Cushing Academy has been a mainstay in the world of New England prep hockey for years.
Since the program’s reinstatement in 1983 and subsequent evolution to being recognized as one of the top prep powers in the region, Cushing, located in the hills of northern Massachusetts in Ashburnham, has been a consistent contender in NEPSAC play, attracting top-level talent and churning out highly regarded prospects who go on to excel in college, and beyond, every year.
The Penguins’ well-known track record can be traced back to longtime head coach Steve Jacobs.
After 22 years at the helm, getting the program off the ground, building it into what it is today and winning two Division 1 titles, the Hudson, Mass., native called it quits in 2007. Ten years later, he returned to his old post for a “second act,” and he’ll soon be entering his fourth year back.
A quarter of a century into his Cushing career, Jacobs, 65, is the lifeblood of the program.
Most importantly, the veteran head coach understands the heart of what makes the program tick, so much so that the Penguins never have endured a losing season under his guidance. Out of the hundreds of players who have walked through the doors of Theodore Iorio Arena throughout Jacobs’ career, more than 300 have made it to the collegiate ranks, while 68 have made it to the pros.
“There’s so many great prep school programs and coaches,” Jacobs said, “but what we do have is tradition and a legacy being left behind by every player that comes through here. So, we establish that tradition and I think the kids feel it and they’re all proud to play for Cushing because of it.”
Much of the program’s success also has been a direct result of the players Jacobs and his staff have carefully chosen over the years amid the always-ongoing, ever-rigorous recruiting battles.
Like most coaches, Jacobs wants high-quality, high-character kids who push themselves both on and off the ice. For Jacobs, there’s one player characteristic that stands out above all the rest.
“You can always tell character by body language,” he said, “and that entails a lot of things: how they are with teammates, how’s their work ethic, how are they when it doesn’t go well for them.”
Those recruiting tactics feed directly into Cushing’s simple, yet effective, style of play.
“Fast and hard,” said Jacobs, describing his philosophy on the ice.
“I like to let the guys play, be creative. Especially on offense, I let them go. I let the defensemen go. Of course, when we don’t have the puck, we have a lot more structure, but I like to just not lock them in. Everyone has their systems, but we keep it pretty simple because you want them to learn, because hockey’s a read-and-react game. Of course, versus different teams we play a little bit of different systems, but to me it’s all about development at our level, just letting them play.”
“Letting the kids play” certainly has worked for Jacobs, whose all-time record at Cushing stands at 571-98-28. Since his return at the start of the 2017-18 season, the Penguins have gone 62-27-8.
Some of Cushing’s notable alumni include former USA Olympian Jeff Norton ’84 (Michigan, retired); former USA Olympian and NHL All-Star Tom Poti ’96 (Boston University, retired); two-time NHL All-Star Keith Yandle ’05 (Florida Panthers); pro hockey veteran Chris Bourque '04 (Munich, DEL); Ryan Bourque '07 (Charlotte Checkers, AHL); and two-time NHL Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins Conor Sheary ’10 (UMass Amherst, Pittsburgh Penguins).
A look back: Streaking to the finish line
The 2019-20 season was a strong one for Cushing. Like most, however, it wasn’t perfect.
After starting out 7-6-1, the Penguins went on a 13-1-1 tear to close out the regular season.
Even with the late-season push, they missed the cut for the Elite 8 Tournament of the NEPSAC playoffs. In the Large School bracket, they pummeled Kent in the quarterfinals, then won a hard-fought tilt against St. Sebastian’s before being shut out by Loomis Chaffee in the finals.
Leading by one in the final minutes, the Pelicans sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, solidifying the 2-0 victory and handing the young Cushing team a bitter pill to swallow.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t have our best effort in that game,” Jacobs said. “We had a hard, hard game against St. Sebastian’s the day before, fast and physical. … We still played a pretty good game, but we lost to a good team and a well-coached team.”
A look ahead: 2020-21 and NCAA commits
Boasting a strong returning cast, the Penguins are primed for another successful run in 2020-21.
With just one player, Nick Rheaume (BCHL), failing to return for his senior year, Cushing has the makings of an older, more experienced group, especially coming off last season’s late hot streak.
Most notably, the Penguins will see the return of NCAA commits such as Lukas Gustafsson (D, ’02, Boston College commit), Billy Norcross (C/RW, ’03, Boston College commit) and Jake Hewitt (RW, ’02, Army commit). All three amassed more than 30 points last season.
Outside of the older NCAA commits set to return this winter, Cushing will enjoy the return of a couple of younger stars, including Jackson Dorrington (D, ’04, North Reading, Mass.) and Cam Lund (C, ’04, Bridgewater, Mass.), who have both been attracting quite a bit of attention from college scouts.
For newcomers, the Penguins have added Providence College commit Kaleb Nelson (C, ’03, OJHL).
Liam Flaherty can be reached at lflaherty24@gmail.com and on Twitter @_LiamFlaherty.
