It works all the way around. As a player you get to still go to prep school and play NEPSAC teams but also get to travel to the best tournaments and play the top tier 1 teams. As a school, instead of 25 paying customers (1 team) you get 50 paying customers (2 teams) which will more then offset the cost of travel and extra ice. With the growth of academies Im shocked that no local prep school has put this model in play yet.

What team (16 or 19) plays in the Prep league or do both? Seems pretty easy for tier 1 games as they are broken up by 16s and 19s but prep is prep. Obviously their 19 team would play a normal prep schedule. Does their 16 team play the same prep schedule and same teams?

Explains why winch recruited every kid under the sun this year.

I see comments on here comparing the cost of $60k for a traditional prep school versus a hockey academy. The conversation should be what is your perceived value that you are receiving for the $60k. If a family makes a ton of money and $60k spent at either place doesn't hurt them then I would bet they would feel they are getting value for the $60k wether it is a traditional education and good hockey or lower level education (online) but much better hockey competition at an academy. If you see value for money spent you will continue to spend it. Now a family with limited resources or less disposable income may feel spending $60k for online classes and a full schedule is crazy town and they also may feel spending $60k for a prep school is out of question as well. One isn't better than the other but it is the value you feel you are getting. A family with the resources who has a kid who isn't a great student and can't get in to a prep school may choose the academy route because it fits their situation better. A family who values education over hockey may choose the prep school route. One isn't better than the other and to be fair you are not comparing apples to apples they are two completely different options.