BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP – There’s a new hockey family at the Total Package Hockey Center of Excellence in Metro Detroit, and they are certainly enjoying their stay.

The Hutson family moved from the Chicago area to West Bloomfield, Mich., so three of their four sons could start the 2018-19 hockey season and school year at the CoE in neighboring Bloomfield Township.

According to the Hutson family patriarch, it’s been worth re-locating Lane (2004 birth-year), Coale (’06) and Lars (’08) to Hockeytown.

“It was a no-brainer for our family to come and not only train with the best but also for the educational aspect of it and everything else,” Rob Hutson said.

“It was a pretty easy decision.”

Hutson, himself a former college hockey player at the University of Illinois-Chicago and professional for the Muskegon Fury of the old UHL, said his four sons are enjoying all the things the TPH CoE has to offer for growing student-athletes.

“They love it,” he said. “They love coming to school every day, they love getting on the ice every day, they love the kids that they are surrounded by. Overall, it’s a home run.”

That sentiment is backed up by Lane Hutson, oldest of the Hutson boys attending the hockey academy. Lane, fresh off of a Silver Stick title with his Honeybaked ’04 squad, says he’s been thoroughly enjoying his time at the CoE.

“It’s really fun,” Lane said. “Everyone here wants the same thing – they all want to play at a high level in hockey, and everyone works really hard here.”

The recent Boston University verbal commit said he appreciates the flexibility that the Edmentum online education program provides for a student-athlete juggling the demands of a AAA hockey schedule.

“It’s hard, but it’s a lot better than a brick-and-mortar school because you can go at your own pace,” Lane said. “That helps a lot. I get to choose when I do my school work and how much to do at certain times, so that makes it easier to manage things when I’m playing in tournaments or going to practice.”

Rob, reflecting on his own experiences, says the CoE compares to life at a NCAA Division 1 institution – he likes that the TPH structure provides tutors and resources, but also makes the student-athletes take responsibility in their own education.

“The online structure is preparing them for college, preparing them for things down the road. There is more than enough help if they run into a logjam, but overall, the academics are lights-out.

“It’s good, because you have to learn how to balance and manage your own schedule. When you’re on the online platform, you can rest when needed, but you also know that the work has to be done. As long as you stay on top of the work, you’re doing just fine in school.”

The Hutson family has also been impressed by the facilities at both the Detroit Skating Club and the Bloomfield Tennis and Fitness building that holds the TPH classrooms and 2SP, the CoE’s official training partner.

“The facility here at DSC is great, and the classroom being so close, it’s campus-like,” Rob said. “It’s college-like. It’s really convenient for the student-athletes, and they are first-class facilities both here at the rink and across the street at the classrooms and at 2SP.”