Hoop dreams will be on full display when the Estevan 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games kickoff this Sunday.
The under-14 basketball event will feature both a boys and a girls division with all nine provincial districts taking part in the tournament. Games in each division begin at 8 a.m. on Monday morning at Affinity Place and Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) for a one-day round robin. Playoff games then go ahead throughout Tuesday morning, afternoon and evening before the bronze and gold medal matches are held on a portable hardwood floor at Affinity Place on Wednesday morning.
Rob Andrist, coach of the South East girls team, said they have been practising hard since the 10-person squad was selected during a pair of tryouts in late April. He said they’ve been hitting the court almost every weekend to play together as a team and against each other in an attempt to get ready for the Games.
“It was really a crash course,” said Andrist. “We attended a tournament in Moose Jaw, which was really good for us. We saw some other teams that are going to be coming for the Games, so that really helped us out. We had a chance to play exhibition games against some of the other teams that are going to be here, so we’re feeling pretty good about our chances.”
Team South East boys coach Cory Olson said they have gained some game action in a U15 tournament in Prince Albert in late May as well as a Moose Jaw competition in mid-June. He said they’ve also met every week for a couple of practices in the early goings before ratcheting up the preparation in the last month.
Olson said they’ve billeted the out-of-town kids in Weyburn twice for three straight days in the month of July so they can conduct a Tuesday practice, two Wednesday practices as well as a team-building session and finally a Thursday practice to get the athletes ready.
“We’ve got some really good athletic kids,” said Olson. “It’s just going to be (our) lack of experience in the sport that would be our challenge.”
Andrist said the tournament at Moose Jaw’s A. E. Peacock Collegiate in mid-June helped the girls understand the level of competition they’ll be facing and what is expected of them during the Games. He said Team South East is an excellent group of girls who bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the court and they know it’s going to be tough, but the group is ready to face that challenge.
“Our expectations are pretty high,” he said. “We know that it’s our district. We’re hosting and I know a lot of girls on the team are well aware of that and they’re looking forward to representing the team. We’re hoping to be in the final, that’s our goal.”
