Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (PMHA) is happy to announce that our players and coaches achieved another banner year in both the Academic and Hockey worlds. The 2018-19 year saw 22 male and 17 female student athletes join PMHA and attend Pilot Mound Collegiate.

For the readers who may not be aware of Pilot Mound Hockey Academy, let us share our Vision which the PMHA local Ownership Group, Staff and Student Athletes try to work towards on an ongoing basis. We are a growing program; learning, changing and adapting each year.

The Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (PMHA) is an academic based, 10 month hockey school; located in Pilot Mound. It is the intention of PMHA to work within the Community setting, ensuring we foster strong academic and sport partnerships with Pilot Mound Collegiate, Prairie Spirit School Division, Pilot Mound
Community Recreation Complex and our Local and Provincial Hockey Association partners.

Our intention is to continue to grow our Academy as a highly successful entity, developing elite hockey players, grounded in academics and most importantly developing over all good human beings.

Pilot Mound Hockey Academy fosters the ability to work as part of a team environment. Players leaving PMHA will have gained strong leadership capabilities that will support them throughout their eventual life pathways.

Included is a recap on our past year as PMHA entered its 4 th year of operation for the Male Program and the 2nd year for the Female Program, June of 2019 saw the largest number of graduates from Pilot Mound Hockey Academy cross the stage.

Having 13 of our academy graduate from PMCI; we could not be more proud. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the teachers and fellow students at PMCI whom have welcomed the `Hockey Academy Kids` into their world for the past 4 years.

It is not always easy, as hockey travel take these students away from classes and at times both teachers and students do extra duty to keep these students caught up so that we can have the success and the privilege to walk across that stage and be proud they graduated from PMCI.

It is very rewarding to watch these student Athletes move forward in the next stage of academic development. PMHA strives to find opportunities/offers for both male and female program participants.

7 of our female Buffaloes are off to play in Colleges and Universities. It is always a goal of our female players to move from the minor hockey level on to a NCAA or a Canadian College or University program.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a member-led organization dedicated success of college athletes. There are 3 NCAA Divisions in which many university and colleges compete for multiple sports programs, including hockey. 7 of our Grade 12 students are off to explore the world at Suny Morrisville, Lebanon Valley College, Plymouth State, Suny Canton, and Long Island University.

They join their former teammates who continue to play throughout Canada and the USA. For our Male Buffaloes, the journey of hockey development goals often takes them into the Junior A or B level of play somewhere between grades 11 and 12 and then into University and College.

This year, our Male Buffaloes are off to explore that world with the Winkler Flyers, Ontario Junior Hockey League, the Bradford Rattlers, Colorado AAA, and the Winnipeg Blues.

They also join their former teammates who continue to play, learn and grow while they continue with their Academic and Hockey goals and dreams.
It is safe to say that having each team playing well over 60 games per season, the Buffaloes are a dedicated team of individuals, and they certainly get used to climbing on the bus for a marathon of travel and playing hockey.

Most hockey players will tell you that the best memories are made on the bus. The 2018-19 hockey season was memorable for the Buffaloes. The Pilot Mound Buffaloes female team brought home the Silver Medal from the Canadian Sports School Hockey League (CSSHL) Midget Varsity program.

The Male Buffaloes lost a heart breaker in the Semi Finals of the Midget Varsity in the CSSHL. Both teams achieved great accomplishments in this huge arena of hockey talent. These teams brought home several tournament banners throughout the year; once again establishing themselves as a competitive team within their respective team play.

Our Male Buffaloes also play in the North American Prep Hockey League, playing throughout the United States.
PMHA was well represented as well when awards were handed out in the CSSHL Championships. Two of our goaltenders, Hannah Pagdato and Michael Turell managed to capture the prestigious award of Overall Top Goaltender for their divisions.

Matty Harrold was named on the All-Academic Team Midget Varsity Division. Kerrigan Umperville was awarded as the Leading Scorer for Midget Varsity Female Division. As
well, Carson McConnell, our 2018 graduate, is the recipient of one of four inaugural CSSHL Post- Secondary Scholarships.

Well done Buffaloes!

PMHA is extremely proud of the accomplishments of all of our student athletes who have come to join Pilot Mound Hockey Academy from all over the world over the past 4 years. By being part of the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy they each enjoy the small town experience, and grow into great individuals within the
community support of our caring corner of the world.

These `Hockey Academy Kids` as they are often referred to by local community members, come from huge cities, rural prairie communities, remote northern communities, from other countries and some are locally grown.

In the past 5 years we have registered some 120 players to come to Pilot Mound to fulfill goals and dreams. PMHA extends a sincere thank you to
the community and area for your continued support; it is deeply appreciated. The rides to school on a cold windy day, coming to cheer the teams on at the games, or a simple smile or greeting to a family member coming to visit their kids at PMHA are things that contribute and that brings these kids back year after year.

The experience is what will impact these kids in their future as they fondly remember their days spent in Pilot Mound Hockey Academy.
Watch for further articles as we introduce you to the PMHA Staff and Players for the upcoming 2019-2020 season and keep you updated on what`s happening with PMHA.