The Boston Imperials Hockey Academy at Matignon High will be the latest academy-model, full-season midget hockey program in the region, New England Hockey Journal has learned. The partnership between Boston Imperials Hockey Club and Matignon High, a school in Cambridge, Mass., became official Tuesday morning. Worcester, Mass., native Nate Bostic will be the academy director...
The Boston Imperials Hockey Academy at Matignon High will be the latest academy-model, full-season midget hockey program in the region, New England Hockey Journal has learned.
The partnership between Boston Imperials Hockey Club and Matignon High, a school in Cambridge, Mass., became official Tuesday morning.
Worcester, Mass., native Nate Bostic will be the academy director of the new program that will have national-bound full-season teams at the 18-U, 16-U and 15 Pure levels. It is expected that the three midget teams will play an independent schedule, but will compete in many of the top tournaments and showcases in the region.
Bostic played college hockey at Niagara University and has been with the Islanders Hockey Club the past several years. Bostic was the Islanders HC general manager the past few years as well as the coach of the organization’s midget teams. Several other prominent hockey people will have roles at Matignon, including Pittsburgh Penguins scout Frank Golden.
Matignon has a rich history in Massachusetts high school hockey, but dwindling enrollment numbers forced the school to go without a team for the 2019-20 season. Legendary head coach Marty Pierce had many great teams. BU alum and former NHL player Shawn McEachern as well as Providence alum and current Northeastern associate head coach Jerry Keefe are prominent former players.
“Our mission is to use athletics to enhance the academic and social development of our student athletes. We also believe Matignon’s experiential learning model of education is ideal for the learning needs of what today’s students need to succeed in life,” said Dennis Franczak, Boston Imperials founder and president.
The academy's training facilities will include a two-sheet ice facility about a mile from the Somerville, Mass., campus.
The Boston Imperials Hockey Academy at Matignon High will follow a similar academy model to a couple of well-established programs in the region, including Mount Saint Charles in Woonsocket, R.I., and South Kent Selects Academy in South Kent, Conn. Just last month, a new program in Auburn, Maine, the Maine Nordiques Development Program and St. Dominic Academy, was announced.
