Untitled 1

The Evolution of Harrington College of Canada

			The Evolution of Harrington College of Canada
			TIMELINE

2001			John Keightley becomes president and owner of the Lac St Louis Lions. Having seen too many devoted young players forced to choose between hockey and a solid education, he follows his vision and embarks on a long-term project to marry elite hockey with high level academics.

2002			John Keightley establishes West Island Hockey Academy (WIHA) to manage the Lions.WIHA forges a partnership with West Island College. Players are all required to practice in the morning and attend class in the afternoon. This experimental approach yields what may be arguably one of the most successful development programs in the hockey world.

2003			Realizing that without skills in place young players will not reach their hockey potential, WIHA incorporates Hockey Canada’s training model into the its program.
2003			The first international players join WIHA.International players practise with the Lions, but do not play on the team. In this experimental approach, players practise for a full year without membership on the team. The results show the international players developing skill faster than the Lions’ players, while simultaneously achieving academic excellence.

2004			WIHA forms the International Practise Team, playing an exhibition and tournament schedule and training every day along side the Lions.Both groups (International and Lions) are approximately the same age, the same skill/talent level and all practices are together (on and off ice). The International Practise Team players demonstrate clearly that they have developed in all aspects of the game faster than the Lions. This accelerated progress is attributed to the higher ratio of practice to games.As well, in games, the International players are all given equal ice time, as it is believed that this will result in the best individual development (long-term objectives) as well as a unique team experience. The Lions’ coaching staff, on the other hand, gives ice time to the players they believe can help the team win the game (short-term objectives). Although the International Practise Team is a midget-aged team, they defeat one of the top Quebec Junior AAA teams (Champlain Cougars) 3-2 at the end of the year.

2005			The Lions are sold and WIHA acquires a new flagship junior franchise in the America East Hockey League.
			WIHA receives independent accreditation with the Quebec Ministry of Education for their program and continues to operate out of the West Island College campus.The International team changes its name to the Icebergs and becomes the first Canadian member team in the Junior A tier II America East Hockey League.
			WIHA acquires a 347-acre property in the Laurentians in order to relocate the school from the West Island of Montreal to Harrington, Quebec.

2006			WIHA changes its name to Harrington College of Canada.

2008			HCC moves school to Oka, QC. HCC becomes the first school in the history of Hockey in Quebec to become fully federated under the umbrella of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) through Hockey Canada and Hockey Quebec
2009			HCC acquires the 8th franchise in the Quebec College AAA League. HCC in partnership with Marie Victorin offers CEGEP (College) programs in Social Science and Pure _ Applied Science.