New sport development centre to assist Lethbridge and area athletes
Lethbridge... Athletes in Alberta’s southwest region are now able to access important support services closer to home, thanks to a partnership of the City of Lethbridge, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge Community College and the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation.
The Alberta Sport Development Centre-Southwest will operate within facilities in the Lethbridge area, providing a range of athlete services such as nutritional counseling, physiotherapy, psychological preparation and access to advanced coaching. The regional centre is the latest in a provincial network that includes Grande Prairie, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray and the Edmonton Capital Region.
“Adding the southwest region to the Alberta Sport Development Centre Network will provide the support and services our athletes need to achieve athletic excellence close to home,” said Cindy Ady, Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. “Being able to access this level of expertise without having to travel is really going to benefit our up and coming athletes.”
The facility will work with the Canadian Sport Centre Calgary to provide services to Alberta athletes competing at a provincial or Canada Games level. The services complement those currently available through national and provincial sport associations, municipalities and other institutions. The Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation will provide $120,000 to operate the centre in 2009-10. The community partners will also provide operational support.
“Our newest sport development centre in southwestern Alberta further demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to Alberta’s emerging young athletes and coaches,” said Bill Persley, Chair, Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation. “We are all working together to ensure Alberta’s athletes have the resources to achieve their potential.”
The Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation is a non-profit Crown corporation, supported by the Alberta Lottery Fund. It provides support for participation in sport, recreation and physical activity, athletic excellence and the preservation and recreational use of natural environments in Alberta.
-30-
