10 Best Hockey Boarding Schools in USA | 2023 Ranking

Becoming a hockey players requires more than just playing hockey. Most hockey players played hockey in prep school. For students in USA who nurse the idea of becoming a celebrity hockey player, attending a hockey boarding school is a great way to start.

This article compiles a list of hockey boarding schools in the USA to aid you in choosing the best option for your ward.

Hockey is a popular game with its origin traceable to Egypt after a drawing that looks like hockey was found in a 400 years old Egyptian tomb. Though played for hundred in India and Pakistan, the refurbished hockey game played today was modernised by England.

In the USA, ice hockey if the fourth most popular sports. And popular hockey players in the States started their career by attending a prep hockey school, predominatly boarding schools.

Hence, if you have a ward who enjoys sports and has shown great interest in ice or field hockey, a hockey boarding school is a great way to empower such child.

The WSF team compiles a list of the best hockey boarding schools based on our ranking factors. This compilation should save you time spent on researching options available to you.

A glance at the table of contents will reveal the ranking factors, the best schools and why you should even consider a hockey boarding school in the USA for your ward.

Why Attend a Hockey Boarding School in the USA?

Basically, let’s see who should attend a hockey boarding school. Once a child shows special interest in hockey, grooming that child from the onset is important. Numerous benefits are attached to attending a boarding school generally.

Children learn to manage themselves away from home, learn social responsibility and excel in academics in an environment without distractions.

Attending a hockey boarding school in US is obviosuly the best option for you if you want your child to experience standard and globally recognized education.

Attending a boarding school in the US opens Ivy League doors and fosters lucrative social networks. For that ward who loves sports, ice hockey boarding school is a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

This implies that your ward will receive formal and qualitative college-prep education alongside learning the gimmicks of succeeding as a hockey player.

In addition, the USA government, well-meaning citizens, and top boarding schools provide financial aid for students. This is because the understand the importance of education to every child.

What this means to you is that attending a hockey boarding school may be free if your child benefits from any of these scholarship opportunities.

11 Best California Boarding Schools In The USA | 2023 Ranking

How Much Does an Ice Hockey Boarding School in the USA Costs?

Private boarding schools in the USA are usually expensive. This is however, relative to your budget.

Other public boarding schools in the USA charge less than 20,000 annually. These are among the cheapest you may get. On average, U.S citizens may pay as much $56,875 per year.

Generally, hockey boarding schools’ tuition ranges from  $9,600 annually to more than $90,000 annually.

18+ Best Animation Scholarships 2023 | Updated

List of Hockey Prep Boarding Schools in USA

USA is home to over 100 Hockey Boarding Schools. These schools offer hockey as an interscholastic sport. Currently, they serve over 51,542 students. Below is a list of some of the hockey prep boarding schools in the USA:

  • Cushing Academy
  • Amerigo New Jersey Red Bank Catholic High School
  • Ashbury College
  • Deerfield Academy
  • The Taft School
  • Asheville Schoo
  • The Bement School
  • Berkshire School
  • Brewster Academy
  • The Cambridge School of Weston
  • The Salisbury School
  •  Noble and Greenough School
  • Phillips Andover
  • Culver Military Academy
  • Avon Old Farms
  • Belmont Hill School
  • Fay School
  • Middlesex School
  • Hoosac School
  • Lawrence Academy
  • The Hun School of Princeton

How Do I Choose the Best Hockey Boarding School for my Ward?

You are practically choosing two things at the same time. The first is a qualitative educational curriculum allowing your ward to earn the good grades for college.

Secondly, you are choosing a conducive environment for your ward to experience comfort while learning. And finally, you must choose a school that merges academics with sports to churn out academically fit celebrated hockey players.

In a nut shell, to choose the best hockey boarding school for your child, consider the following:

  • The acceptance rate of school
  • What happens to graduates from this boarding school
  • The teacher-to-student ratio
  • Does it merge academics with holistic hockey-playing training?
  • What is the cost of attending such boarding school with an interscholastic hockey option?
  • Are there financial aid opportunities?

What are the Best Boarding Schools for Hockey in USA?

Like stated earlier in this article, there are over a 100 schools for Hockey. Almost all of them offer boarding services.

However, to cut you the stress of researching the best schools for your ward, this article is a documented research on the best boarding schools in the USA.

So, all you may need is to state your priority right. Based on the ranking factors below, choose a school that meets your child’s immediate need. Then, visit the school to apply.

