Education
The Hawkesbury Hawks organization is committed to assisting their players in furthering their education through hockey. Many of the Hawks graduates have gone on to play for NCAA and CIS institutions. The Hawks management maintains constant contact with NCAA, CIAU and Ontario College institutions to ensure every opportunity is provided for the student athlete to pursue their goals. The University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Concordia University all offer part-time university programs which are accessible to Hawks players. Two High School are located close to the arena-The Hawkesbury Catholic Regional High School and Le Sommet High School. Regular contact is made with the high schools to monitor a player’s progress and attendance. Scholarships are available to outstanding student athletes from both the CJHL and the Hawkesbury Hawks.
In keeping with the mandate of the CJHL, the Hawkesbury Hawks promote education in conjunction with hockey, with practices and training sessions scheduled accordingly. All high school aged players are expected to continue with their studies in Hawkesbury or at their local High School.
If a player requires the services of a tutor, the education director will make the necessary arrangements to ensure help is provided to the player at no cost.
Scholarship opportunities exist for players through such donors as the Royal Bank, the CJHL, and Hawkesbury Hawks Continuing Education Fund. Mr. Ian Henderson, our Education Director, works towards ensuring eligible players have the opportunity to apply for any awards for which they may quaify. A copy of the rules and criteria of the Continuing Education Fund can be obtained from the education director.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do to help promote myself as a prospective student athlete?
A student-athlete should make every effort to be the best prospect he can be, with equal emphasis on both academics and athletics. Talk to your coach, get background from the Hawks Education consultant, learn how to prepare a resume or portfolio, research the various college programs and follow up on every opportunity presented. Ask lots of questions. The best advice is to research the many choices available before making a final decision.
Will playing in a Major Junior Hockey League affect my eligibility to play collegiate hockey?
In order to retain full eligibility to compete in the NCAA one must be considered an “amateur” athlete. According to NCAA regulations, athletes that compete at the major junior level (WHL, OHL, QMJHL) are no longer considered amateur athletes but rather “professional” athletes. As a result, any degree of competition at the major junior level will have significant consequences on an athlete’s amateur status and therefore their eligibility to compete in the NCAA.
Athletes will lose ALL eligibility to compete in the NCAA if:
• they compete in any major junior game after their expected date of high school graduation, or;
• at any time they sign a contract with a major junior team.
Athletes will lose SOME eligibility to compete in the NCAA if:
• they compete in any major junior game before their expected date of high school graduation, or;
• they attend a major junior training camp for more than 48 hours while having their expenses covered by the major junior team.
An excerpt from the NCAA policy 12.2 Involvement with Professional Teams is as follows:
12.2.1 TRYOUTS
12.2.1.1 Tryout Prior to Enrollment. A student-athlete remains eligible in a sport even though, prior to enrollment in a collegiate institution, the student athlete may have tried out with a professional athletics team in a sport or received not more than one expense paid visit from each professional team (or a combine including that team) provided such visit did not exceed 48 hours and any payment or compensation in connection with the visit was not in excess of actual and necessary expenses. A self-financed tryout may be for any length of time.
12.2.2 PRACTICE WITHOUT COMPENSATION
An individual may participate in practice sessions conducted by a professional team, provided such participation meets the requirements of NCAA legislation governing tryouts with professional athletes teams and the individual does not
a) Receive any compensation for participation in the practice sessions
b) Enter into any contract or agreement with a professional team or sport organization; or
c) Take part in any outside competition (games or scrimmages) as a representative of a professional team.
***It is important to note that for the purposes of eligibility, the NCAA considers Major Junior participation as professional hockey***
ELIGIBILITY CIS / ACAC – There are no such restrictions placed on athletes who have competed at the major junior level.
What is an SAT exam and what is it for?
The SAT is a standardized test that most American institutions require for the admissions into post secondary institutions. In fact, any student-athlete who plans to participate in NCAA athletics is required to write the exam. The SAT is a 3-part exam consisting of critical reading and writing sections. Each section is scored out of 800 for a total of 2400 points. The required score for each student-athlete depends on his or her high school average and the institution for which they are applying.
You can refer to http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/SAT_ACT_test_dates.cfm for the 2009-2010 SAT writing dates which are:
• June 6, 2009
• Oct. 10, 2009
• Nov. 7, 2009
• Dec. 5, 2009
• Jan. 23, 2010
• Mar. 6, 2010
• May 1, 2010
• Jun. 5, 2010
How often can I write the exam?
A student-athlete can write the exam as many times as he or she wishes. Also, students can combine scores on different sections from different exams. For example, students who write the exam twice can combine the highest math score from the two exams, with the highest critical reading score, which can then be combined with the highest writing score. Therefore, it is to one’s advantage to write the SAT more than once in order to increase the likelihood of raising the overall score.
Can I study and prepare for the SAT exam?
It is highly recommended that students prepare for the SAT through study and practice exams. It is not uncommon to raise the score of an SAT by at least 100 points simply through study and practice, which may be the difference you need to receive an offer from an American institution. Books and resource material are available in the reference section of major book stores which will assist student needs.
What is the difference between the American and Canadian sports program?
There are many differences in the two programs and it is very important that student athletes and their families do their homework before making a commitment. Financing is often a deciding factor and an important one as there can be some hidden costs that are easily overlooked.
Academically, there are many reputable American institutions as there are Canadian so once again it is important to research the right choice that best suits your individual family needs and capabilities.
Financially, Division I and NCAA schools offer scholarships in varying percentages as agreed upon between the school and athlete and his family. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships but do provide financial assistance. Most Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships but do offer financial assistance.
Canadian post secondary institutions do not offer scholarships in the same manner as do their American counterparts but they have been able to offer funds in increasing amounts in recent years. There is every reason to believe that this trend will continue. Every school also has their own ‘in-house’ scholarship funds which are available for athletic and academic distinction.
The process of becoming a quality student athlete, thus a quality university prospect, begins in your early high school years. As such it is recommended that student athletes who are looking forward to using their hockey skills to pursue a post secondary education develop a plan. Included in this plan should be personal goals and answers to important questions such as:
• WHERE DO I SEE MYSELF IN FIVE/TEN YEARS?
• WHAT AREA OF STUDY OR CAREER (PROFESSIONAL OR TECHNICAL) IS OF INTEREST TO ME AS SEEN THROUGH JOB SHADOWING AND CAREER DAY AT SCHOOL?
• AM I REALISTIC ABOUT MY ATHLETIC ABILITIES AND WILL THEY ALLOW ME TO MAKE A CAREER FROM HOCKEY?
• DO I HAVE A PLAN WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS?
• WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS AND QUALITIES THAT I WANT IN A POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION?
Best Resources
The best information is not always found in the most popular locations. It is important that you are comfortable with the source before you act on any information you have received.
Players and families are encouraged to browse the following web sites for up to date information on college hockey and individual institution’s programs.
• http://www.universitysport.ca/ – Canadian University Sport
• www.oua.ca/ –Ontario University Athletics
• http://www.ncaa.org/ – National Collegiate Athletic Association
• www.review.com – Compare, review and assess American institutions
• www.collegeboard.com – Register to write the SAT or ACT
• www.hockeycenter.com – College hockey team links
• www.playyourgame.com – Marketing and Hockey Information
• http://www.uscho.com/ – Follow the grads of the CJHL
• http://www.cjhl.pucksystems2.com/ – Central Junior Hockey League education, history, records, schedule & teams
