A big development has occurred in youth sports in Airdrie.

Rocky View Schools and Global Sports Academy are teaming up to launch a sports academy in all three Rocky View High Schools: Bert Church, George McDougall, and W.H. Croxford.

This partnership comes after Airdrie will be the home for the new AAA midget CFR Chemicals Bisons, who play in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League.

The Airdrie Minor Hockey Association (AMHL) chose Global Sports Academy to provide development opportunities for the Airdrie CFR Chemicals Midget AAA Bisons, but they broadened it to include other levels of hockey athletes, to help develop more players in Airdrie.

All Bisons will have to attend George McDougall, but other hockey players in the program, including both male and female, can attend any of the three high schools.

“Anyone who wants to attend the Global Sports Academy as a regular athlete and not a member of the Bisons, like bantam tier 1 or bantam AA, midget AA for example, can join the academy at any of the three public schools,” said AMHA Operations Manager, Stacey Carefoot.

Players who are not on a team but want to be in the Academy can still register and be accepted.

This partnership will create many opportunities on and off the ice for the local youth in the area. Some of them will see their teammates every day, and learn together, but will also have classes with the other school population, which is all a big foundation for team building. And of course they will be training on and off the ice to better their hockey skills.

“This is a ground breaking partnership for a team within the AMHL and will be so beneficial and rewarding to our athletes and their families,” said Carefoot.

CEO of Global Sports Academy Mark Maloney, is all about how sport teaches team building skills, leadership, adversity, passion, and more.

“I think education provides different pathways for students in music and other academic endeavors,” he said.

“This is an athletic pathway for kids that love sports and I think by having this opportunity, it keeps kids very engaged and focused in school and in life and so we really wanted to open the door for those students that really had athletics as a big part of their life and allow them to tie into the schooling.”

This is an exciting time for athletes at the high school level.

“We have been working really hard with Rocky View to try to bring it into Airdrie, because the model has proved to be very successful in Okotoks and in Springbank. This will be really exciting I think if what happens in Airdrie happened in those other centres.”

“It’s going to create a new wave of excitement in Airdrie and give kids this opportunity to tie in their passion for sport into their academics and leadership.”

Global Sports Academy will be hosting an information session in Airdrie on June 7, 7:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m at the RVS Education Centre. where they will answer any questions about the program. Parents and children interested in signing up have until end of June to do so.

Written by: Dan Marcinkowski, Airdrie Echo/Strathmore Standard

News Source: Airdrie Echo