Mason Williams

What is your name? What grade are you currently in academically, if applicable? What year is this for you at this school or what year did you graduate? 

My name is Mason Williams, and I’m a sophomore in college. I graduated from The Winchendon School in 2024.

Which preparatory school did you attend, and what key factors influenced your decision to enroll at that institution? 

I chose Winchendon because of its small, family-like community, strong hockey program, and supportive faculty. The campus had just over 300 students, so it felt close-knit and personal.

Please describe a typical day during the competitive season, including your schedule and the balance between training, academics, and other commitments. 

My days were packed with classes, hockey practices almost every night, and student-body meetings. I was also part of the mental-health and diversity-and-inclusion groups. On days without practice, we had evening team lifts.

How does your daily routine differ during the off-season? Outline your typical activities, including any training, rest, or personal development efforts. 

In the off-season, I continued to stay active—working out twice a week, skating with a split-season team, and attending early-morning practices. I also served as a resident assistant and participated in theater and leadership programs.

How did you manage to balance your athletic responsibilities with your academic coursework? Feel free to share specific strategies or resources that were particularly helpful. 

I made academics my top priority because bad grades meant you couldn’t play. I stayed ahead on assignments and met regularly with my advisor to create a schedule that worked best for me.

What are your professional objectives over the next five years, and in what ways has attending a preparatory school contributed to or shaped these goals? 

I plan to attend law school to study corporate law while gaining internship experience. Prep school helped me become the best version of myself—it improved my communication, maturity, and time management.

If you could offer one piece of advice to prospective students considering a similar preparatory program, what would it be and why? 

Be curious and open-minded. Try new things and take initiative—prep school offers much more than sports, and those experiences prepare you for success in college and beyond.