TPH Offers Academy Experience to Minnesota Advancement Program Athletes Through Center of Excellence Partnership

TPH has partnered up with the Minnesota Advancement Program (MAP), an elite division within FHIT Hockey, to provide hockey players from across the Twin Cities an opportunity to Study, Train and Play to their fullest potential through its new Minnesota Center of Excellence (CoE) academy. The new TPH Minnesota Center of Excellence (CoE) academy will be located at the Plymouth Ice Center, in Plymouth, MN for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. 

MAP develops hockey players during the eight months outside of the high school season, and mentors, scouts, and recruits players during the four months of the high school season. Through this new partnership TPH and MAP will be able to deliver an academic experience for players in the Midwest, who are looking for more of a flexible and customized learning environment, while training for their sport. With the demand for high-level training comes the added desire for an exceptional education and those vital opportunities will be served through TPH’s blended learning CoE environment. The CoE model combines online curriculum and online learning with on-site infrastructure and academic support. Coursework can be completed on-demand, with 24/7, fully accessible NCAA courseware, and full-time instructors. This ideal balance will be structured throughout the school year with both on and off-ice time for students. 

“We’ve spent several years trying to improve and build our programming for the athletes in Minnesota, and when the opportunity came to work with TPH for an academy experience,we could not have been more excited,” MAP Founder Justin Johnson said. “We’re passionate about the community-based model and the idea that it allows kids the opportunity to be able to train and play, but also be involved in their communities outside of their sport.

RSVP to our upcoming Open House on Thursday, June 3rd at 8:00 PM CST.

The cutting-edge CoE academy facility  will provide an opportunity unlike anything else in the Twin Cities for student-athletes. The Plymouth Ice Center features three professional size sheets of ice, has 16 locker rooms, and two community meeting rooms. Through the TPH CoE 36-week program, and alongside the partners in Minnesota, student-athletes will have valuable access to coaches, teachers, success coaches, and trainers that come from high-level backgrounds, further enhancing this unique experience for students and families. The Minnesota CoE will be outfitted as a “mini campus” style setup, that is designed and furnished by Steelcase, TPH’s  academic learning environment partner for all CoE locations, focused on the latest trends and education models for how students will learn best. The academic space will be housed in the upstairs conference room at the Plymouth Ice Center where there will be three to four different learning environments under one roof, as customization and individualization are key aspects of the CoE academic model.. 

“We strive every day to impact the individual in four ways: as a player, athlete, student, and person, through on-ice training, off-ice training, academics, videos, mentorship, and social and real-world experiences that are rooted in community. This is a holistic model, and we believe it will be well-received in Minnesota. TPH presently operates in several non-traditional hockey markets, and we are quite excited to be in a hockey-rich market like Minnesota and make an impact on these student-athletes,” TPH Chief Operating Officer Francis Anzalone said.

The joint venture of these two companies will provide an added bonus to student-athletes through the FHIT Hockey and Minnesota Elite Goalie Academy (MEGA Goaltending) programs at the CoE. Through these additional partnerships, student-athletes will have access to off-ice training programs, unlimited access to the gym,, as well as competitive league and small area games. Goalies will be able to develop their specific skills through MEGA Goaltending, in a challenging and purposeful environment, that trains on quality muscle memory movements and provides skills to effectively break poor habits and enhance their overall play. 

The opportunity to provide a long-term, holistic academy model at the Minnesota CoE will allow student-athletes everything they need to improve and grow in this hockey-rich environment. TPH looks forward to working with these partners to advance the game in The State of Hockey. 

Student-athletes and families interested in learning more about TPH’s Study, Train, Play Center of Excellence model are invited to join us for our first Virtual Open House, scheduled for Thursday, June 3rd at 9:00 PM EST.  You can RSVP to the event by clicking here.

Interested families are also invited to apply to the Minnesota Center of Excellence, which is the first step in the registration process and guarantees your spot for the 2021-2022 school year.  To apply to the CoE, click here.