Willie Desjardins will be at the helm of a new hockey academy in southeastern Alberta.

The Climax native will become the face for the Willie Desjardins South Alberta Hockey Academy, which will be operated in conjunction with the Prairie Rose School Division (PRSD).

The southern Alberta-based academy will be starting this fall, and cater to both male and female students in Redcliff, Dunmore, and Irvine. More specifically, Parkside Junior High School (Redcliff), Eagle Butte High School (Dunmore), and Irvine School will house the athletes.

It's Desjardins' latest hockey venture after a 2017-18 stint with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup, and before that, three years as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

"I am excited to contribute to youth hockey development by mentoring and enhancing quality coaching and to transform the hockey experience for players so they leave their mark on and off the ice," said Desjardins in a release on the PRSD website.

"In the future I’d like to explore other academy opportunities, including options outside the sports realm, so all students can follow their passions."

Desjardins is certainly a notable figure in southeastern Alberta, as he spent eight years in the Medicine Hat Tigers organization. He was solely the head coach from 2002-05, and a combo of head coach and general manager from 2005-2010.

Desjardins and his academy staff will be in charge of the sport and athletic side of the operation as one would expect, while the PRSD will integrate and maintain their education standards into the athletes' hockey-centric schedules.

The cost of the academy is set at $3,000 per year.