By Alex LoGuercio’24
The Frederick Gunn Boys Ice Hockey team plays in the Avon Christmas Classic and the True Prep Cup each winter. Both of these tournaments are similar in that they are a step in advancing to the next level of the ice hockey world, but they also have many differences. The audiences are mainly different: the Avon Christmas Classic caters more towards college recruiting, whereas the True Prep Cup gets more junior and pro-level attention.
The Avon Christmas Classic is the more historic tournament of the two and carries a unique vibe, stout competition, and Christmas festivities, a combination that is difficult to find at any other tournament. The tournament has a rigorous schedule, with teams having to play four games in three days. This schedule is why the tournament is a telltale sign of which teams are actually the “real deal.” Four games in three days, all against great competition, truly show if a team is weak and only the best teams prevail. Some of the teams that attend the tournament are Avon Old Farms, Kent, Loomis Chaffee, and Frederick Gunn.
The True Prep Cup is a newer tournament, established in 2020, but it warrants just as much respect as the Avon Christmas Classic. This tournament has arguably better competition than the Avon tournament, drawing a lot of junior and NHL attention. It has some New England Prep teams, such as Kimball Union, Dexter Southfield, and Frederick Gunn. But, unlike the Avon Christmas Classic, the True Prep Cup also has some hockey powerhouses, including St. Andrew’s College, Mount St. Charles, and Culver Military Academy. The tournament has a less intense schedule than the Avon Tournament, consisting of only three games in three days. However, that does not make it an easier tournament, as the competition’s strength makes up for one less game.
Historically, The Frederick Gunn School’s Boys Varsity Hockey Team has found some success in these tournaments. The team won the Avon Christmas Classic in 2017 but has struggled to find the same success in the True Prep Cup. These tournaments have helped further Frederick Gunn’s players to the next level and are great in drawing kids to our school. The atmosphere of these tournaments, along with the strong competition, is hard to find anywhere else, and that is why The Frederick Gunn School will continue to attend these tournaments for a long time.
