Games The Hockey Academy
Success takes more than talent and will - The Hockey Academy creates the ideal conditions for the path to the top.
The Hockey Academy is a unique training concept in Switzerland that enables athletes to combine sport, training and career in the best possible way and can be compared to a commercial apprenticeship or sports high school - adapted to the needs of the athletes. The focus is on the best sporting education with outstanding coaches and trainers, ideal training structures, optimum support around the clock, which also includes solid basic professional training for later. Since 2020, The Hockey Academy has been working together with its training partner OYM College, which is located directly in the OYM Competence Center for Elite Athletics and Research in Cham.
The OYM College offers an appropriate training program for all training levels. The training courses follow the federal requirements and guidelines.
- 4 years: grammar school (SPF business and law)
- 2 + 2 years: Business people E and B profile in the SOG model (2 years school + 2 years internship)
In addition to sporting, professional and academic skills, social skills should also be promoted in order to provide the athletes with an ideal basis for the future. Depending on their age and performance level, athletes from The Hockey Academy - like all other EVZ junior players - have the opportunity to play for the U17 Elite, U20 Elite or the 1st team.
«I wish The Hockey Academy had been around when I put all my eggs in one basket to become a professional ice hockey player.»
Lino Martschini, EVZ Player
THE SUCCESS FACTORS
Only selected athletes with the best prospects in the tough ice hockey business are given the unique opportunity to train as professional ice hockey players at The Hockey Academy in Zug. Various selection criteria apply. However, all junior players receive the same level of support and professional support on their way to becoming NL professionals, as they all take part in the same training sessions and benefit from the same coaches. Where possible, the team's own juniors are integrated.
Athletes from The Hockey Academy benefit from unique success factors:
- Flexible, holistic training
- The best coaches and specialists
- Ideal training infrastructure in the new OYM Competence Center for Elite Athletics and Research
- Playing practice embedded in the competition system
- Solid professional foundation
everyone is a winner
The first specific training to become a professional hockey player is based on a unique "all-are-winners model" and offers a real alternative to migrating to foreign junior leagues.
The Hockey Academy" brings benefits and profit for everyone:
- For the athlete on his way to becoming a professional hockey player, which lays a professional foundation for the time after his career.
- For the family, who will be relieved in all respects by the all-round care of the player at his training facility.
- For the EVZ, which opens up a source of promising young players for its fan team.
- For the players' other home clubs, which receive a return on investment with training units and know-how from "The Hockey Academy" or a fully trained elite player for their own professional team.
- Last but not least, the entire national ice hockey team and the Swiss national team benefit from highly trained young talents who also excel at international level.
Application
Would you like to complete The Hockey Academy training program? Then fill out an initial application now. We will be happy to contact you after checking your details.
FAQ Application
When does a request make sense?
From U14/U15, if you have completed your compulsory schooling by the start of the Hockey Academy. We are currently looking for players born in 2009 and 2010. The sporting requirements are very high and it is a prerequisite that you are at least part of a regional selection.
Is it also possible for players from abroad to apply?
According to the rules of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, we can only accept very few foreign players. This means that the requirements for foreign ice hockey players are even higher than for local candidates. You have to be an outstanding representative of your country.
Is it also possible to apply if I don't want to do any school or vocational training alongside ice hockey?
Sports training can only take place in combination with school and vocational training, as our training concept is tailored precisely to these needs.
Is it also possible to apply as a career changer?
Our squad planning for competitive sport takes place with the school leavers or with the start of basic vocational training (U17-Elit). Our squads are therefore filled from the bottom up and we can only accept lateral entrants in exceptional cases.
How long does an apprenticeship at the Hockey Academy last?
Our standard contracts and the duration of the school models at OYM College are each 4 years.
Are there deadlines for the application or for the try-out?
The start is always one season ahead. The earlier, the better. The process is similar to applying for a normal apprenticeship.
How are players selected for a Hockey Academy place?
First, we will review our internal players in terms of their potential for the Hockey Academy. We will then conduct a targeted public search for suitable new players and process the online enquiries/applications. The selected candidates will then be assessed on the basis of certain criteria, both in the sporting, personal and academic areas.
What happens to our application once we have submitted it?
The documents are now being checked by the sports department. If you are a potential candidate, you will be invited to a try-out training session. We will inform you in any case.
Which languages do I need to know for the OYM College?
Fluent in German. I must be able to follow lessons in German (for the OYM College). If not then there is an opportunity to learn German as part of an intermediate year with support from us.
Which school models does the OYM College offer in-house?
E- and B-profile business management assistants in the SOG model: The Federal Certificate of Competence (EFZ) in business management is achieved through a four-year course in the school-organized basic training (SOG).
Business & law grammar school: The Matura, with business & law as the main subject, is achieved in a 4-year short-term grammar school. Entry takes place after the 2nd or 3rd year of secondary school.
The OYM College does not have international status for foreign players!
Can I also attend the Hockey Academy if I don't want to attend school at OYM College?
In principle yes, but will only be accepted in exceptional cases. The alternative external training must be compatible with our training program. The key data of the external training must be included in the annex to the training contract and require our prior approval.
How much money do the players and their parents have to pay for the entire training program (athletes' and players' fees)?
Although everyone receives the same standard contract, the costs are different and cannot be determined in advance. If the candidate is invited to a try-out, the costs and the benefits package will be discussed transparently. The candidate must be prepared to invest at least around CHF 1,000 per month for the training including OYM College, depending on support from scholarships and our Hockey Academy Foundation. Accommodation is not included in this amount. The full costs for a player at The Hockey Academy amount to around CHF 80,000 for one year. These costs are financed by parental contributions, sponsors, the foundation and cantonal subsidies.
