So you want to be a part of the team, eh? Well, if you just picked up a hockey stick in your senior year, you're probably not going to make the cut. College coaches want real players, not people that can simply skate forward and backward without falling down. Psh, even we can do that.

Wait, no we can't…but we digress.

College coaches want players that can do this. Or this. Or maybe even this. Or…well, you get the idea.

College teams look for people that have played competitive hockey for a few years, not a few months. Starring for your high school team is a good start, but a lot of the kids you'll be compared to will have also played in one of the numerous junior leagues that are run throughout the U.S. and Canada. Leagues like these give young players a chance to compete against other prospects hoping to play Div-I ice hockey.

Note that the majority of these leagues operate in colder U.S. areas like the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest. If you live in Los Angeles or San Antonio or anywhere in the Southeast, you'll have a hard time finding the competition you need to help you improve the skills necessary to succeed at the college level. So in order to move up, you may need to, well, move up to one of the northern areas.

Oh, and lest we forget, success on the hockey rink won't guarantee a spot on your favorite college's team. You also have to make the grade in the classroom (source). In other words, you may need to spend as much time hitting the books as you do on the ice in order to remain eligible.