A St. Albert Catholic High student is hitting the books and the slopes in Switzerland this winter with the help of a new program aimed at elite athletes.
St. Albert Catholic High Grade 12 student Kendra Giesbrecht took second in the Slalom English Championships and 1st in a Slalom Italian National Junior race while training as an alpine skier in Europe earlier this month.
“We’ve kind of been all over the Switzerland-Italy border these last two weeks,” she said, speaking from Bormio, Italy, competing against athletes from across Europe.
“Everyone speaks Italian! No one speaks English quite as well.”
Giesbrecht is one of the roughly 50 students enrolled in the Elite Performance Centre program at SACHS. Officially launching at the school’s upcoming open house on Feb. 28, the program combines flexible schedules, in-school fitness trainers, and in-class and remote learning to help students pursue passions that require extensive off-campus activity.
Giesbrecht was the program’s “poster child,” having test-piloted many of its elements in recent years, said SACHS principal Wade Michael.
“We want to be a one-stop shop with no barriers for kids trying to live their dreams,” Michael said.
One-stop shop
Traditionally, elite student athletes would have to take all their lessons remotely if they chose to pursue training abroad, Michael explained. The elite performance program sees students work with a teacher advisor to manage their schedules so they can hop between in-class and remote lessons as needed. Students also work with in-house experts from St. Albert’s Absolute Human Performance for personalized training they otherwise would have to go offsite to get.
“It’s a huge difference for them because they feel they’re still in high school,” Michael said of students in the program.
“They get to be with their friends and get to have that high school experience.”
Michael said the program has drawn interest from dancers, gymnasts, and hockey players who need flexible schedules and/or specialized training since it unofficially started last September. The program currently focuses on athletics but will eventually include music, drama, and other interests.
“Whatever dream you’re trying to live out, we’re going to make school work for you in a high-school setting,” Michael said.
Michael said any number of students could tap into the program’s flexible scheduling options. The in-house trainers could manage about 100 students.
A member of the Banff Alpine Racers, Giesbrecht said she and her teammates spend weeks at a time competing in alpine ski tournaments throughout North America and Europe. She typically comes home every two weeks during the November-May ski season to train and touch base with teachers and friends, and attends class full-time during the May-October off-season.
“I’m able to go in and see friends, see teachers, and not have to drive across town to do my workout,” she said.
Giesbrecht said the elite performance program has helped her pursue her dreams of becoming an Olympic athlete without sacrificing her schooling.
“I don’t have to be dumb in order to ski fast!” she joked.
Giesbrecht recommended the elite performance program to any student involved with a sport that required a lot of out-of-school training.
Call 780-459-7781 for details on the program.
