about the booming drug market in town, it attracts more people from both sides of this dirty game.

Kelowna probably moves more weight, but it's larger city center helps conceal activity better. In either city, drugs of any kind are cheap and plentiful.

Long story short, if your kid has had issues with drug use in the past, do NOT send him to penticton thinking the city and/or OHA will straighten him out. It is much more likely the opposite will happen.

Anonymous said...

sorry to burst your bubble but US schools do actually justify your grade and add 10 - 15%. Most Ive league schools adding closer to 15.

I know the truth hurts but sitting isnt common among healthy players, and players do have more resources to get better than alot of other places. you get what you put into it. cant argue with that.

Anonymous said...

Have any of you compared POE to OHA?

Anonymous said...

hiya


just registered and put on my todo list


hopefully this is just what im looking for looks like i have a lot to read.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

id like to say that yes theres lots of drugs in penticton and yes there is a crack house next to 247 but the ohas deffinitly dont do that stuff, i think all the people that commented on this should really learning there facts before they stuff. and its not 40 grand its much cheeper, so think before you speak. penticton is a great place,and the ohas have a great life no drugs involved

Anonymous said...

When did they lower the tuition and what is the cost now? Two years ago it was 40K. I guess they are lowering the price in an attempt to get players to sign up.

Anonymous said...

hey author,
just because you had a crappy time at OHA doesn't mean everyone does. obviously you weren't a very good player to begin with, if you have to sit on your computer and rant about the same thing all day. it is a program for rep players, you can't come into the program if you don't have any skills. there are drugs everywhere you go. even at private Christian schools where I have attended for 7 years. you can't escape reality and no one said Penticton was a perfect city.

Anonymous said...

and you won't publish that last comment either, because its not slamming oha. way to go.

Anonymous said...

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 brng him back and he refused.

Anonymous said...

I'm in oha best experience of my life and all you are is a pissed off parent who's son didn't get accepted or got kicked out of oha best year of my life I love oha and penticton

Anonymous said...

I do have to say... I enjoy reading the comments. A couple of things I would like to comment on.

There are drugs and crack houses in all communities, some you know of, and some you don't know of. I have lived in Penticton for many year and don't know for sure if it is a "crack" house, but whether it is or not, in plain view would be my preference LOL.

As for OHA, the reality is... it's another option for someone to play hockey. You can play for your minor hockey team, you can set up recreational hockey, or you can play club hockey. Why bash someone's choices? Do you get your money's worth? Well if you add up the gas of all the travel. A gym membership. Pay per use for icetime. And pay for room and board. Sure, you get your money's worth.

Why are you sending your kid to a hockey academy? If it is to get lots of ice time and play a sport they love and you have the money to do it... Why not?

If you want them to get a scholarship... then why wouldn't you just save your money, focus on academics... and pay for school with the money you didn't spend on private hockey?

Living arrangements... meals... curfew etc... I would say that comes down to the billet and your kid... a great billet with a respectful, behaved kid will have a great experience.

I don't have a kid in hockey. I have played a lot of hockey in my life and continue to play in men's and oldtimer's leagues.

Hockey has changed a lot since I played. I was fortunate to play rep throughout my entire minor hockey life and then onto Jr. I would have to say if I didn't make a rep team... I would have liked an option to find a private academy to play serious competitive hockey. Would my parents have paid for it. No... we wouldn't have had the money for that.

As for post secondary schooling... my parents told me whether I got a scholarship offer to NCAA, they wouldn't have sent me regardless. They preferred if I stayed in Canada for a more recognized post secondary education, and offered to help with the cost.

Many of my fellow teammates continued on to NCAA Div 1 schools... and many of them came back to Canada after 4 years and had to take more courses in Canada.

I guess what it comes down to... is what are your expectations from hockey or any other sport or activity for that matter?

Kids should be playing sports for the fun, meeting new friends, learning teamwork, and learning responsibility and accountability.

If you have a kid who has that 1 in a million talent and signs the big contract... then great! That's a BONUS!

I would love for the person who bashes this program to come out and say who you are and come up with some constructive criticism and forward it on to OHA and maybe you can help improve the program.

Either way... its all entertainment for me... so keep the comments coming!

Anonymous said...

i have lived in penticton for the past 5 years. maybe there is the fact that i have not been there at the right time, but i have never experience anything ( ie: drug deals) around that house except for teenagers smoking cigarettes.