PRINCE ALBERT — The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division has announced a new partnership with Trach Power Skating and Skills and Trach Sports Academy for the 2025-26 school year.
What was known as the Global Sports Academy will now become the Saskatchewan Rivers Sports Academy in the next school year.
"What it is we have a new partnership with a more local group,” Carlton Supt. Jeff Court said. “The programming or rebranding portion of it is more connected to being more local.”
Court said that adding local connections to the academy would be a benefit for everyone.
"He (Jordan Trach) was in our community running power skating sessions for quite several years before Village and Global Sports coming in,” Court said. “He also was a Raider alumnus, played with the Raiders for two or three seasons back when he was in his junior hockey playing career or days, so he has put together a fantastic group of people that we're looking forward to working with.”
According to Court, only the name will change. The academy will still be run out of Carlton Comprehensive Public High School, and the programming will be the same.
Court said the Academy has been receiving more interest from the division’s rural students.
"It's been a really great way for us to support those students that have those athletic and academic goals to help pursue their dreams,” Court said.
In a press release, the division said the new collaboration will support staff in delivering high-quality athletic programming to student-athletes across Saskatchewan Rivers.
In a release, the division expressed gratitude to Village Sports Group for their fantastic five-year partnership.
"It has been a really great partnership with Global,” Court said. “It really has. It's a scenario where, just as a system this had the opportunity to become a little bit more local and that's important to us.”
Court delivered a report to the board of education in January. In in, Court said Global Sports has grown to include 90 student-athletes in three programs: High School Hockey, Grade 7 and 8 Hockey and High School Multi-Sport. Last year the same program had 70 enrolled.
The programs on offer include sport specific training, sports therapy and nutrition education along with flexible learning opportunities. In his report, Court attributes the growth to the high quality of the program overall.
The program has a mix of male and female students. The Grade 7 and 8 program brings in students from Red Wing, Ecole Vickers, Ecole Arthur Pechey and Osborne Schools.
Finch added that the education side is very important along with the athletic side of Global Sports. He explained that leadership work is done during classroom time which is also beneficial to students.
The Grade 9 to 12 program has a blended learning environment where students can work at their own pace and choose what they want to work on.
In the release, the division said they were eager to welcome Trach and his team because they bring well-respected expertise in skill development and athletic training to the program.
"We are excited to partner with Trach Power Skating and Skills and Trach Sports Academy to continue offering top-tier athletic development opportunities for our students," Court said in the release. "Jordan Trach and his team bring a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to helping young athletes develop their skills, and we are confident that this partnership will greatly benefit our student-athletes."
Trach also expressed enthusiasm for the partnership.
"We are proud to work with the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division to support student-athletes in their development,” he said in a press release. “Our goal is to provide high-quality training in a positive, challenging, and supportive environment. We look forward to working with students and staff to help them achieve their athletic goals.”
The division said families who are interested in this programming can connect with Trach and his team at [email protected].
“Our partnership with Global and the Village Sports folks has been a fantastic partnership, but on the other side, we're really excited to move forward with Jordan Trach and his group that will be joining us for the start of the school year,” Court said.
Former Prince Albert Mintos coach Doan Smith, who the organization announced on social media had resigned his position after one year earlier this week, was the Prince Albert area manager for Village Sports. [email protected]
