From left are Teacher Alayne Baggaley, Grade 11 student Ejhisen Tabilisma, Grade 12 student Colten Kilpatrick and Teacher Dan Mills.

The Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School Esports Club is making waves, with its students climbing the global ranks of Rocket League – one of the world’s most competitive video games.

Colten Kilpatrick, a Grade 12 student, Ejhisen Tabilisma and Ethan Kuhn, both Grade 11 students, are proving that gaming isn’t just for fun – it’s a battleground for skills, strategy and success.

“I’m currently in the top 500 in Canada and the top 3,000 in the world,” said Colten, adding that Rocket League currently has approximately 90 million active players.

Rocket League, a high-octane fusion of soccer and rocket-powered cars, demands precision, teamwork, and split-second decision-making in which players control flying, boosting, and flipping vehicles to score goals in gravity-defying fashion. More than just a game, it fosters critical skills like strategic thinking, teamwork, effective communication, problem-solving, and resilience – qualities that extend far beyond the virtual field.

The Lindsay Thurber Esports Club, coached by Teachers Dan Mills and Alayne Baggaley, competes through Generation Esports, an international organization that runs competitive leagues and tournaments for schools that have students competing against other teams/students from across North America. To date, the teams have competed against players all over the United States, Canada and Mexico. The club not only provides a platform for competition, but also strives to foster and develop leadership, teamwork and STEM skills. Students in the club are also actively encouraged to maintain a balanced approach to their school work and classes with an emphasis on successfully completing their classes and course work.

Their achievements have drawn comparisons to elite athletes. “What these students are accomplishing is the equivalent of playing on an NHL team while still attending high school,” said Dan, adding the team has competed in nine international tournaments this year and have claimed first place in eight of them.

For Ejhisen, joining the Esports Club was a natural expression of his passion for gaming. Colten, on the other hand, was hooked from the moment he started playing. His dedication has landed him a spot on Nat 5, a professional esports team in Canada. “We recently played in the North American qualifier with 1,100 teams – and we placed 100th,” he said. The North American Qualifier sends the top 64 teams to compete for a position at the RLCS World finals which awards a prize pool of more than $1.1 million annually.

Colten’s esports success has also opened doors for his future. This fall, he will head to Spring Arbor University in Michigan on a scholarship, where he’ll compete on a collegiate Rocket League team while studying graphic design. Ejhisen has big plans, too – after graduating in 2026, he will pursue a career in medicine.

With their talent, drive, dedication and ambition, these Lindsay Thurber esports students are proving that gaming is more than just a pastime – it’s a pathway to a successful future.

The Red Deer Regional Health Foundation is honored to announce a historic $10 million donation that will bring life – saving cardiac care to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.

This extraordinary gift, generously contributed by Joan Donald, John and Heather Donald, and Peter and Kathy Lacey, is the largest donation in the foundation’s history and will play a critical role in establishing the previously announced interim cardiac catheterization lab at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.

“For too long, Central Albertans have faced an unacceptable reality—if you suffer a heart attack in Red Deer, you must be transported to Calgary or Edmonton for the care you need,” said Manon Therriault, CEO of the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation. “And when every second counts, that distance can mean the difference between life and death.

Thanks to this transformational gift, more lives will be saved, and more families will be spared the fear of waiting for a transfer.”

The impact of this generosity is profound. With the interim cardiac catheterization lab, it is estimated that 160 lives will be saved in the 5 years leading up to the establishment of a permanent lab. Patients will receive timely, specialized care closer to home, significantly improving outcomes and reducing the burden on families.

“A gift like this does not happen by chance—it takes vision, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to community,” Manon added. “Joan, John, Heather, Peter, and Kathy have set a powerful example of what philanthropy can achieve. Their generosity is not just a donation; it is a legacy of life-saving care for generations to come.”

This milestone underscores the crucial role of philanthropy in advancing healthcare. The Red Deer Regional Health Foundation extends its deepest gratitude to the Donald and Lacey families for their remarkable generosity and commitment to a healthier future for Central Alberta.