Please note that these boarding schools in US with hockey prep options were ranked based on the following factors.

Acceptance rate: The lower the acceptance rate, the better an option it is for your ward. This implies that your ward will receive due attention both in academics and sports.

Type: This article considers whether the boarding school is for girls, boys or coed. The national average for a top boarding school in the States offers coed boarding service.

Hockey Wins/ players: As a top hockey prep school, this article considers the number of hockey players it has produced over time. Also, the number of NHL wins from its official hockey team was also a ranking factor.

Tuition: The last ranking factor for our top hockey boarding schools is the tuition. For clarity’s sake, the affordability of boarding services is an important factor. So, very expensive schools with a high percentage of students receiving financial aid may appear on this list too.

10. Shattuck-St. Mary’s

Acceptance rate:  90%

Type: COED

Hockey players: 30 +

Tuition: $52,750

Shattuck is a top private hockey boarding school in Minnesota that serves over 449 students. It is a Christian school with over 7 hockey teams. Basically, it offers hockey prep for both girls and boys.

Its college-prep academic curriculum is offered in small sizes with a student to teachers ratio of 7:1.

Notably, hockey prep school is known to churn out high-prospect hockey stars continuously. Some notable alumni are Sydney Crosby, Zach Parise, Jack Johnson, Nathan MacKinnon.

9.  Belmont Hill School

Acceptance rate: 72%

Type: All Boys

Hockey Wins: 707 games in 39 seasons

Tuition: $52,900

This a private top boarding school in Belmont. The school combines an innovative college prep curriculum with a strong hockey training.

Basically, the school offers boarding services to boys in grades 9-12. It seeks primarily to encourage and challenge students to discover and pursue a passion.

In doing this, students seek excellence both in academics and hockey training.

This school was once home to Ken Martin. A Massachusetts high school hockey coach that has won 707 games in 39 seasons.

This institution is one of the best hockey schools, with data and testimonials that speak clearly for them. Mike Condon, Paul Mara, Ian Moran, Bob Cleary are some of its notable alumni.

8. Culver Military Academy

Acceptance rate: 65% 

Type: Coed

Hockey Wins: 26 NHL draft pick

Tuition: $41,000

This hockey prep school in Indiana is among the best in the States.

It offers boarding services to boys and girls with a sole aim of raising leaders and responsible citizens in the society.

Its college-prep curriculum is offered in a fairly average class size of 12. Over the years, the school has produced 26 NHL draft picks.

Its notable hockey alumni are Jean-Michael Liles, Ryan Suter, and Gary Suter.

15 Scholarships for Philippines Students to Study in Australia 2023

7. Cushing Academy

Acceptance rate: 65%

Type: Coed

Hockey Wins: 2

Tuition: $65,950

Cushing is a private, coeducational boarding college-preparatory school in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, United States.

It has a rich tradition of excellence in hockey. So, it can pass for a hockey prep school. Obviously one of the best boarding hockey schools in the US, with Steve Jacobs as director of the hockey sport team.

It has an average class of 12 with a teacher to student ratio of 1:8. Cushing Academy Penguins have won two New England Championships. Below is a list of notable hockey stars who are alumni of this top US boarding school for hockey:

  • Jeff Norton ‘84
  • Brad Norton ‘87
  • John Lilley ’91
  • Eric Nickulas ’94
  • Tom Poti ’96
  • Bobby Allen ’97
  • Peter Metcalf ‘98
  • Chris Bourque ’04
  • Keith Yandle ’05
  • Richard Bachman
  • Brad Malone ’07
  • Broc Little ’07
  • Ryan Bourque ’09
  • David Warsofsky ’09
  • Conor Sheary ’10

6. Avon Old Farms

Acceptance rate: 39%

Type: Coed

Hockey Wins: Eight Division 1

Tuition:


With a total student enrollment of 405, Avol old far, a hockey boarding school in the US, is open to only boys in grades 9-12.
Its college-prep curriculum is offered in a relatively small class with a teacher-student ratio of 1:6.

In addition to this, its hockey team has won eight division 1 New England championships.
Between 2004 and 2010, the legendary team led by coach John Gardner has won the championship five times.

Among its notable alumni in hockey are Brian Leetch, Jonathan Quick, Nick Bonino, Cam Atkinson, Spencer Knight.

5. The Salisbury School

Acceptance rate: 36%

Type: Boys

Hockey Wins: 3 New England titles

Tuition: $65,000

This New England prep school hockey team has consecutively won three New England titles between 2013 and 2015.

