South Alberta Hockey Academy pivots hiring efforts

By Jordan Parker

The South Alberta Hockey Academy has been searching for a coach for the upcoming year, but they have now changed the scope of their efforts.

South Central High School Principal Jason Desrocher in Oyen – with help from the Prairie Rose School Division – is now looking for someone to help with capacity.

"We are looking at what may be less service than last year, but the town has made the ice free for us to use, which has been a great help. We are looking at lowering the fees," said Desrocher, who credited the Town of Oyen with the tremendous amount of assistance he's received.

"We brought a company from Medicine Hat and did a recruiting video to sell people on the town and our schools. We are trying all kinds of things."

The school division says they are confident they will have an academy for the school year. It has changed the scope of what they're seeking, and they hope to keep some structure and a high level of skill in the personnel.

"We are hoping to bring someone in, but go in a different direction. We are currently looking community-wide for someone to supplement and help out," said Mark Heinrichs, Chief Deputy Superintendent at the division.

"We don't want to put a program out there that isn't good, or that doesn't suit the needs of students. We have been working hard and will have something more concrete in August."

The Director of Communications for the Prairie Rose School Division reached out to The Echo with further information about the program and current hiring needs following a media request.

"Based on the challenge with recruiting teachers to the Oyen area, we have now taken a different approach for hiring someone to support the hockey academy... We are now looking for someone within the Oyen area to help with drills, skating and other skill and fitness development for the academy," wrote Angela Baron.

"As the academy does not have teams or compete competitively as part of the school program, there is no actual 'coach' required for the position. We are still actively recruiting a high school physical education teacher who will help support the curricular outcomes and physical fitness that is part of the academy program."

The academy program is optional for students, and Baron says the extent the new Phys-Ed teacher will be connected to the hockey program will depend on experience.

"Our plan is to hire someone local with hockey skills and experience to assist with the academy program at this time so we are able to continue to offer the option program to our students," she wrote.