The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack have officially opened the Sports Legacy Fund High Performance Training Centre.

Athletics Director Curtis Atkinson says the space will help TRU student-athletes reach their full potential.

“It feels a little bit like the start of a new era in some ways,” Atkinson said.

“We’ve had amazing opportunities to train in the TCC, and we’ll still have those opportunities, but this opens up the way we train, the way we can coach strength and conditioning, how we prepare athletes for competition in a new way that we’re all really excited about.”

TRU men’s soccer player and Kamloops native Jonathan Rinaldi says he’s excited to be able to use the new space, which replaces the former squash courts in the gym building.

“Being from here and seeing this facility as it was before years ago, its amazing,” Rinaldi said. “It shows how far this program has come in all aspects. I’m surprised how well they did it. It’s quite incredible.”

The state-of-the-art training facility was made possible by a $500,000 donation from the Kamloops Sports Legacy Fund, the largest-ever donation in WolfPack history. The fund was established after the Kamloops Blazers were sold to Tom Gaglardi in 2007.

“We made the commitment at that time that these funds would extend into perpetuity, and so far we seem to be reaching that goal as we’re not 15 years into that process,” Bob Smillie, the Executive Director of the Sports Legacy Fund Society, said.

Smillie says $375,000 of their contribution was earmarked for the high performance centre with the other $125,000 going towards student awards and scholarships.

“It was hard to envision this initially because the actual structure itself was being developed, but to be here today and seeing all of the equipment, we know it has been a great investment,” Smilie added.

The university has invested $1.3 million in the renovations and hired a full-time strength and conditioning head coach for the new training facility. They say the donation will outfit the 156-square-metre space with lifting stations, speed-work tracks, and other equipment.

– With files from Abby Zieverink

. @GoTRUWolfPack unveils new Sports Legacy Fund High Performance Training Centre today.
All possible thanks to a $500K donation through the program that distributes funds through the sale of the #Kamloops Blazers in 2007.
The gift that keeps on giving.
📸 @ZieverinkAbby pic.twitter.com/wewLPha44T

— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) October 25, 2023