Alberta Luge on track in their quest to find the next Olympians

Calgary has produced a lot of great luge athletes over the years and a big reason for that was the sliding track at WinSport.

But when the track closed in 2019 because they didn't have enough money for renovations, Alberta Luge had to find a new way to attract youngsters to the sport.

What they decided to do was build a snow track on the east side of the hill.

That's where the Learn to Luge program is right now.  It's for kids between the ages of 10 and 14.

Alberta Luge coach Gunter Rekis says sometimes you just have to get creative.

"Since our track is closed we try to do something else and just keep kids active and get new kids in the sport," Rekis said.

"We start here and then we try to transfer this to the Olympic Luge."

NEED FOR SPEED

The hard part for the kids is walking up the hill.  The reward is when they get to come down it. 

Ben Skinner is in grade seven and he's been in the sport for four years. 

He says he loves the speed.

"It's just really fun going fast and like being on ice and having to do all the manoeuvres and stuff."

BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS AHEAD

Eleven-year-old Scarlett Jochumsen has been with the Learn to Luge program for a year and a half.  The grade six student loves to go fast and says she's learning a lot.

"The best part for me is I get to train and then be able to go onto bigger and better tracks and know what to do and what to practice on."

Alberta Luge improvised when their track closed

TEAM EFFORT TO GET TRACK READY

The track is 100 metres long and has two turns carved into the hill. Reki says it takes a team effort to get it ready for the kids."

"It's made with WinSport's help," Rekis said.

"They come on Saturday night and we go with the cat and then I come after and shape it up a little bit and go from there."

BRACE YOURSELF

For the kids, the first time down the track can be a little scary.  Ryenn Forsberg says she has a solution for that.

"I have to make an ugly luge face.  It's when you like make yourself a double chin," she said.

"Also it's like very quick so you're on it for like 12 seconds so you don't really be scared for that long anyways."

Makena Hodgson went through the Learn to Luge program and now she's competing at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

And the kids will get a treat when Hodgson returns from the games.  She'll be at the next Learn to Luge camp at Winsport on February 14.