SYBA nearly in full swing

There was a vision that was shared by many when the move to merge a few factions within the Sudbury and area club basketball landscape resulted in the creation of the Sudbury Youth Basketball Association (SYBA) a few years back.

Feedback from the recent SYBA year-end banquet which gathered more than 200 athletes and coaches, in addition to a large contingent of parents would suggest that at least some of that vision is now within reach.

"We are very close to where we want to get to," suggested long-time board member Brenda Tremblay.

"We should have a full lineup of teams, from U10 to U19, in both boys and girls, by 2015-2016."

"There has been an uptick in volunteers, from coaches to assistant coaches to managers," Tremblay added. "People are really stepping up in the community."

If there is one area that is lagging behind, it lies on the board of directors of SYBA, with Tremblay noting that there were a handful of key roles that were not yet spoken for with the annual general meeting right around the corner.

"I've been with the board for six years, so it's time for me to move on," she said. "But I'm not going to transition out until we have a strong board in place."

The focus lies on the administrative side, with the on-court product comfortably overseen by John Desormeaux.

Returning as director of operations, Desormeaux is working closely with the coaches and also in tandem with the existing directors of development, namely Bruce Bourget (girls) and Denis Lessard (boys).

While Tremblay and others will note the growth in overall numbers, there is also something to be said for a broad-based rise in the caliber of the athletes that are now flowing through the system, with many pursuing realistic aspirations of playing somewhere in the post-secondary ranks.

France Courtemanche is still two years away from having to make a decision of where to pursue her basketball aspirations, though signs point to the Notre-Dame Alouettes star enjoying at least a couple of options.

She credits that, in part, to her ability to diversify her role on the court as she worked through a "basketball metamorphosis”.
"When you get to this point versatility as a player is key," said Courtemanche.

"I was always the smallest player, and now I've gone through a growth spurt. I'm more comfortable at point guard, but I need to be more versatile."

A member of the U16 Sudbury Jam girls team, Courtemanche was thrilled with the manner in which the team reached their final destination.

"Our story was provincials," she stated. "We had a lot of new players added on this year, and provincials were really our end product. What you saw there from everybody signified what we had worked on all season. It was really our time to deliver."

"We had a lot of speed on our team, and it took a lot of time to learn how to use that to our advantage."

Across town, St. Charles College senior Matt Bell embraced the wonderful experience that comes from gathering much of the top talent in the city, and beyond.

"It's a big difference having a great group of guys that can really play," said Bell. "Guys like Noah LaPierre (Lasalle), Kieran Naus from Elliot Lake. It's fun playing together."

For Bell, it means an adjustment to his game, switching somewhat from his role as a primary scorer with the Cardinals to a different focus of responsibility when he steps on the court as a member of the Sudbury Selects.

"I really focus on the defensive part of my game," said Bell. "I don't score that much here, but I'm a workhorse on the defensive end."

Unable to attend the Basketball Ontario provincials this year due to several players competing at the OFSAA Track & Field Championships, Bell is looking forward to one more year with the SYBA boys next spring.
A handful of players have already indicated their intention to commit to the team one final time.

While all 16 teams that SYBA fielded in 2014-2015 were recognized at the banquet, the older age groups also acknowledged some individual award recipients, with winners from the various teams as follows:

U15 Girls
MVP: Ariane Saumure
Most Improved Player: Samantha Martin
Coaches' Choice: Steffi Leers

U15 Boys
Co-MVPs: Nick Rideout, Michael Babcock
Most Improved Player: Nick Brown

U16 Girls
MVP: France Courtemanche
Most Improved Player: Amanda Lawson
Coaches' Choice: Delanie Pearson

U16 Boys
Most Improved Player: Jacob Lamontagne
Coaches' Choice: Branden Kucey

U17 Girls
Co-MVPs: Megan Desormeaux, Nicole Conlin
Coaches' Choice: Jessica Washburn