Team Woodland, which include the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, were the top team in athletics during the Tony Cote Summer Games in August. (2024 Tony Cote Summer Games)

By Derek Cornet

athletics

LLRIB seeking coach to launch high-performance track club

Dec 2, 2024 | 2:34 PM

The Lac La Ronge Indian Band is looking to hire a qualified coach to launch a high-performance track club in Northern Saskatchewan.

Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre director of sports and recreation Kevin Roberts explained the desire to do so stems from the approximately $500,000 the band invested earlier this year on its track and field facilities to host the Tony Cote Summer Games.

“We thought of a track club that would work in addition to what is already being offered through the school programs,” he said.

“I know, typically, it’s the gym teacher who introduces athletics to students, and the students pick it up and go to meets at the high school level. Our thinking is maybe we should try give them the option and opportunity to continue at a high level, at a provincial level, and start attending some track meets.”

There is no deadline to apply for the position and anyone with track experience is encouraged to do so. The position would not be full-time and those with a post-secondary education with a Bachelor of Education, for example, would be an asset.

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Roberts noted much of the work, which would include some administrative duties like paying fees, getting athletes sanctioned and registered for events, would occur on the weekends, as well as in the late spring and early summer.

“We’re really looking for someone with track experience to help guide the talent that is in and around the tri-community,” he said, adding a crucial aspect is possessing the expertise to share their experience and knowledge on the technical side of the sport.

“That’s really the key. When you have talented youth, the key is to get them on a higher level on the technical side of things, the mental preparation, all that type of stuff.”

The track and field infrastructure is located at Senator Myles Venne School and is known as the Jimmy Roberts Memorial Track. The position and program will be open to all residents of the tri-communities regardless if they are a Lac La Ronge Indian Band member or not.

During the Tony Cote Summer Games in August, Team Woodland dominated the competition in the athletic events.

“We have the rest of the winter to recruit somebody and make some arrangements with them to build an organization from nothing,” Roberts said.

“We don’t have anything in place. We’re looking at building an organization from the ground up.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com