Canadian International Hockey Academy

What Canadian International Hockey Academy does

Canadian International Hockey Academy (CIHA) is a private, not-for-profit boarding school headquartered in Rockland, Ontario, that combines accredited academic instruction (grades 6-12 via Rockland Academy, charitable registration #82838 8470 RR0001) with elite hockey development for student-athletes aged approximately 10-18. The Academy operates tiered hockey programs (Development Program, U16 Varsity, U16 Prep, U18 Varsity, U18 Prep) with U16/U18 Prep teams competing in the CSSHL Eastern U17 Prep Division. On-campus infrastructure includes a dormitory for up to 90 student-athletes, dining facilities, ice rinks, dressing rooms, and a fitness centre. Hockey Canada accreditation governs the curriculum and nutrition program. Core technology is limited to game-streaming partnerships (FloHockey for Prep games; LiveBarn for Varsity and Development games) and PayMyTuition for billing.

The business model is subscription-recurring tuition and boarding fees billed annually, supplemented by ancillary revenue from Elite Summer Camps, the Girls Only Elite Summer Camp, the Spring Showcase, donations, and Arena naming-rights/advertising. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: families apply online, submit transcripts and hockey videos, and complete on-campus interviews and evaluations. Marketing channels include the website, Facebook, the camp/showcase events pipeline, and referrals.

The institution serves an international pupil base drawn from 40+ countries (including Canada, the US, Mexico, the UK, France, Switzerland, Austria, Australia, Japan, Korea, the Czech Republic, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Israel) and has produced 10+ NHL draftees, headlined by Gabriel Vilardi (LA Kings, 2017 1st round, 11th overall) and including alumni placed across the CHL member leagues. CIHA marked its 15th anniversary in 2025 and concurrently launched the 'Enhance the Voyage' capital fundraising program for campus enhancements.

Name

Canadian International Hockey Academy

Legal name

Rockland Academy

Website

https://cihacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Canadian International Hockey Academy (CIHA) is a Rockland, Ontario-based not-for-profit boarding school combining accredited academics (grades 6-12) with elite hockey development for student-athletes aged roughly 10-18, drawing enrollment from 40+ countries and producing 10+ NHL draftees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Education & Training

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Boarding Schools & Residential Academies (MPAKAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG), Interscholastic Athletics (Varsity/JV Teams) (EDAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Hockey training academy
• Boarding school hockey
• Elite hockey development
• Student-athlete programs
• Hockey academic prep

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockland

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Boarding Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition and boarding fees for the academic hockey program. Students pay for education, hockey training, and residential services. Financial aid available through donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Canadian International Hockey Academy (CIHA) operates a private boarding school in Rockland, Ontario that combines accredited academic education (delivered through its charitable arm Rockland Academy) with elite ice hockey development for student-athletes aged approximately 10–18. The school delivers tiered competitive hockey teams (Development Program, U16/U18 Varsity and Prep), NCAA and university placement support, supervised on-campus boarding for up to 90 students, athletic therapy, and Hockey Canada-aligned nutrition, drawing a student body from 40+ countries.

Product overview

CIHA offers a combined academic and elite hockey development program for student-athletes aged approximately 10–18. The program is structured across multiple hockey team tiers (U16 Prep, U16 Varsity, U18 Prep, U18 Varsity, Development Program) plus seasonal camps and showcase events. Rockland Academy serves as the registered charitable and educational arm responsible for academics, while CIHA handles all hockey training. The program is Hockey Canada accredited.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• U16 Prep Hockey Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Four alumni drafted into Canadian Hockey League in 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hockey CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIHA is Hockey Canada accredited. The school uses Hockey Canada's recommended nutrition menu for athletes. Hockey Canada affiliation provides program validation and alignment with Canadian hockey development standards.
• Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU16 Prep and U18 Prep teams compete in the CSSHL Eastern U17 Prep Division. CSSHL provides competitive league structure and exposure to scouts from junior and college programs.
• Canadian Hockey League (CHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIHA alumni regularly drafted into CHL member leagues (QMJHL, OHL, WHL). The CHL is a Tier I Junior League across Canada serving as a primary development pathway for professional hockey.
• PayMyTuitionminorOthersThird-party tuition payment processing platform used for student fee payments.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bishop's College School: Quebec boarding school with a long-standing elite hockey program competing in similar leagues. Comparable on the academic-boarding-hockey combination and Canadian prep school positioning.
• Stanstead College: Quebec boarding school offering elite hockey and academics with international enrollment. Directly comparable model and Canadian prep-school peer.
• Tabor Academy: Massachusetts boarding school with a strong hockey tradition and international student base. Comparable on elite hockey + boarding academics, NCAA pipeline.
• Salisbury School: Connecticut boys' boarding school with a nationally recognized hockey program. Overlaps CIHA on elite prep hockey development and NCAA placement pathway.
• Avon Old Farms School: Connecticut all-boys boarding school with a premier U.S. prep hockey program. Comparable on the elite hockey + boarding academics model, particularly for NCAA and NHL placement.
• Shattuck-Saint Mary's School: Minnesota-based private boarding school most famous for its elite hockey development program and NHL alumni pipeline. Directly comparable to CIHA in combining elite hockey with residential academics for student-athletes.
• Kimball Union Academy: New Hampshire boarding school known for elite hockey at the prep level. Comparable in the prep hockey + NCAA placement model.
• Ridley College: Ontario-based private boarding school with a notable hockey program and international student body. Closely overlaps CIHA on Canadian prep school positioning, boarding, and elite athletics.
• North American Hockey Academy (NAHA): U.S.-based prep hockey academy offering boarding, academics, and elite-tier hockey training in a structure nearly identical to CIHA — same age range, same NCAA/CHL placement focus, same on-campus training model.

Broad incumbents

• Upper Canada College: Large, established Toronto-area private school with broad athletics including hockey. Overlaps CIHA in elite Canadian private schooling and hockey culture but is a much broader institution rather than a hockey-focused academy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CIHAcademy
• Xx.com/cihacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-international-hockey-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian International Hockey Academy