Ecole Notre Dame High School plans to start a new accelerated athletics program for the next school year.
The school plans to start the program up due to losing students who play hockey at a high level over the years. Students often have to move elsewhere to develop their skills further and the school wants to keep them in town as long as possible. The plan is to have twenty five kids entering grade nine next year make up the first class of the program. The students involved will go to the C2 once a week at 8 AM, using the ice rink if they play hockey and the field house for other sports. Local coaches Chad Cabana and Ryan Blocha will direct much of the program.
The school approached the town of Bonnyville for about 3,000 dollars in funding to cover ice time fees and other expenses. The town was receptive to the program but encouraged the school to seek out sponsorship from local oil companies before using public funds.