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."