Posts Tagged ‘Center of Excellence’
TPH Detroit CoE student-athlete Xan Gurney commits to Western Michigan
Congrats to TPH Detroit Center of Excellence student-athlete Xan Gurney, who has announced his commitment to Western Michigan University!
Gurney, a second-year TPH CoE student, is currently a defenseman on Compuware U16. The Grosse Ile, Mich., native is the 13th TPH Detroit CoE student to make a commitment to an NCAA Division I school.
The 16-year-old is in his first season back with Compuware after spending two seasons with their bantam program. Last year with Little Caesars, Gurney tallied 11 points in 17 games according to Eliteprospects.com. He was drafted in the fourth round (No. 53 overall) by the Chicago Steel in the 2016 USHL Futures Draft.
TPH Detroit CoE student-athlete Chase Pletzke commits to Bowling Green
Congratulations to TPH Detroit Center of Excellence student-athlete Chase Pletzke on his commitment to Bowling Green State University.
The Bay City native and Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U18 standout is the 12th TPH Detroit CoE student to commit to an NCAA Division I school since 2014.
The 5-foot-10 forward has been a point per game player with the Jr. Grizzlies this season after posting 21 points with the U16 team last year.
Congrats to Chase on his commitment!
Center of Excellence Student Wins Two National Championships in Two Months
What defenseman Xan Gurney accomplished during the 2016-17 campaign was certainly one of the rarer feats seen in the youth hockey world.
The Grosse Ile native started the 2016-17 season skating for Compuware 16U. By the end of it, Gurney became a national champion in not one, but two leagues.
Gurney, a Total Package Hockey Center of Excellence student, brought home a USA Hockey national title with Compuware on April 10 in Pittsburgh after his squad took down Shattuck St. Mary’s.
A month later, Gurney helped the Chicago Steel capture the USHL’s Clark Cup in five games over the Sioux City Musketeers. The Steel captured the junior league’s title on May 23.
“It was an unbelievable ride with both teams really and it was just a great experience for both of them,” Gurney said. “It’s definitely been a year to remember.”
Gurney, a Western Michigan commit, was a late-season call up for the Steel, skating in one regular season game – in which he recorded an assist – and ten postseason games en route to the championship.
“It was an unbelievable experience winning it,” Gurney said of the Clark Cup run. “The guys here took me in and made me a part of the team. It was awesome seeing everyone come together.”
The TPH student-athlete credited his experience with the program helping him reach the next level of hockey.
“TPH really has helped me make the step up to the next level,” Gurney said. “It’s an unbelievable school that I believe is the reason I’ve had such a great year.”
Written by Stefan Kubus
30 TPH Detroit-trained Players Claimed by NAHL franchises
Total Package Hockey Detroit is proud to announce that 30 TPH-trained players have been claimed by North American Hockey League franchises, either by signing players to an NAHL tender or by selecting them in the 2017 NAHL Draft on June 6.
Of those 30 players claimed, five tenders and four draft picks were used on TPH Center of Excellence student-athletes. Eight tenders and six draft choices were used on players who took part in the Michigan Hockey Advancement high school program, while the remaining players selected came from TPH’s eight-week summer training program.
“We’re extremely proud of this latest group of players earning spots with NAHL franchises,” said Total Package Hockey Detroit hockey director Brandon Naurato. “They have put in the time and the effort necessary to take another step in their hockey career, and the NAHL provides excellent opportunities for players looking to move through the ranks and progress into college hockey.”
In the last two years, TPH has helped 64 players earn tenders or draft selections by NAHL franchises.
