Save the Britannia Hockey Academy: Give the Program One Fair Year to Rebuild

Britannia Hockey Academy saved my life and was one of the only reasons I graduated high school.
This is also one of the only hockey academy’s that allows students who don’t have the means to pay to still play and participate in hockey academy. I know for a fact that this program has not only saved my life but also helped others stay on track. Britannia high school is located in an area where it serves a very diverse and vulnerable demographic. Students who attend hockey academy are involved and feel like they are a part of something. This feeling is sometimes hard to come by in high school. So taking away a program like hockey academy can and will have seriously damaging effects on some of the most vulnerable population. For example, students who start out in BASH (Britannia After School Hockey) have the opportunity to advance into hockey academy. This means vulnerable students have something to push for and work hard towards. If this goal isn’t there who knows what trouble some of these young people might get into or face.
I’m speaking from experience when I say this. I am an addict and struggled a lot with my addiction when I was in high school. Hockey academy saved my life because it helped me get and stay sober. I can’t imagine what my high school years would have looked like without hockey academy. And I really hope that nobody else will ever have to think like that. Saving hockey academy will save lives!! I know it saved mine!

Part of BHA from 2011 to Grad year of 2015, great support system. Mentors and teachers were great. Love the culture there.

I attended Britannia Secondary before the hockey academy begin and wish it was available for me. I think that program is important to youth who are met with financial barriers who want to play hockey.