Not since 1989-90 has there been an official Grenfell Warriors women’s basketball team at Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Corner Brook campus, but that changed this past September when a student from Clarenville, Chantal Rochon, decided to approach Grenfell Wellness Educator Jonathan Snow about the possibility of reviving the program.
Snow, who coaches the Grenfell men’s basketball team, thought it was a great idea and told her he’d support her efforts in any way possible.
A meeting was organized and Snow was dumbfounded to see 17 girls gathered, all looking to play some competitive basketball.
“I was blown away,” Snow said. “She had it all prepared and ready to go.”
Snow hooked the girls up with Shane Collins, a St. John’s native who plays on the men’s team and had previously coached women in Division 2 ball on the east coast.
“The very first practice we had 19-20 girls out,” Collins said.
“It hadn’t been here for so long, but there are a lot of athletes who come to this university and have no outlet; there was no organized recreation for them at Grenfell.
“We spawned the interest, we did a lot of footwork in putting posters up and getting the message out there, and the girls came,” he added.
The ultimate goal for this season is to host an invitational tournament in February, featuring assorted high school and senior women’s teams from around the province.
If all goes well, there’s also a chance the lady Warriors could compete at the Division 2 senior provincials in March.
Not everyone who showed up at that first tryout were bona fide basketball players, although several, such as Rochon and Corner Brook native Sarah Purchase, already had a solid skill set.
“One of the first questions I had was how long it had been since any of them had played,” Collins said. “When you get to post-secondary education, it’s not assumed that everyone that’s there was on their high school team.”
The issue of inexperience was offset by the willingness of the girls to learn. Collins admits there are differences coaching men’s and women’s basketball, particularly in how the sport itself is played, but he said women tend to take the instruction more seriously.
He said girls ask better questions during a lesson than guys do.
“Even coaching the team last year in St. John’s, females want everybody on the same page so it’s less annoying when you’re out there (in a game).
“If they see one girl not making her cuts right, the girls will stop and say, ‘Let’s explain this so everyone knows.’”
The team has been a welcome surprise for many of the players, none of who enrolled at Grenfell with any inkling there would suddenly be a women’s basketball team again.
Purchase, for one, was pumped.
She had been playing the sport since Grade 5, ever since she could first be on a team, and was a member of the Corner Brook Regional High School Titans women’s team last year.
As she begins her first year studying physical education, basketball provides a welcome way to spend a little free time.
“I didn’t think there would be a team, not at all,” she said.
“The second I heard about it, I jumped at it.”
The 18-year-old isn’t exactly of the win-or-go-home attitude, although she admits it’s still competitive to her.
“It’s a lot of fun too,” she said. “It’s a good way to meet friends.”
It hadn’t been here for so long, but there are a lot of athletes who come to this university and have no outlet; there was no organized recreation for them at Grenfell. - Shane Collins, coach
With the goal of playing in two tournaments in the new year looming, the girls soaked up everything they could learn so far.
Practices are finished now until January, when a new slate of open tryouts will begin for any new students that wants to take part. From there a team will be picked and, hopefully, will be good enough to put up a good showing in game action.
“I can see improvement in every practice, vivid improvement,” Collins said.
“That gets back to the girls asking the right questions. They know they need to achieve the point of a particular drill because that’s going to get carried over to when we have our scrimmage and then to the actual game.”
It’s also a great way to create a community feel at the university for the athletically inclined — there are now finally a few sports teams called the Grenfell Warriors again.
“The men’s and women’s teams have joined forces for fundraising, they have the same kind of uniforms, they want to play each other in a charity game in January ... it’s like a Grenfell basketball program,” said Snow. “It’s led by the students. They want to do this.”
With the team comprised of mostly first- and second-year players, this could be just the first few steps in really putting Grenfell athletics back where it should be.
“I would like to think that, I really would,” said Collins. “For 20 years not to have it, I’m glad it’s back.
“It’s needed.”
For more information contact Snow via email at jsnow@grenfell.mun.ca.