TPH-trained tenders:
Chase Pletzke – Lone Star Brahamas – TPH CoE/Eight-week program/OHL Cup
Cannon Green – Shreveport Mudbugs – CoE/Eight-week program
Jake Transit – Shreveport Mudbugs – CoE/Eight-week program
Max Sasson – Brookings Blizzard – CoE
Valentino Passarelli – Aston Rebels – CoE
Zach Sprys-Tellner – Aberdeen Rebels – MHA/Eight-week program
Jack Clement – Shreveport Mudbugs – MHA/Eight-week program
Connor McGinnis – Shreveport Mudbugs – MHA/Eight-week program
Jason Brancheau – Amarillo Bulls – MHA
Mike McInerney – Amarillo Bulls – MHA/Eight-week program
CJ Regula – Corpus Christi IceRays – MHA
Logan Neaton – Fairbanks Ice Dogs – MHA/Eight-week program
Andrew Kormos – New Jersey Titans – MHA/Eight-week program
TPH-trained draft picks:
Evan Rochowiak – Odessa Jackalopes – MHA/Eight-week program
Hunter Carrick – Johnstown Tomahawks – OHL Cup
Declan Carlile – Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Eight-week program
Drew Cooper – Minnesota Magicians – Eight-week program
Matt Staudacher – Minnesota Magicians – Eight-week program
Christian Stoever – Wilkes-Barre Knights – CoE/Eight-week program
Zach Faremouth – Shreveport Mudbugs – CoE
Austin Roell – Lone Star Brahamas – MHA/Eight-week program
Michael Montambault – Lone Star Brahamas – Eight-week program
Jed Pietila – Aberdeen Wings – MHA
Nick Azarovitz – Johnstown Tomahawks – CoE/Eight-week program
Griffen Sanom – Brookings Blizzard – MHA/Eight-week program
Jack Tucker – Corpus Christi – OHL Cup
Alex Lycett – Kenai River – MHA
Spencer Kimball – Minot Minotauros – MHA/Eight-week program
Matt Stoia – Odessa Jackalopes – Eight Week Program/OHL Cup/CoE
Brighton School District Forges New Partnership with Total Package Hockey
By Michael Caples –
The Brighton School District will have quite a few new hockey players enrolled in the fall of 2017-18.
They won’t mess with the classroom sizes, however.
Brighton has formed a new partnership with Total Package Hockey, bringing all the Center of Excellence students in Canton and Hazel Park under the school district’s tutelage.
The CoE participants will be full-time Brighton students, taking online classes and receiving support from Brighton teachers on-site at the two hockey academy locations.
“We are excited to offer this new educational opportunity to our student-athletes, because of the increased academic support it provides them,” said TPH Detroit director of Hockey Brandon Naurato. “TPH has always emphasized academics as our No. 1 priority and this new relationship is a testament to that commitment.”
The transition will be guided by a former principal with experience creating digital classrooms, as Bill Simms has joined TPH as its new Chief Academic Officer. Simms, who is transitioning to TPH from Lee M. Thurston High School in Redford, is not only an educator, but also a parent of two TPH Canton student-athletes.
“What was really impressive is how committed TPH is to not only bringing a premier, high-quality on-ice and off-ice training program to students, but they really care deeply about the quality of the educational experience and customizing the education for the kids in the classroom setting,” Simms said. “TPH clearly invests a tremendous amount of time and resources into continually improving the student’s academic experience, and I am excited to support a program that is on the cutting edge of changing how athletes learn and train.”
Simms has implemented virtual elements into his current school, and he said he’s excited to work with Brighton in cultivating TPH’s new educational model.
“In my own experience, I helped develop and incorporate alternate learning methods right into the curriculum. I started an online school that’s part of our current school that runs parallel to our school right now, so we actually serve hundreds of students with online courses as well as traditional courses. What I’ve found that works really well in that situation, the very best way to utilize these resources is in what we call a hybrid educational experience for the student. Meaning that you mediate the online course and the online teacher by putting a live teacher who serves more as a coach or a mentor for the students with them. It’s essentially like a tutor for them who is there on-site.
“What we did with TPH is that we were able to develop a partnership with Brighton Schools. The students are now going to be enrolling as full Brighton High School or middle school students, with all the rights and privileges of their program. They will be working with Brighton teachers on-site in the classroom at their TPH locations, and we’ll be utilizing mostly online courses for their classes, so that gives them that flexibility on how they can portably travel with their classes but they work with them during school weekdays. A lot of these days travel, they’re gone four or five days at a time, so it allows them to continue with that work when they’re on the road and to pick up with it or manage the workload. We’re also adding in an elective course that’s on-site with the teacher, essentially like a leadership class, an opportunity to work with an advisor in that capacity, and they earn an elective credit with that. It gives them more of that true hybrid experience.”
As parents with a unique perspective – Simms’ wife is a middle-school teacher in Northville – they have been pleased with the educational experience for both their children. Their son has been enrolled in the program since its inception three years ago, while their daughter joined in the second semester of the 2016-17 year.
