UNB Women�??s Basketball Front and Center in the Community Once Again

At one time or another, they were all there. Each and every member of the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds Women’s Basketball Team started their careers in elementary school gymnasiums.

Playing minor basketball across the country, moving into middle school and graduating to high school ranks where coaches started discovering court prowess. The opportunity to ascend to the ultimate goal of playing Canadian Interuniversity Sport takes many curves, off roads and highways along the way.

Not every story is the same, of course, but somehow, this group of Varsity Reds has found common ground as teammates. As part of that, you can be sure the UNB squad is big when it comes to giving back. Head coach Jeff Speedy ensures the grassroots level is not something his charges are allowed to forget.

“We’re aware of the responsibilities our players have as student-athletes and what role they can play in the community,” said Speedy. “There are a lot of aspiring athletes who look up to our players and they need to be aware of that. If we can make impressions with what we do on the court, it can start paving the way for younger players to have those same dreams and desires. Giving back is a critical component of our program.”

What is giving back?

You can find the Varsity Reds hosting skills and drills training sessions for young minor basketball players in the Fredericton area. They hit the road to other New Brunswick locations including St. Stephen, for instance, where several members of the coaching staff and players helped high school aged players in the Border Town get a little bit better.

Every little bit helps.

“There is a big demand on today’s student-athletes and we need to find that proper balance to ensure the players aren’t overextending themselves,” Speedy said. “If schedules can be worked out and the timing is good, it’s a great experience for the players to get out and work with younger athletes. It almost re-charges our players in a sense to give back.”

Some prime examples include present Varsity Reds’ players Laura Fowler, Melissa Foster and Megan Corby along with assistant coach Dan Goggin. All four were involved with the Junior VReds Program in the spring of 2010. Fowler and Goggin coached a Bantam B team and Foster and Corby guided a mini team. Both squads travelled through the Eastern United States for major tournaments along the way.

Players were also involved as coaches and organizers of the UNB Spring League which featured a wealth of girls between the ages of nine and 14 playing on campus. Throughout the year, you can find players attending minor basketball practices all over the city as guest coaches and instructors. And when they speak, players listen.

“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback when our girls go out into the community and help some of the coaches who have dedicated their time to volunteer,” Speedy said. “It’s a great experience for our players to show what it takes to improve as a basketball player and as a person. They take the opportunity of being a role model seriously and it shows.”

There is a buzz around the UNB Women’s Program this year and the chatter about their results at the recent Accreon Helen Campbell and Don Grant Classic Tournaments are proof. Many young players dressed in their minor basketball jerseys were in attendance with their parents.

That wasn’t lost on the UNB team.

“The girls are aware of all the younger players coming out to support us,” Speedy said. “It’s great to see our athletes mingling with those players and their parents. They may have coached them on a team or attended one of their practices and they take the time to catch up with them or just say hi. It may be small, but it means a lot to our program.”

The demands on student-athletes are multiple, but the first part of that descriptions rings true for UNB athletes. Not to be lost in all of the games, practices, workouts and reaching into the community are the books.

Studying is critical when it comes to athletic success. The Varsity Reds are certainly proud of the way their players respond in the classroom.

Want proof?

Five present UNB players, who excel on the court as players and team leaders, are also Academic All Canadians from 2009-10. All five players received a scholarship from UNB for their outstanding work with books, pens and pencils. Megan Corby (Kinesiology), Melissa Foster (Kinesiology), Samantha Kaminsky (Science), Emma Russell (Recreation Sports Studies) and Amanda Sharpe (Kinesiology) all posted academic standing of 80 per cent or better, logging 3.5 Grade Point Averages or better. Tashina Van Vlack, the team’s lone graduate from last year, also achieved Academic All Canadian status as well.

A total of 60 student-athletes out of 183 varsity sport members were recognized as Academic All Canadians.

 “Anytime one third of your student-athletes enter into the area of academic excellence, it is certainly something to be proud of,” said UNB athletic director Kevin Dickie. “No question, our goal is to win in the sport arena, but we want to do it the right way by also representing our community with pride and class while maintaining a standard of excellence in the classroom.”

That is something Speedy sees every day with his players. Could be a road trip that’s quiet with players studying. Could be a night off from practice to hit the books.

“It’s an outstanding success to have half our team earn Academic All Canadian status,” commented Coach Speedy. “We have a goal for our student athletes to become better people and better students while a part of our Program, not just better basketball players. I think we are seeing this happen and that means as much to me as W’s.”