It offers a college prep boarding school for boys in grades 9-12. Aside from a strong academic curriculum and hockey prep sports team, the school seeks to groom confident, spirited, curious, and loyal gentlemen.

Its most notable alumni are Mark Arcobello, Paul Carey, Alex Biega.

4. Noble and Greenough School

Acceptance rate: 24%

Type: Coed

Hockey Wins/ players:

Tuition: $56,000

Ranked 18th best prep school in the United States by Forbes in 2010, Nobles is one of Massachusetts’s best hockey high schools. Its boarding services are open to students in grades 9-12.

And its college prep classes are offered in small class sizes with an average class of 12 and a student to teacher ratio of 6: 1.

With its 134 faculty members, Nobles offer an all-encompassing merged academic and athletic curriculum.

As one of New England’s best ice hockey boarding schools, it attracts high profile prospects from around the world.

Kevin Hayes and Mark Fayne are the most notable alumni of this hockey boarding school.

Interestingly, both girls and boys can participate in hockey programs. In fact, there are teams for each level. Whether varsity, JV, middle, or senior high school, Noble is your sure bet for hockey preparation in the United States.

TOP 50 UK SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NIGERIAN STUDENTS 2023

3. The Taft School

Acceptance rate: 24%

Type: All boys

Hockey Wins/ players:

Tuition: $65,000

Taft’s long-standing tradition of excellence in boys ice hockey dates back to the undefeated 1905 team. Since 1890, boys hockey has been played at Taft school.

With 600 students, this institution consistently tops the top 20 best hockey prep schools rankings.

Basically, the school incorporates excellence in academics and athletics into a single curriculum. This hockey school is the best option for your ward who seeks to improve their skills.

Interestingly, Hockey at Taft can be played by the student-athlete that aspires to play from the recreational to a professional level. Max Pacioretty is its most notable hockey player alumni.

2. Deerfield Academy

Acceptance rate: 17%

Type: Coed

Hockey Wins: 30 Commitment to 2 leagues

Tuition: $58,050

This hockey prep school in New England offers an ever evolving curriculum to students in grade 9-12. Classes are ussulay offered in small sizes, with an average class size of 12 students.

Basically, the Deerfield education -hockey curriculum has not only led to 30 commitments to two big leagues in the last eight years, it is the best shot for students seeking to attend an Ivy league or NESCAC School.

Ben Lovejoy, and Alex Killorn are some of their notable alumni.

1. Phillips Andover

Acceptance rate: 13%

Type: All Girls

Hockey Wins/ players:

Tuition:$53,900

Over the years, Philip Andover has provided players a dual curriculum covering academics and athletics.

This girls hockey prep school in the US regularly draws scout from NESCAC, Ivy League, ECAC, and Hockey East teams.

As one of the oldest high school girls school in the country, its hockey girls program has become a successful tradition.

Its notable alumni include Chris Kreider, Cory Schneider, and Garnet Hathaway.

Hockey Boarding Schools FAQs

What is the hardest hockey boarding school in the US?

Phillips Andover is the hardest hockey boarding school to get into in the US. It has the least acceptance rate of 13%. This makes admission very competitive.

What are the best high schools for hockey?

Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts.
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter,
New Hampshire
The Lawrenceville School
Choate Rosemary Hall
Deerfield Academy

What season is field hockey?

Winter

Hockey games are often played in the winter months during the competitive season.
Year-round international competition is held.
Several games are played in a short amount of time during tournaments, which require travel and frequently have a demanding schedule.

Conclusion

For a child that loves sports especially hockey, sending that child to just any school undermines their abilities.

Interestingly, there are just schools in the USA to harness your ward’s ability and make them the best they can become, irrespective of their talents.

If your ward loves performing arts and wishes to be a celebrity, the least you can do is sending that child to a school that will aid them to become better versions of them.

A hockey boarding school is simply the best way to ensure your ward prepares for college and get the basic hockey training required to be a player.

tHence, this article compiles a list of the best hockey boarding schools in the US. Find one that matches your financial strength though most schools offer financial aid to need-based students.

If finance can’t stop your ward, you should read this article carefully. Choose the option hat best suits your wards need, then visit the school to begin the admission process.

References

Recommendations

Does this article meet your immediate needs? If yes, click the SHARE button to share with your friends. If no, leave a response in the comment box to express your concern or ask a question, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

You May Also Like