“It’s challenging with the travel. That’s exactly what happened with my daughter this semester, she was in Quebec with her boys’ Compuware AAA team for 10 days, and then the next month she was in Europe for another 10 days, so we realized that we needed to do something. She’s an all-A student, and it was really adding a lot of stress to her and her teachers on how to manage the coursework and the make-up work and staying ahead.
“The transition to the online school was smooth for her, giving her the access to the portable coursework, but what I really liked to accentuate about the experience I’ve seen with my own kids is the idea of personalizing learning in a way that, this is evolving but it’s allowing the student to realize maximize the time that they have on their schoolwork doing the curriculum and the schoolwork. With my son’s case, what I really liked about it is that he was really accountable for all of the curriculum. He had to respond to the questions that his teachers had. It wasn’t like, hey I didn’t get called on in class today, and he was the guy that might sit back and hope he didn’t get called on. Now, all of a sudden, he has to respond.”
About the Total Package Hockey Center of Excellence:
The TPH Center of Excellence is a leading academic and athletic training program for student-athletes in grades 6-12. During the academic year, student-athletes enrolled in the Center of Excellence spend part of their school day in classes provided by an accredited, proven leader in virtual programs. For the other portion of their day, student-athletes train on-ice and off-ice with Total Package Hockey’s world class coaching staff.
Over the past three school years the TPH Center of Excellence has produced the following:
20 NCAA Committed Student-Athletes
29 USHL Draft Picks & Tenders
4 NTDP Rostered Players
9 NTDP Tryout Camp Participants
22 OHL Drafted Players
6 OHL Rostered Players
14 NAHL Draft Picks & Tenders
For more information and how to apply, click here.
Article from: http://mihockeynow.com/2017/06/brighton-school-district-forges-new-partnership-with-total-package-hockey/
CoE Student-Athlete Tanner Kelly Commits to MSU
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce that Center of Excellence student-athlete Tanner Kelly has committed to Michigan State University.
Kelly, a student at Hazel Park CoE, is a forward currently playing for the Little Caesars 15U team.
“I chose Michigan State because I’m really excited to play for Danton Cole and the awesome program that he is putting together,” Kelly said in an interview with MiHockey. “Also, playing in the Big Ten is going to be awesome because there is so much good competition so there will be many rivalries and I love playing in big games like that when the pressure is on.”
The ’02 birth-year skater moved to Michigan from California three years ago, and he has been a fixture on a Kris Draper-led Little Caesars team ever since.
Detroit CoE Student signs NLI to Michigan State
DREW DERIDDER RETURNS TO HIS OLD SCHOOL IN CANTON TO SIGN NLI TO MICHIGAN STATE
Drew DeRidder with Brandon Naurato (photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)
By @MichaelCaples –
CANTON – Drew DeRidder could have signed his National Letter of Intent to Michigan State University via phone app from Finland.
The Fenton native had a different idea in mind, however.
On Tuesday, just a few days after his U.S. National Under-18 Team returned from an international tournament, DeRidder and his mom, Jennifer, arrived at Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Canton.
Why? His mentor, Brandon Naurato, and his former school, the Center of Excellence.
“TPH is the reason that I’m any good,” DeRidder said with a smile.
The future Spartans goaltender was part of the inaugural Total Package Hockey Center of Excellence class in 2014-15, and he stayed with the CoE until he got an early-season call-up to his USHL parent club in Cedar Rapids last year.
DeRidder credited Naurato and the TPH staff for helping him reach this new opportunity – a now-secured spot with the Big Ten hockey program in East Lansing.
“I came in here, not very good, debating playing high school hockey,” DeRidder said. “This was a huge turning point for me.”
His mentor, Naurato, knew there was big things in store for the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies goaltender at the time.
“When Drew first showed up, we could see a lot of potential in him,” the TPH Detroit Director of Hockey said. He’s a special kid from a great family, and it’s been awesome to work with him and help him grow through this process. He’s a tremendous goaltender but a better person, and I’m thrilled for him to have this opportunity to play Big Ten hockey next season.”
He’s now officially living out one of his childhood dreams. Jennifer DeRidder told MiHockey about how from an early age, he had Munn Ice Arena circled as a destination for his hockey career.
Jennifer DeRidder with her son and Naurato (photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)
“His hard work and dedication and through people like Brandon and his coaches, they’ve supported and encouraged and led him to the next phase – college hockey,” the proud mom said. “Drew had a plan when he was 5 or 6 years old that he was going to go to Michigan State and play college hockey, and it’s exciting to see his dreams come true.”
