Chargers women’s basketball reloads for another run at BCCAA title
May 15, 2008
As the final seconds of the British Columbia Colleges’ Athletic Association (BCCAA) provincial championship game ticked off in Prince George three months ago, the Camosun College Chargers women’s basketball coaching staff knew the team had to improve if it hoped to make a return appearance to the finals next season. With the announcement of the incoming 2008 women’s basketball recruiting class, the Chargers have taken the first step on the long road toward repeating and perhaps surpassing the achievements of their record-breaking 2007-08 season.
In 2007-08, the Chargers completed a two-year turn around from worst to first, finishing the league season with a 13 and 3 record and the number one spot in the BCCAA standings. The Chargers went on to reach the provincial championship game for the first time in the history of the program.
“When we returned home from the provincial tournament, a friend of mine said a team can never reach its true potential until its soul has been scarred,” said Chargers head coach Brett Westcott. “After leading at halftime and then collapsing in the third quarter, I think our soul has been plenty scarred now!”
The Chargers coaches also realized the team needed to improve in some key areas and are confident that the incoming recruiting class addresses those gaps. Leading the incoming class of new Chargers is the guard combination of Christine Ireland from Stelly’s and Carly Hopp from Oak Bay. Ireland was the 2007 Vancouver Island ‘AAA’ championship most valuable player who led the Stelly’s team to three consecutive appearances at the BC ‘AAA’ tournament. Hopp was the 2008 Police Tournament most valuable player and was instrumental in leading Oak Bay to the 2008 Vancouver Island ‘AAA’ championship and a sixth-place finish at the BC ‘AAA’ tournament.
“Christine and Carly are tremendous athletes who are fearless attacking the basket and shooting from the perimeter,” said Westcott. “They were two of the best high school guards in the province this past season and they will make us better at both ends of the court next season.”
In an attempt to improve their front court, the Chargers will add 6’0” post Deanna Dyer from Prince Rupert. Dyer, who did not play this past season while attending Northwest College in Prince Rupert, joins the Chargers after leading her Prince Rupert Rainmakers high-school team to the 2007 BC ‘AA’ Final Four.
“The addition of Deanna will give us some size and toughness which we lacked at times last season,” said Westcott. “If Julia Fisher can return from her injury and with the return of our starting frontcourt from last season, Deanna will give us more depth and she will help us to improve some of our rebounding weaknesses which were exposed at times last season.”
Also joining the Chargers next season will be former St. Michael’s forward Lauryn Kerr, Lambrick Park guard Kymber Gale and former Lake Cowichan guard and UVic transfer Heidi Padjen. Kerr was an all-star at the 2006 BC ‘AA’ tournament while Gale was an all-star at the 2006 Vancouver Island ‘AA’ tournament. Padjen returns to the Chargers as a fifth-year player after playing this past season with the UVic women’s team. Jasmine Paul from Mount Douglas will join the roster as a red-shirt for next season.
“Lauryn will give us some more size on the perimeter and she can play in the post if we need some flexibility,” said Westcott. “Kymber could be the real prize of this class if she comes back healthy from a knee injury which kept her out of action last season. She can handle the ball and shoot really well from the perimeter. Heidi enjoyed her experience at UVic, but she wanted to complete her criminal justice program while playing her last season.”
“The addition of these girls will improve our skill level, our practice competition and our depth which will hopefully help us to earn a chance to write a different ending to next season. I am also extremely familiar with most of these incoming girls so hopefully their transition to the college level will be quick and painless.”
Ireland, Hopp, Kerr, Gale, Padjen and Paul are all products of the South Vancouver Island Basketball Association (SVIBA) summer select program which Westcott runs in the Victoria area during the high school off-season. Most of the returning Chargers players also played for the SVIBA program in previous years. Westcott hopes this type of experience will help the Chargers to finish with a better final result next season.
“The SVIBA summer select team program is one of the best player development programs in the province,” stated Westcott. “We have been able to tap into this program to help improve the Camosun program, but the SVIBA program has also helped to develop players for many CIS university programs, including UVic, UBC, SFU, UCFV and Thompson Rivers which all had SVIBA graduates on their rosters this past season.”
“We want to heal the scars we suffered in Prince George and we think we have started to take steps to achieve that goal,” Westcott added.
Returning to the Chargers roster next season will be fourth-year player Ashley Mackay, third-year players Kate Carlson, Kendall Allen, Kayla Morris and Jill Proudfoot and second-year players Jessica Hickey and Carmen Lapthorne. Third-year player Julia Fisher will return once she completes her rehab from knee surgery and she is expected to rejoin the roster later during the season.
Contact
Brett Westcott
Head Coach
Camosun College Chargers Women’s Basketball
250–479–8271
westcott@shaw.ca
