New Updates on our policies and procedures for the winter team
Please see changes to our Winter Team policies and procedures.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
North American Preparatory Hockey Academy was established in 2017. It provides elite instructional camps, clinics, Development Weekends, off-ice training classes, and spring hockey teams for players looking for an opportunity to become top-tier players and grow their game. NA Prep is based out of Whitefish, Montana. During the 2022-23 winter season, NA Prep will operate one U12 Prep Academy team. This program will run on the weekends, allowing players to live at home, attend their schools in their community, and play an elite level of hockey.
The North American Preparatory Hockey Academy has a full-time professional coaching staff with experience at the higher levels of the game. The program director, Jami "JJ" James, is a former NCAA, Junior A, professional coach, and player. NA Prep prides itself on our player to instructor/coach ratio. We will be offering 2-3 professional and off-ice training sessions each weekend. In addition to Coach JJ, other high-level coaches will be on the ice with the players during our training sessions.
NA Prep aims to provide regional players with professional coaching+training with elite development opportunities. NA Prep's Academy Prep Team's primary focus is to provide an affordable, elite development program that will change the course of your player's development growth and opportunities. Our highly structured program provides the most innovative, high-tempo on and off-ice training in the region. Coupled with our off-ice player development program that focuses on video review instruction and our character/leadership development curriculum. NA Prep focuses on delivering its players and families the most elite development program committed to transforming players and providing them with a unique hockey pathway and life experience.
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Jami "JJ" James
Jami "JJ" James is a SafeSport certified, level 5 USA Hockey Coach and holds modules at the Mite, Squirt, Bantam, Midget, and Junior levels. He holds the title of District Sports Director and is a certified coach with the AAU. Additionally, JJ is approved by the Positive Coaching Alliance. JJ has had over 35 years of playing, directing, and coaching experience. He coaches Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam, Midget, High School, Junior, Olympic, Collegiate, and Professional level players.
Assistant Coach: Justin Randall
Justin brings a plethora of experience to our coaching staff and doubles as an EMT/Firefighter. Justin has been with NA Prep for three years and has given our players an incredible amount of mentorship and guidance.
Justin picked up the game of hockey later on in life but has masted becoming the ultimate student of the game and shares his knowledge with our staff and players.
Justin lives with his wife and two children in Kalispell, MT. Justin is a fan favorite at NA Prep, and his claim to fame is that he looks like Casey from the Yellowstone series, a NA Prep staff favorite.
Powerskating Coach: Felicia Fox
Felicia is a 2002 US National Junior Ladies Bronze Medalist, 2002 ISU Junior Grand Prix Bronze Medalist, 2002 Regional and Sectional Champion, and 2003-2005 US National Senior Ladies Competitor. Felicia is dedicated to excellence in the sport of Skating.
Felicia received her elite level training at the Colorado Springs World Arena, the Ice Castle International Training Center, and Ice Town, Riverside, with World-renowned coaches competing on the National and International scenes.
As a three-time recipient of the US Figure Skating Chevy Scholastic Honors Team Scholarship Award, She is a cum laude graduate of The University of California, Riverside holding a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. Felicia is a Double Gold Medalist in Free Skating and Moves in the Field, Sectional Technical Specialist, and elected to the USFS Athlete Advisory Committee.
Felicia achieved her registered rating through the Professional Skaters Association in Freestyle and Choreography.
Felicia runs the NA Prep summer camps power skating program and has worked with several top-tier athletes. Her philosophy for her student's success, as they develop into the best athletes and performers they can be, is to maintain a positive attitude while experiencing the joy of hard work to achieve excellence in power skating.
Goalie Coach:
Currently, we have a relationship with World Pro Goaltending out of Calgary; we contract with them throughout the season to work with our goalies in our organization.
PREP ACADEMY TEAM STRUCTURE
Academics
Athletes attend their local educational institution or schooling of parents' choice.
Athletes are held to high academic standards, and an (IEP) Individual Education Plan can be implemented upon parent request.
The schedule allows for optimal player training around the class schedule.
On-Ice Training
Highly qualified coaches with junior, college, and pro experience
67.5 On-Ice Training Sessions (4-5 hours 2-3 weekends per month)
Power skating and skill development
Detailed hockey system instruction, with video analysis
Pre-tournament practices
Optional monthly Development Weekends (50% off for all academy prep team players)
4-5 Exhibition Games
Off-Ice Training
Regular weekend fitness training
Overall personal character development
Virtual Classroom (All players will participate in our classroom program, where we will focus on team building, systems, and our leadership program.)
Private online training
Well-rounded athlete development
Hockey specific training
mästare - leadership training course developed by Coach JJ
At-home workouts (2-3 times per week)
Rosters
We will select 15-17 players from our ID Skates/Try-outs
9 forwards
6 defensemen
2 goalies
Games
Elite Canadian League (PHL) AA/AAA level competition
Attend 1-2 elite US and Canadian based 'AAA' & showcase tournaments
4-5 Exhibition Games
24+ games in the Premier Hockey League in Canada
4-5 games per PHL weekend
AAU Nationals (March 1-3, 2023 | Toronto)
35-45 game season
Uniform & Apparel
Pro mästare home and away socks
Pro mästare home and away jersey
Pro mästare shells
Pro mästare (2) hats
Pro mästare dryland shorts/shirt
Team mästare hoodie
True team track-suit
*Practice socks
*Practice jersey
**Optional Pro team bag, travel bag, gloves, compression pants, compression shirt, and winter jacket
*Players are expected to keep this equipment in good condition and return these items after the season.
