Children and youth in the city of Prince Albert and surrounding area have greater access to free organized sport and recreational opportunities with a new Ranch Ehrlo program.

The Community Sports Program in Prince Albert has grown from its beginnings with the Outdoor Hockey League (OHL), expanding to include four free drop-in sport leagues for youth ages 10 to 16 years old.

“Our main focus is to get the kids off the streets and to start doing something positive,” said Ryan DeRaps, program coordinator. “We just want them to come in and have a good time.”

The Community Sports Program is in partnership with Metis Local 269, Westflat Community Schools, Queen Mary School, and the recreation department of the City of Prince Albert.

A significant portion of coordination and funding comes from Ranch Ehrlo’s Matheson House, where youth residents support the program by working as peer mentors during the drop-in leagues.

“It’s priceless,” Ryan said of the youth’s participation in the program. “They’re learning so many qualities; life skills, rules, and the importance of being dependable. These kids are helping other kids who are potentially in their same situation two or three years ago.”

The OHL began in 2010 and expanded in 2012 to include a baseketball/dodgeball league, soccer league, and a floor hockey league.

Ryan said the community’s response has been great with participation growing each year. Approximately 86 kids participated in the first OHL night of the 2012 season and nearly 50 children attend the program’s indoor leagues on a regular basis.

The Community Sports Program is a smaller-scale replica of Ranch Ehrlo’s Sport Venture program which provides inner-city youth and families with access to recreational programs and sporting equipment in the city of Regina.

For more information visit www.ehrlo.com/community -services/csp/ or call 306-765-2817