The National Sport School (NSS) is a public high school (secondary school) in Calgary,

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

which teaches grades 9 through 12. In partnership with Winsport Canada, the school was created to support student athletes with Olympic potential. Developmental and competitive athletes (current and potential) are able to train and travel internationally, while staying in school. It was founded in 1994 as the first national sport school in the country. In 2003, NSS moved from its prior location at

William Aberhart High School William Aberhart High School is a public senior high school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, which teaches grades 10, 11, and 12. It is operated by the Calgary Board of Education. It is a comprehensive English and French Immersion school of 1300 stude ...

, into the northwest corner of the building housing Ernest Manning High School. In September 2011, the NSS moved from Ernest Manning to Canada Olympic Park in the Athletic & Ice Complex due to the old Ernest Manning location closing for LRT construction. The National Sport School is now located in the Markin MacPhail Centre a
WinSport
next to training centers, ice rinks, and the Calgary Gymnastics Centre.

Special accommodations

An athlete's schedule is handled, by allowing students to enter or exit the program throughout the year, without losing credit for work already done (which would occur in a normal 2x5-month semester program). There is a low student-teacher ratio, for added attention. Also, on average, students have access to three computers each, including laptops. Students can remotely stay in contact with their teachers, even when away on competitions.

Calgary's Olympic legacy

The school is physically located to be sufficiently close to major sports facilities within Calgary, many of which were built for the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary. CODA was the organization that ran those Olympics, and their support for the school, is intended to be part of the legacy of those games (along with the sports facilities).

Notable alumni

This section may include current and past students of the school (whether they graduated or not).

International medal winners

Jennifer Botterill Jennifer Botterill, (born May 1, 1979) is a Canadian former women's hockey player and current hockey broadcast television analyst who played for Harvard University, the Canadian national team, the Mississauga Chiefs, and the Toronto Aeros. Sh ...

- Was on gold medal winning ice hockey team in the 2002 and

2006 Winter Olympics The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games ( it, XX Giochi olimpici invernali) and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin, Italy. This marked the second ...

.CODA's list of medal winning alumni for the National Sport School
; URL last accessed February 17, 2006Bergman, Brian
"''Athletes' ABCs: National Sport, Calgary''"
, ''

Maclean's ''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian persp ...

'', August 23, 2004. *

Deidra Dionne Deidra Dionne (born February 5, 1982) is a Canadian freestyle skier. She was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. She won bronze in the 2002 Winter Olympics in freestyle aerial ski

- Won bronze in

2002 Winter Olympics The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...

in freestyle aerial ski * Blythe Hartley - Won bronze at 2004 Summer Olympics for

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), a ...

Kaillie Humphries Kaillie Humphries (born Kaillie Simundson; September 4, 1985) is a Canadian-American bobsledder. Representing Canada, she was the 2010 and 2014 Olympic champion in the two-woman bobsled and the 2018 Olympic bronze medalist with brakewoman Phy ...

- Won gold medals in two-woman bobsled at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, and bronze in two-woman bobsled at the

2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics ( ko, 2018년 동계 올림픽, Icheon sip-pal nyeon Donggye Ollimpik), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (french: Les XXIIIes Jeux olympiques d'hiver; ko, 제23회 동계 올림픽, Jeisipsamhoe Donggye Ollimpi ...

. Won gold in one-woman bobsled ( monobob) at the 2022 Winter Olympics. * Alanna Kraus - Won bronze at

and silver at

in short-track speed skating * Carla MacLeod - Won gold in

ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics was held at the Torino Palasport Olimpico and the Torino Esposizioni in Turin, Italy. The men's competition, held from 15 to 26 February, was won by Sweden, and the women's competition, held from 11 to 20 F ...

"February 2006 National Sport School Newsletter"
; URL last accessed April 12, 2006. * Jessica Sloan - Won six gold medals at the

2000 Summer Paralympics The 2000 Summer Paralympic Games or the XI Summer Paralympics were held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, between 18 and 29 October. The Sydney Paralympics was last time that the Summer Paralympics which were organized by two different ...

Kyle Shewfelt Kyle Keith Shewfelt (born May 6, 1982 in Calgary, Alberta) is a Canadian gymnast. His gold medal in the men's floor exercise competition at the 2004 Athens Olympics was the first-ever medal for a Canadian in an artistic gymnastics event and was ...

- Won gold in gymnastics at the 2004 Summer Olympics

2006 Olympics

Athletes who have attended the school and competed for

Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics Canada competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, with a team of 196 athletes and 220 support staff. As host of the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics, Canada was pressured to do well at the 2006 Games. The Canadian Olympic Committee's goal ...

References

"A Hard Road to Athens: A top gymnast pays the price to achieve her dream"
(May 3, 2004) By Brian Bergman. ''Maclean's'' *"It's the best teaching job ever: Gail Whiteford excels at school for gifted athletes" By Tom Barrett. ''Edmonton Journal'' Edmonton, Alta.: Aug 28, 2005. pg. I.3 *"Students sweat and study in style: National Sport School shifts base" By Lauren MacGillivray. ''Calgary Herald''. Calgary, Alta.: Sep 18, 2003. pg. D.9 *"National Sports School expands" Star - Phoenix. Saskatoon, Sask.: May 10, 2003. pg. B.4 *Durrie, Karen Rudolph
"A sporting change: Programs allow young competitors to excel at athletics - and academics"
'' Calgary Herald'', March 30, 2006. (Alternative Schooling Special Section). p. AS3.

External links

Official site of school
{{High Schools in Calgary High schools in Calgary Educational institutions established in 1994 Sports organizations of Canada 1994 establishments in Alberta Sports schools