When Catholic school leaders think about student retention, elite student-athletes may not be the first group that comes to mind. Yet for many families, the demands of high-level athletics can create a difficult choice: continue pursuing athletic opportunities or remain in a traditional school setting.
For students competing at the highest levels, training schedules, travel commitments, and relocation opportunities often make daily classroom attendance challenging or impossible. Without a flexible academic solution, families may feel forced to leave Catholic education altogether.
Lukas Peterson's journey demonstrates how Catholic schools can partner with Catholic Education Services to ensure students continue receiving a quality Catholic education while pursuing extraordinary opportunities beyond the classroom. As a student at Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey, Lukas faced a challenge when an opportunity to play elite junior hockey required him to relocate to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Through Don Bosco's partnership with Catholic Education Services, Lukas was able to remain enrolled and continue progressing toward graduation while pursuing his athletic goals in another state.
Today, Lukas is a defenseman at the University of Maine studying business. During his freshman season, he appeared in 34 games, helping one of college hockey's premier programs compete at the highest level. Before arriving at Maine, he spent two seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL), one of the top junior hockey leagues in North America.
Lukas’s story illustrates how flexibility, academic support, and strong school partnerships can help students thrive both academically and athletically.
“The junior hockey schedule was different from just playing hockey when you're living at home,” Lukas explained. “You have to be at the rink at probably 9 to 10 in the morning and you're on the ice for about an hour or two and then you have workouts. So, it's not really reasonable to be in a classroom all day long when you have to be on the ice and be with your team.”
For Catholic schools, situations like this raise an important question: How can we continue serving students whose educational needs no longer fit within the traditional classroom model?
Rather than losing students when schedules become more demanding, schools can partner with Catholic Education Services to provide a flexible pathway that allows students to remain connected to Catholic education while pursuing specialized opportunities.
In Lukas's case, the solution came through a partnership between Don Bosco Preparatory High School at Catholic Education Services. After a recommendation from another hockey player who had successfully completed coursework through Catholic Education Services, Lukas and his family identified the program as the right fit for his unique situation. It offered the flexibility required to balance elite athletics and academics.
“I liked how flexible it was, and there were so many support systems to reach out to,” he said. “I felt like I was never burdened with a lot of schoolwork. I always knew what I had to get done, and they made it easy for me to do it.”
One common misconception about online learning is that flexibility comes at the expense of rigor. Lukas's experience suggests otherwise.
In the USHL, road trips often involved eight- to ten-hour bus rides, frequent travel, and demanding competition schedules. Yet the flexibility of his academic program allowed him to work ahead, manage deadlines, and remain accountable for his learning.
“Those weeks could be really stressful,” Lukas said. “The best thing for me was trying to get my schoolwork done earlier in the week.”
Because coursework could be completed around practices, travel, and games, Lukas was able to remain academically engaged without sacrificing athletic development.
“I had the opportunity to get an assignment or two ahead of what I had to get done,” he said. “I wasn't worrying about it the day of a game or the night after a game.”
For school leaders, this highlights an important distinction: flexibility does not require the lowering of expectations but instead providing students with pathways to meet expectations within the realities of their circumstances.
Technology alone is not what made Lukas successful.
Throughout his high school experience, the support of teachers and staff helped him navigate challenges and remain focused on both academics and athletics.
“If I knew there was a big assignment coming up or a test that I had to do, I could reach out and say, ‘Hey, I'm going to be traveling,’” he recalled. “There were always extensions to be had. Everyone was very supportive and always there for me.”
That accessibility helped him balance demanding athletic commitments without falling behind academically.
“Whenever I needed help, it was really easy to reach out, and I got quick responses every time.”
For Catholic school leaders evaluating alternative learning models, Lukas's experience reinforces the important principle that successful online learning depends not only on curriculum and technology but also on meaningful relationships and responsive support systems.
Elite athletes often have additional academic considerations, including NCAA eligibility requirements and college admissions expectations.
Throughout his junior hockey career, Lukas understood that academic success remained essential to achieving his long-term goals.
“I always kept in the back of my mind that I have to get this done to be eligible,” he said. “I always wanted to be a good student and have my work done so that I could be eligible.”
When his NCAA eligibility was confirmed, it represented years of effort both on the ice and in the classroom. Lukas said. “When that got confirmed and checked off, I was just super grateful. It was an exciting moment.”
For Catholic schools, partnerships with Catholic Education Services can help ensure students remain academically prepared while navigating the unique requirements associated with collegiate athletics and specialized educational pathways.
The value of flexible learning extends beyond graduation.
When Lukas arrived at the University of Maine, he initially wondered what it would feel like to return to a traditional classroom environment after several years of online learning.
“I was going into it like, ‘Wow, I haven't been in a classroom in a while.’”
Those concerns quickly faded.
“You find ways in online school to really keep yourself motivated and focused,” he said. “It's an easy transition to being back in school because you're like, ‘Okay, I've seen this material before.’”
Perhaps more importantly, Lukas believes online learning helped him develop self-management skills that continue to benefit him as a college student.
“Doing online school helped me find my study personality,” he said. “Now I'm in college, and I know what works for me.”
Those habits—independence, time management, organization, and self-discipline—are precisely the skills students need to succeed in higher education and beyond.
As Catholic schools seek new ways to serve diverse learners, Lukas's story offers a reminder that not every student can be served effectively through a single educational model.
Some students require greater flexibility because of elite athletics, performing arts opportunities, medical needs, family circumstances, or other unique situations. Providing alternative pathways expands schools' abilities to fulfill their mission.
For Don Bosco Preparatory High School, the partnership with Catholic Education Services made it possible for Lukas to remain part of the school community even while living and training in another state. Instead of losing a student whose circumstances no longer aligned with a traditional school schedule, the school was able to continue supporting his academic journey through graduation.
This type of partnership allows Catholic schools to meet students where they are while preserving enrollment, maintaining relationships with families, and extending the reach of Catholic education beyond the physical classroom.
Perhaps the most powerful part of Lukas's story is not the statistics, the eligibility milestone, or even the Division I opportunity. It is the lasting connection he still feels to the people who supported him along the way.
“I would say if you're really willing to get an education and build relationships further in life, Catholic Education Services is the best program to choose,” he said. “We're sitting here now, and I finished school two years ago, and we're still in contact and doing an interview and we have a relationship.”
He emphasized that the support extended beyond graduation.
“If you want to build relationships in your life, this is going to help you do it, and they're always going to be there to help,” he said.
Lukas's experience demonstrates that when schools, families, and flexible learning partners work together, students do not have to choose between pursuing exceptional opportunities and remaining connected to Catholic education.