A former Yorkton resident who had moved to Saskatoon in order to receive better training for his track and field events was ruled ineligible to compete in any Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association (SHSAA) competitions in the 2015 high school track and field season by the SHSAA Board of Review.
Jaden Porte, 17, formerly of Yorkton, relocated to Saskatoon in the fall of 2014 to train with the U of S Huskies track team, transferring from Yorkton Regional High School to Saskatoon鈥檚 Centennial Collegiate for his grade 12 year in order to continue with his high school education while training for his track and field future.
However Porte, who moved to Saskatoon alone, unknowingly became ineligible for any high school track competition due to not relocating with a parent. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know that I wouldn鈥檛 be able to compete because I moved by myself,鈥� Porte told Yorkton This Week in an interview Monday evening. 鈥淚 knew that they (SHSAA) could decide whether or not I was able to compete, but I thought that I would have been able to compete because people have done what I鈥檝e done before.
鈥淚 thought the rule, which they changed in 2012, was there to stop schools from stacking their basketball or football teams, where bringing in new players can really affect winning or losing; but not to stop track athletes from competing.鈥�
It makes sense that Porte would be ruled ineligible to compete had Centennial Collegiate recruited the 2014 Provincial champion to compete for the school, however Porte says that鈥檚 not the case. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 care what school in Saskatoon I was going to go to,鈥� offered Porte, continuing, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 talk to Centennial about competing for them.
鈥淚 moved there to train with the Huskies and I actually haven鈥檛 even trained with the high school team once, so I wasn鈥檛 even helping to get their athletes better.鈥�
So upon learning of the SHSAA鈥檚 decision on whether or not he could compete and finding out that they had said no, Porte took the next official step. 鈥淲e reapplied to gain eligibility and provided them with information on why I was moving to Saskatoon,鈥� mentioned Porte, adding that for the second time his eligibility request was denied. 鈥淎fter the second time we (he and his family) decided to put together some more information and go in front of an independent review board, which is what you鈥檙e allowed to do if you鈥檝e been declined twice.
鈥淪o we put together a power point presentation, we got letters of support from my former coach and principal at the YRHS saying how I was moving to Saskatoon to train to compete for a spot on the National Team eventually, and we went in front of the board to plead my case.鈥�
However it was not third time鈥檚 the charm for Porte as for the third time in a row he was ruled ineligible to compete, as the Board of Review 鈥渄ecided unanimously to uphold the decision of the SHSAA Executive in that Jaden Porte is ineligible to participate in Track and Field at Centennial Collegiate for the 2014-2015 season鈥�, meaning Porte had to sit on the sidelines instead of competing in his final year of high school track and field.
Something that does not sit well with the 17-year-old track star, who would most likely win a gold medal at provincials no matter what high school he would have been competing for. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 unfair,鈥� said Porte, who would have been competing in front of family and friends Yorkton this weekend at the 2015 SHSAA Provincial track and field competition had he been allowed to participate for Centennial Collegiate. 鈥淗igh school sports are there to help athletes better themselves and meet new people, but because of this ruling I now have to sit while others compete.
鈥淭hat kind of goes against what the SHSAA says they believe in.鈥�
But Porte also believes that this injustice by the SHSAA, who prides itself in being 鈥渃ommitted to amateurism, student-athlete welfare鈥� sportsmanship and fair play, cultural diversity and the overall athletic experience鈥� despite preventing Porte from competing in 2015, will not deter him.
Instead he believes it will help fuel him towards his goals, both in the near future and later on in his track and field career. 鈥淚 think this will help drive me towards reaching my goals,鈥� said Porte. 鈥淪hort-term I want to place at the Junior Nationals in Edmonton and medal at the Western Canadian Summer Games.
鈥淟ong-term it will help me as I try to make the National Team and hopefully get picked up by a sponsor after I finish university, where I鈥檒l be competing with the U of S.鈥�
