PENTICTON, BC – Potential athletes, parents, teachers and coaches are welcome to attend an Information Session for a new Canadian Sport School – Penticton (CSS – Penticton), opening in Penticton, BC in School District 67, slated for opening in September 2020.
Following in the footsteps of the successful Kelowna-based “Canadian Sport School – Kelowna” model, the Penticton-based program is modeled after the national flagship sport school operated out of the Canadian Sport Institute in Victoria. The CSS program has three main components:
- Physical training through the IGNITE Athlete Development Program™
- Independent Study Blocks to provide student-athletes time for homework completion, quiet study and/or online learning, supervised by a certified teacher;
- Sport Performance Seminars (such as mental training, dietetics, injury prevention), to educate student-athletes in high performance sport.
CSS occurs during the school day at nearby locations away from their home school. Students attend their home school for the morning blocks, and sport school for the remainder of the day. This allows student-athletes to maintain connections with their peer group and to compete for their high school and club sports teams. Students receive course credits for their CSS courses (4 credits/course), which allows them to graduate with their home school peers.
The Canadian Sport School – Kelowna program has seen tremendous success in student athlete performance both academically and athletically, helping to develop athletes from over 25 sports over the past 8 years of operation, and seeing many of them continue on to post-secondary sport, and national and Olympic/Paralympic teams. In addition, many sport school graduates go on to study and work in health and exercise sciences, among other professions, with a 100% graduation record, and a strong record of post-secondary school and career success.
The Information Session for the CSS Penticton school is scheduled for February 19, at the IMC Building, behind the School Board office, from 6:00pm – 7:30pm, and will feature presentations from PacificSport Okanagan staff and CSS leadership, and representatives from SD 67 will be on hand to handle academic-related questions. School District 67 Superintendent, Wendy Hyer is optimistic about the program: “The District is very excited about the potential partnership with CSS – Penticton, as it provides our student athletes with an opportunity to work with experts who guide their athletic development and minimize the stress, overtraining and injuries that student athletes are often exposed to. It is an opportunity for our student athletes to remain in their community and train in their sport.”
PacificSport Okanagan is equally positive about the potential for this collaborative effort: “As the regional sport centre for the Okanagan Valley, PacificSport Okanagan is proud to be working with talented coaches, sport scientists and specialized coaches and teaching staff to provide a superior experience for student athletes to improve their holistic athlete development experience. We are thrilled to build on our strong relationship with SD 23 in the Central Okanagan to offer a high quality program in conjunction with SD 67 – tailored specifically for student athletes who are looking to enhance their sport, life, and study skills. We welcome all interested members of the public to this informative community event” says Shaunna Taylor, Executive Director, PacificSport Okanagan. “We are grateful for the support of School District 67 and the Canadian Sport Institute, both organizations recognizing the important value of sport as a character and community-builder. By investing in local developing athletes, we are investing in future leaders, active community members, and outstanding active living ambassadors.”
Visit the PacificSport Okanagan website (www.pacificsportokanagan.com) for more information on athletes and coach development programs and events. To see more information specifically on the Canadian Sport School model, visit the website at: http://canadiansportschool.csipacific.ca/campuses/kelowna/
About PacificSport Okanagan
PacificSport Okanagan is a not-for-profit organization established in 2002, responsible for leading athlete, coach and community sport services in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. We provide leadership and support for a wide variety of sport and physical activity services to help communities play, participate and perform at their best, through sport. Learn more at www.pacificsportokanagan.com.
Media Contacts:
Shaunna Taylor, PhD
Executive Director, PacificSport Okanagan
250-469-8854
staylor@pacificsport.com
Jackie Lawther
Sport Performance Coordinator
250-469-8855
jlawther@pacificsport.com
