Junior VReds Complete Season Two

It’s the evolution of development. And when it comes to starting something from scratch, the development is part of the evolution. Now that the second chapter of what Jeff Speedy hopes is a long book of basketball development has come to a close, the head coach of the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds women’s team has an awful lot of notes to add to the development novel of youth basketball.

Speedy and a crew of coaches have recently wrapped up the second season of competition for the UNB Junior VReds club basketball program. The program, initiated in 2010, expanded this spring and summer to include four teams and 50 girls. Tryouts were held in April and teams were formed at the mini, bantam A and B and under-15 levels.

“I am really happy with the development of our Junior VReds Club Basketball Program,” said Speedy, who is preparing to enter his sixth year at the helm of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport level with UNB. “With 50 girls between the ages of nine and 14 playing competitive basketball, it was great to see.”

The teams practiced two or three times a week and played a number of games in different locations under a strong coaching staff with Speedy overseeing the entire operation.

The Junior VReds teams also participated in tournaments in Boston and Halifax, hosted their own UNB Junior Reds School’s Out Shootout and battled in a number of exhibition games at home and on the road.

Former UNB star Amanda Sharpe joined present day VRed Laura Fowler as coaches with the under-15 team. Reg Springer and former UNB and Dalhousie University Tigers’ stalwart Jackie Kerr guided the bantam A side. Kyle Woodworth and Mick Gardiner were at the helm for the bantam B team and present UNB player Melissa Foster and Linda Speedy coached the mini squad.

The program attracted players locally from the Fredericton YCBC Capitals, Northside Minor Basketball Association Lions, Stanley and Woodstock.

“It was outstanding to see us work together with our two local minor basketball associations and even Basketball New Brunswick,” said Speedy. “The Junior VReds is a great opportunity for all the girls to play at an elite level. It’s a tremendous opportunity to play outside of their other teams, learn from different coaches and find new teammates and friends.”

The Junior VReds Program is not a fundraising initiative for the Varsity Reds women’s team. It does allow present and former players the chance to pursue coaching opportunities and learn from other coaches across Canada and the Eastern United States.

The goal is to develop youth players and instill confidence in players from the mini to bantam levels.

“We are trying to develop girls’ basketball and promote our Varsity Reds’ program at the same time,” said Speedy. “We are learning, growing and improving every year. We want to continue adding aspects of training and coaching that will create an even better environment for the girls as players and as individuals.”