** Additional team apparel can be purchased separately.
Facilities
Players will mainly practice out of (Warner and Cardston ice arenas)
Players will practice out of (Great Falls, Whitefish, and Helena ice arenas)
The team plays out of rinks in Alberta and British Columbia
Exposure
Coaching relationships with BCHL, WHL, USHL, NAHL, and NCAA Programs
Student-athlete player placement
A geographical location that provides athletes with both US and Canadian exposure
Player management support
Highlights
168.5 hours of on-ice development
70 hours of off-ice training
235 hours of player development
Flexible education schedule tailored to your student-athlete (weekend only training)
High altitude training for elite training results
Player management support
Full season calendar available
50% off Development Weekends
30% off NA Prep Summer Camps
PLAYER TUITION
Prep Academy Team
$4,390 for the 22-23 season (payment plans available)
Covers one full-time coaches stipend | website operation | insurance | on/off ice training equipment | administration needs | home/away jerseys | home/away socks | shells | off-ice training t-shirt/shorts | track-suit | league fees |tournament fees | exhibition game fees | practice ice fees | 10% contingency coverage.
PAYMENT PLANS WILL BE AVAILABLE - $1000 *fully-refundable deposit must be made on signing day.
Ice time, training games, and practices are subject to cancellation. North American Preparatory Hockey Academy will use its best efforts to meet the on-Ice training and game composition section commitments.
*We are also offering a fully refundable deposit so parents can get their deposits back if we can not reach our roster goals.
2022-2023 IDENTIFICATION SKATES/TRY-OUT PROCESS
What is an Identification (ID) Skate?
North American Prep ID Skates/Try-out process is intended to be:
Fair and unbiased
Repeatable, recognizing a player's performance will vary day-to-day.
Comprehensive and balanced with regard to the emphasis placed on all dimensions of play (skills, attitude, gameplay, etc.)
THE PROCESS:
Check-in at the registration table
Receive your numbered ID band (to be placed on the player's wrist) and matching pinny
Proceed to the locker room and be ready to get on the ice at the designated time for your try-out
Most ID Skates/try-outs will last about an hour and a half. Upon completing the ID Skate/try-out, proceed to the locker room and get dressed.
ID Skate/try-out results can be posted as early as after the first ID Skate/try-out session. Check the list outside the signing room, which will be clearly marked after completing the ID Skate/try-out. At that time, you will be instructed to do one or more of the following directives:
Meet with the coach to sign up for the team
Return to the next try-out for another look
You are excused from attending the ID Skate/try-out for other teams.
What happens at a NA Prep ID Skate/Try-out.
Scoring:
Try-out scores will be a weighted average on a constant scale.
Try-out evaluations will be split into skills and scrimmage:
Skills:
Skating (speed, balance, edges)
Puck Control (stickhandling, retention)
Passing (power, accuracy, reception)
Shooting (power, accuracy, release)
Scrimmage:
Hockey Sense
Position skills
Battle/Intensity
What happens after an NA Prep Identification Skates/Try-out.
After the NA Prep identification skates, we will identify 15-17 players as potential NA Prep Academy Prep Team candidates based on their scores. Players chosen for the NA Prep Academy Prep Team will train together during the fall/winter season.
Team Selection
Player roster spots can be offered as early as after the first skate. There will be a selection list on day one and an additional list on day two. Team selections will be completed 48 hours after the final ID Skate session.
24 hours after receiving their player agreement invitation, all players will have to accept their roster spot.
Players will be offered positions on teams as a result of these scores. Players may, at their option, elect not to play on the team at their discretion. However, once a player selects that option, they lose their rating and roster spot on the team.
Positions not accepted within 24 hours will be forfeited, and we will select from the next highest-ranked player.
What if my player misses or can not make the try-out?
If players miss an Identification Skate / try-outs, they will not be considered for a roster spot; the board has discretion for "special cases."
If a player does not attend a complete Identification Skate, they may not have the same advantage as those who participate in the entire process.
In "special cases," the player will have to schedule a private ID skate to be adequately evaluated. The private ID skate would have to be organized by the parent, the parent would be expected to cover the ice cost and the ID Skate fee to be considered for a roster spot.
If a player has already attended an ID skate or private ID skate and you qualify as a "special case," you can be considered for a team roster sport upon the Director's approval.
When are the identification skates?
NA Prep Academy will be holding a series of identification skates on May 29th and 30th, 2022, to field the most competitive U12 team possible to compete in the fall/winter season of 2022-2023.
COMMITMENT FEES
A commitment check (made payable to NA PREP) will be collected 24 hours after the player receives their player agreement invitation. This check* will be deposited when the team placement is accepted.
*Credit cards are not accepted as payment for the commitment fee.
The Commitment Fee is non-refundable once team placement is accepted. If you decline placement on a team, you will forfeit your player's roster spot.
Players will not be entirely placed on a team unless their commitment check/payment has been received. No Exceptions!
REFUNDS:
The try-out fee is non-refundable, even if you do not attend all try-out sessions or decide not to play on a NA Prep team. The commitment fee is non-refundable after team placement has been accepted.
PLAYER REGISTRATION PROCESS
Registration Steps
Register for the Identification Skate (HERE)
Pay the Identification Skate fee
Player selections will be completed no later than June 1, 2022
Sign player agreement
Pay deposit (at the time of receiving player agreement)
Sizing for jerseys and warm-ups will take place at registration immediately following the try-outs.