Watching him sign his NLI was “really exciting, really exciting to see him sign the next chapter of his hockey career,” said Jennifer.
DeRidder praised his time with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies program, as well; he spent four years with the Tier 1 organization before becoming a third-round pick of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
“That was four years, it was a great place to play,” DeRidder said. “They have everything you need, and I played with a lot of kids throughout my whole time there – it was a great place to learn and grow as a hockey player and as a person.”
Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey
Roster turnover gave him the chance to come home from Iowa earlier than expected – after a remarkable season with the RoughRiders as one of the youngest goalies in the USHL, he was summoned to Plymouth to be the NTDP’s new starting goaltender for the U18 Team.
“It’s the best season I’ve ever had, the best season of my life so far,” DeRidder said. “We just got back from Finland, not the best tournament, but so many good experiences playing international and college and USHL teams.”
And he doesn’t know if any of it would be possible without Naurato firing pucks at him for years.
“I just can’t explain it, it’s amazing,” he said of his TPH training. “The first summer program that I did, every shot, that’s where I got my compete level from, every shot you’re struggling, fighting to keep the puck out of the net. Especially against Brandon, because he just celebrates so hard. It’s unbelievable.”
TPH CoE Alum Hunter Skinner Commits to Western Michigan
HUNTER SKINNER, DETROIT COE, COMMITS TO WESTERN MICHIGAN
Photo courtesy of the Muskegon Lumberjacks
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce that Center of Excellence alumnus Hunter Skinner has committed to play NCAA D-I hockey at Western Michigan University. Skinner, a 16-year-old right-shot defenseman, has skated in six games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) this season.
“Through my life I have had many major decisions to make and this was one of them,” Skinner told MiHockey in an interview. “This life-changing decision was made based on multiple factors. The first factor that was important to me was the atmosphere at Western Michigan. It provided a great environment for my hockey career to progress while getting an education. Western Michigan plays in one of the most competitive conferences in the country – I felt it would fit my style of play.” A native of Pinckney, Mich., Skinner also cited the Broncos’ coaching staff as a big reason for his decision.
“The second factor was the coaching staff,” Skinner said. “First off, coach Andy Murray, a previous NHL coach, provides a great attitude and guidance on how to get to the next level. I am also looking forward to getting under the wing of my past coach Todd Krygier, a former NHL player. He knows what it takes to get to the next level and will provide me opportunities that can change my life forever. Bringing knowledge of the game, Dave Shyiak – who was a scout for Toronto Maple Leafs – will also guide me on my journey as a hockey player.”
TPH Announces True Campus-Style Setup in Bloomfield
Total Package Hockey is pleased to announce that it will relocate its Detroit Center of Excellence to a state-of-the-art campus-style setup in Bloomfield Township, MI, for the 2018-2019 school year and beyond. TPH’s Bloomfield campus includes permanent, secure classroom space within the Bloomfield Tennis and Fitness Club, a partnership with 2SP Sports Performance, which is also housed inside the Bloomfield Tennis and Fitness Club, and ample ice time at the adjacent Detroit Skating Club.
TPH Chief Executive Officer Nathan Bowen calls this relocation “a long-term commitment” to the company’s mission, vision and values, which center around exceeding expectations of student-athletes, families and the entire hockey world.
“The goal of Total Package Hockey is to positively impact the lives of student-athletes, one choice at a time,” Bowen said. “The choice to house our Detroit Center of Excellence in Bloomfield Township is one that will allow us to develop each and every student-athlete to his or her athletic, academic and life potential. Strong partnerships with quality, like-minded people who share our vision, among them, developer Steve Mazur, owner of Bloomfield Tennis and Fitness, Jerod Swallow, Managing Director of the Detroit Skating Club and Joe Neal, Owner of 2SP Sports Performance. This partnership has allowed us to expand our space, resources and environment to make the greatest possible impact on our student-athletes.”
The motto of TPH’s Center of Excellence is study, train, play. The study, or academic component, will occur in a roughly 4,000 square foot learning space, capable of housing up to 75 students. Featuring a large classroom, separate independent study areas, a dining/common area and staff offices, students will be afforded the opportunity to study in different learning environments, tailored specifically to each individual.
