The Right Move

How relocating elevated Rylee’s game.

Growing up in a small town in Idaho, Rylee Tanner just didn’t have enough options to take her game to the next level. In a town with just over 3,000 people, she was limited to the house league, AA, or high school boys’ hockey. She knew that if she wanted to accomplish her goals of playing college hockey, she had to make a change.

That’s why at age 17, she packed her bags and pursued a one-of-a-kind opportunity at the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Superior, Colorado. Enrolling at CoE was the perfect fit for her goals, as it allowed her to focus on her education while traveling the country with Team Colorado’s 19U AAA squad. 

CoE’s unique blended learning model has already proven to be successful for Rylee on and off the ice. “The CoE model has impacted both my learning and my playing tremendously,” she stated. “Being able to work with other students in the classroom, stand up and move around, and exercise before I do my work helps me focus and be more successful as a student. I have been getting stronger on the ice due to the work we do off of the ice, and we work on the basics every day which helps me be able to execute the basics at a practice”.

When Rylee arrived on campus, she had several goals in mind. She wanted to improve academically, translate classroom lessons into on-ice performance, and learn how to make quicker decisions during games. Not only did she accomplish these goals, but she also manifested her childhood dream of playing college hockey. In the Fall of 2021, Rylee committed to play NCAA DIII hockey at Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan. 

Rylee has nothing but positive things to say about the staff at CoE’s Superior location. “Matt Doman, Director of Hockey Operations, has done more than words can describe. I’d also like to give a shout-out to Coach Quailer for being patient and helping me improve my skills in the skills room, and a big thanks to Annie Doman, Head of Academics, for always helping me stay on pace in school, and communicating with my teachers”. Making the decision to leave her friends and family in Idaho wasn’t easy, but the Superior team worked closely with Rylee and her family in order to ensure that the move was as easy as possible. After just 1 year, Rylee has already forged long-lasting relationships with her teammates and classmates.

Ready to take the next step in your game? Make the right move by beginning here with the TPH Center of Excellence!