Athletes looking to further their education while doing the sport they love have a new option at Northern Lights College — now they can combine trades or university classes with a high-performance speed skating program.
Fort St. John is home to one of three indoor speed skating ovals in Canada and it is now home to the only collegiate speed skating program in the country, allowing athletes to take their training to a new level while embarking on post-secondary education.
NLC had been looking at expanding the athletics programming for some time and after months of discussions, logistics, and designs, the team was officially launched.
Northern Lights College President Todd Bondaroff was joined by Jessie Drew, Vice President of Community Relations & Institutional Strategy, to announce the new program on December 14 at the Canadian Neo-Junior and Junior Long Track Championships in Fort St. John.
“At Northern Lights College, we are excited to join forces with the City of Fort St. John in launching the NLC Speedskating Team, an initiative that highlights our region’s commitment to athletic excellence,” said Jessie.
“With the Pomeroy Sports Centre and its world-class long-track oval, Fort St. John has long been a hub for speedskating, and this team will build on that legacy. For our domestic students, this collaboration offers a unique opportunity to combine their academic journey with a chance to train and compete at the highest level. We are proud to support the development of both athletes and leaders who will shape the future of our community and beyond.”
Karen Mason-Bennett, Campus Administrator and champion of this collaboration, is enthusiastic about making this dream a reality.
“Fort St John has made a name for themselves for in the speed skating world, producing Olympians like Denny Morrison and Linda Johnson. Northern Lights College is excited to be following in these footsteps, supporting skaters to achieve their athletic and academic goals through innovative athletics programming and educational expertise.”
To learn more about this opportunity, head over to nlc.bc.ca/speed-skating/