“The CoE academic model is about creating a selective learning environment where student-athletes can balance their studies with the demands of being an aspiring, elite athlete,” said Bill Simms, Chief Academic Officer for TPH. “The space in Bloomfield Township gives us the ability to be strategic in designing work spaces that meet individual needs, while fostering a disciplined, structured atmosphere that all students must have in order to be successful, not just in the classroom, but in the real world.”
Accommodating 75 students is just the beginning. TPH and its Bloomfield campus partners have already entered into plans to build a 9,500 square foot field house for the 2019-2020 school year. This addition will accommodate in excess of 300 student-athletes, and allows TPH to expand its CoE model to multiple sports, including figure skating, tennis, lacrosse, soccer, and baseball.
Steve Mazur, believes this campus-style setup will unite a variety of shared visions- visions that extend far beyond hockey.
“Our goal is turn the entire Bloomfield Township campus into a training ground for athletes at all levels. Linking the Detroit Skating Club’s reputation for developing world-class Olympic figure skaters, with the athletic opportunities provided in the tennis club, and now, TPH’s track record of training future junior, collegiate and professional hockey players, the opportunities for impact are endless,” Mazur said. “2018 is only the beginning in our quest to make this campus the go-to training destination for the very best athletes in the metro Detroit area and beyond.”
Detroit Skating Club Managing Director Jerod Swallow echoes Mazur’s sentiments.
“The Detroit Skating Club is very pleased to be providing training time for Total Package Hockey at our club beginning fall 2018,” Swallow said. “We share a common mission for youth sports development, to provide safe and healthy training environments for developing athletes. We feel this relationship with TPH strengthens our goal to further develop our sports campus in Bloomfield Township. TPH is bringing impactful resources to the campus through their CoE academic model and hockey skills training methods. Their presence on the campus is an enhancement to the athletes’ experience.”
Brandon Naurato wears the dual hat of Director of Hockey for the Detroit CoE and Director of Player Development for all of TPH. He is the person most responsible for the train and play components of the Center of Excellence. The Detroit native is quick to point out that while hockey has always been TPH’s game, the CoE model has far-reaching possibilities.
“While we certainly take pride in the hockey knowledge and hockey reach of TPH, we have a strong desire to take our core values and beliefs and expand to multiple sports,” Naurato said. “Now that we are in Bloomfield Township, we have the setup and capabilities to teach all athletes, not just hockey players, how to study, how to train and how to play. Bloomfield will truly be an all-encompassing academic and athletic learning factory.”
Strength, speed and overall athleticism are the hallmarks of what Naurato calls “The TPH Hockey Athlete.” The fact is, these qualities are necessary in just about every sport. Joe Neal, Owner of 2SP Sports Performance will lead Center of Excellence attendees in developing the athletic skills they need to be successful in competition. Neal’s 2SP group has been training the student-athletes at TPH’s CoE in Hazel Park. He looks forward to enhancing the partnership with TPH and hopes to be a major factor in the recruitment and retention of student-athletes to the Bloomfield campus.
“Through working with TPH over the last two years, it is clear that they are leading the development of youth players not only in the Detroit area, but across the country,” Neal said. “Their push to be that leader helps to drive our training innovations, and we look forward to being a part of that development through year round training programs.”
While Total Package Hockey and its partners on this project are excited about the amenities it will collectively offer, Bowen says, “cosmetics without culture is a failed investment,” and the commitment being made by today’s announcement runs much deeper.
“Whether it’s relocating or opening a new a Center of Excellence, starting a learn to play hockey program, or crafting the vision to expand our reach to other sports, Total Package Hockey will always be about people and relationships. What’s most gratifying for TPH is to be working alongside such great partners who share in our desire to become world-leaders. Student-athletes go where they believe will develop and improve the most. We are confident that the collective efforts of everyone involved in today’s announcement will once and for all, make the TPH Center of Excellence the destination for the most dedicated student-athletes to study, train and play to their fullest potential.”
Important Links:
Click here to learn more about the Detroit Center of Excellence.
Click here to register for an upcoming Center of Excellence open house at the new Bloomfield location.
Click here to apply to the Detroit Center of Excellence.
Center of Excellence Student-Athlete Featured in Hometown Life
Alex Cannon, a student-athlete at the Detroit Center of Excellence, was recently featured in Hometown Life about how he balances has education and hockey training. Find the full video here courtesy of Hometown Life.