During the 2017-18 season, we saw our Elite Girls program grow from 1 to 3 travelling Elite teams. The highlight of our season was winning the gold medal at Basketball Alberta’s U11 Youth Provincial Tournament. Coaches, parents, and players celebrated how special of an accomplishment that was. Now, we want more for our girls. We want them to have an experience growing up playing basketball in Fort McMurray that rivals any community in North America.

Northern Trailblazers Basketball’s Director of Junior Programs & House League and Elite Coach Rachel Ivey is a 23 year old who grew up in Toronto and Sault Ste. Marie, ON. She has played sports since she was walking and they have shaped who she is as a person. Read on for a bit about her upbringing in sport.

“Sports are my thing and have been for as long as I can remember. I participated in every sport I was able to access growing up; basketball, gymnastics, badminton, soccer, volleyball, track and field, hockey, the list goes on. Growing up in sport, I learnt a lot about athletic movements and positioning. Through these sports, I may have learnt more about confidence, leadership, and accomplishing goals. It is these intangible sport skills that have really shaped who I am as a woman.

Sports were so important in my upbringing. In school, I was shy and didn’t like to talk. When it came to sports, I felt like I was at home. I could speak my mind and found a sense of confidence in that setting. Sports empowered me. I learnt how to be a leader, I was introduced to constructive criticism, I was taught to be proud of who I am, and to be humble. I am forever grateful for the skills that I learnt and continue to build today on through sport. Participating in sport can empower other young girls.

I went on to study Sport Management at Brock University (Ontario). I was able to focus my entire university experience on sports. The skills that I developed as I child helped me relate to a lot of the courses I took in university. I took sport specific courses in management, communication, marketing, finance, campus recreation, and other areas. Most of my courses were exciting – something I never knew could be possible. I met peers who became event managers, marketing coordinators and professional sport executives.

At Northern Trailblazers Basketball, we are shaping the next generation of basketball players, coaches, officials and executives. Now, I get to pass all my experiences and knowledge onto the children I coach. This is a privilege that I never knew could be so rewarding.

Today, I am strong, outspoken, and proud of who I am. Sports were crucial in bringing this out of me.”

With a great group of Elite coaches and a program dedicated to competing with the best programs in Alberta, our Elite program will challenge your daughter to strive to reach her goals and develop confidence in other areas of her life while having fun in a safe environment with all of her friends.