The Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club takes great pride in its educational philosophy. The organization firmly believes that with effort and dedication its players can combine a successful academic and hockey career. Our players have a unique opportunity; they can hone their hockey skills in the premier development league to the NHL while obtaining an equally valuable education at some of the finest educational institutions in Canada.
In both hockey and education the Kitchener Rangers senior management leads by example having combined their hockey skills with a dedicated focus on education.
Joe Birch, our Chief Operating Officer and Governor is a Rangers alumnus and a graduate of Western University in London. Brad Sparkes, our Director of Marketing and Sales, also played for the Rangers before graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University. He subsequently graduated from Ohio University with his Master’s Degree.
The Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club is proud of the working relationship they have established with three of the finest post-secondary educational institutions in Canada. Within 15 minutes of the arena, players can attend classes at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, the University of Waterloo, or Wilfrid Laurier University.
Communication between the Rangers and the schools is maintained through each school’s registrar’s office and their athletics department, in particular, their Head Hockey Coach’s office. Assistance with registration, course selection, tours and anything else the players may need is quickly addressed. This ongoing support and cooperation will ensure that the Rangers will be able to continue to graduate players to the ranks of these fine post-secondary institutions.
Universities:
University of Waterloo
Wilfrid Laurier University
College:
Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
High School:
TPH Academy
Daily monitoring of academic performance and attendance through electronic communication with the schools helps maintain the players’ focus. Regular performance reports (including notebook checks), tutor availability, and a dedicated computer lab for school work make for a positive and supportive academic environment. Academic success is regularly celebrated through not only league awards but also monthly Rangers “Academic Player of the Month” awards presented at home games.
Our players also have access to our Educational Consultant, Dave Tennant. Dave assists our players by designing programs best suited to their educational needs. He helps with registration, long term planning, reports regularly to players’ families and assists with any academic requirements they may have.
Academic excellence and athletic excellence go hand in hand.
The Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club is proud to offer and deliver on its promise to provide young hockey players with the opportunity to pursue both.
The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex (also known as The Aud) is a multi-use municipally-owned facility. The complex is located on East Avenue, near the Ottawa Street interchange on the Conestoga Parkway. The complex includes the Dom Cardillo Arena and two smaller community arenas the Kinsmen Arena and Kiwanis Arena.
Click here to take a 360-degree tour of the Kitchener Rangers facilities.
The capacity of the building for Rangers games is 7,636 (with suites & standing).
The original arena was built in 1950 and has been expanded three times since then. Most recently The Aud hosted the 2008 Memorial Cup from May 16 to May 25, 2008, with 437 additional permanent seats being added. The Aud previously hosted 1962 Memorial Cup, 1975 Memorial Cup and 1984 Memorial Cup games.
If you have any questions or require any additional information, you can contact us at (519) 576-3700 or [email protected].
The Alumni Mentorship Program is one of the many tremendous team and league-wide resources available to Rangers players. What makes this program unique is that it connects the current players with team alumni who have been in their shoes.
Former Rangers captain Ben Fanelli (2009-10, 11-14) and Mark Fraser are the program’s inaugural alumni mentors for the next two seasons. As of March 1st, 2021, The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that Fraser will work directly with the players and staff within all MLSE teams as the EDI department looks to further educate and bring positive change within its teams and the community.
They will regularly be accessible to players on an informal basis, either one-on-one or as a group, and will speak to all players as a team at least three times a season.
Since overcoming a severe brain injury and graduating from the Ontario Hockey League, Fanelli has found success as a motivational speaker and host of the Heroic Minds podcast while pursuing a master’s degree in Psychology.
The aim is to grow the program to five alumni participating in two-year spans.
The Kitchener Rangers Host Family Program plays a major role in our team’s success both on and off the ice. It takes special people to open their homes and hearts to our players and we take the utmost care to ensure our players are placed in environments that are conducive to care, understanding and safety.
We ask that our players be treated like any other member of your family. It is important that he respects the rules of his host family and the host family respects the rules of the hockey club. The values and principles for success that are essential to becoming a member of the Kitchener Rangers will be demanded at the rink, in the home, in the community and in school.
Accommodation Requirements:
-Single or double bed per player
-Dresser and closet space
-Towels and shower supplies are the responsibility of the host family
-Laundry and mending are usually done by the host family
-Dry cleaning is the player’s responsibility
-Long-distance phone calls are the player’s responsibility
-Parking space required for player’s car
-A desk or table with adequate lighting for school work
-A computer with internet access
The Kitchener Rangers currently provide the following benefits to our host families:
-Room and board ($135.00 per week, paid twice monthly)
-Two season tickets for regular season and playoff games
-Lounge on the concourse level for pre-game and between periods
-Invitation to complimentary private events
Are you and your family interested in hosting a Rangers player and would like to arrange to meet one of our team personnel? Please complete the form below.