Coaches Update - February 18, 2010

Another season has come to a close with our playoff loss to Toronto last night, 62-54. We opened the game very tentatively and Toronto took advantage, taking an early 6 point lead. By the end of the quarter we had settled down somewhat and trailed by 1, 11-10. The second quarter was not much different, although we were able to gain the point back and go into the half tied at 23. The start of the third quarter was our undoing, surrendering 23 points in the first 6 minutes and digging a 14 point hole. The start of the fourth quarter was our time to battle back, quickly erasing most of the deficit. Down two points, we had several possessions where neither team could find the bottom of the net. With time running out, we were forced to foul, resulting in the 62-54 final. And so our season ends.

As disappointing as the loss is, reflecting back on the season has its rewards as well. In 2008-2009 we had a league record of 7-15, finishing in 6th spot in the East (our worst finish in over 20 years). This season, with only 6 returning players, our record improved to 13-9, good for a 3rd place finish. We beat every team in our division (sweeping Ottawa, York & RMC) with the exception of Carleton (lost by 2 and 7). While there were many hills & valleys, injuries & illness, our team continued to play hard, both in games and in practise, and we continued to improve. With off-season training, continued competitiveness, and the addition of some very talented recruits, we will be even stronger next season!

Many thanks to all our supporters over the season, whether through attendance at games, or emails/letters of good wishes - all very much appreciated.

All the best.
Dave.

Coaches Update - February 16, 2010

Quick note this time around as we are hosting a playoff game against the University of Toronto on Wednesday, February 17th at 6pm in the ARC.

A win over Ottawa on Friday, 82-74, secured third place for us and the opportunity to host Toronto. Another tough battle with Carleton ensued on Saturday in a very low scoring affair. We lost 47-40, but had the opportunity to honour our graduating athletes (Katie Guthrie, Erin Skippon & Maddie Soye) following the game.

Up Next at Home:
Wednesday, February 17 vs Toronto 6pm

TBD - a win on Wednesday would send us to Ryerson on Saturday, February 20 at 6pm.

Have a great week.
Dave.

Coaches Update - February 8, 2010

While we enjoyed the confines of our new home in the Athletics & Recreation Centre (ARC) last weekend, a rude awakening greeted us in the Provincial Capital this weekend. You may recall that we closed Bartlett Gym with two wins over Toronto and Ryerson in early January. This weekend they both avenged those losses, and somewhat convincingly. Our defense has been less than stellar of late (certainly not playing 40 minutes worth in a game), and both Ryerson and Toronto managed 70 (+) points against us.

The Ryerson game was a back and forth affair for the first half, despite being badly out-rebounded by the shorter team. In the second half Ryerson took much better advantage of their extra possessions draining a number of 3pt. shots to pull away. Our inability to stop their inside game complicated matters further, leading to the 74-60 loss.

Toronto came out on fire in their game, having racked-up 15 points (to our 4) in the first 4 minutes of the ball game. Most of their damage came from transition, coupled with some excellent post play. Midway through the second quarter they had built up a 15 point lead, before a change in our defensive gave us a breath of life. We held Toronto scoreless (and without an offensive rebound) for the final 5:30 of the second quarter, while managing to find the hoop to close within 2 at the half. We played a very solid third quarter, assuming the advantage mid way through. We built as much as a 5 point lead, but it was short-lived. The fourth quarter saw our scoring become almost non-existent, while our defensive rebounding began to falter. Credit to Toronto for hitting some 3pt. shots (and foul shots) well above their statistical averages to finish with the 9 point win, 70-61.

While a playoff spot had been solidified a while ago, our chance for a home court playoff matchup has been seriously compromised. With two games remaining in the league schedule, we need to get our game back to a much higher level. The combination of wins/losses this weekend between five different teams could see us finish anywhere from second to fifth. We are happy to be playing at home this coming weekend.

Immediately following the Saturday game against Carleton there will be a short presentation to honour our graduating players: Katie Guthrie, Erin Skippon & Maddie Soye.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, February 12 vs Ottawa 6pm
Saturday, Feb. 13 vs Carleton 6pm

Playoff Schedule (tbd)
Wednesday, February 17 (6 @ 3), (5 @ 4)
Saturday, February 20 (highest remaining seed @ 2), (lowest remaining seed @1)

Have a great week.
Dave.

Coaches Update - February 1, 2010

Having played our first games in the Queen's Centre, I would have to say - it is awesome!! Didn't hurt that we grabbed two critical wins, but there is no doubt that the atmosphere in the new facility is fantastic. The stands surrounding three sides of the court - the intimacy it provides, and the framing of the court - the professional scorer's table, the comfy chairs, and of course, our great fans, made for a very exciting and memorable weekend. We are still adjusting to the optics of the court, but with a few more practises, we will gain the "home court advantage".

Our team is and has been struggling with illness the last few weeks - the Norwalk virus is the suspected culprit. Maddie Soye, Jill Wheat and Emma Glasgow have all had their turn - Friday it had Erin Skippon's number and she stayed in bed. Saturday, Paige Robinson and Katie Guthrie were less than 100%, but managed to play (and play well). Skippon managed to return to the court on Saturday as well and played some critical, albeit exhausting minutes.

It seems the number 64 has become important - in particular, our last four games. Carleton beat us 64-62. We beat Ottawa 66-64. We beat Laurentian 64-62, and we beat York 64-54. Not sure if it means anything more than our league is extremely balanced and that the margin of victory is slight.

Friday also marked our "Shoot for the Cure" game = an effort to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research. I don't have the final numbers on dollars raised, but thanks to all in attendance as the gate receipts will all be donated on behalf of Queen's Athletics.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, February 5 @ Ryerson 6pm
Sat., February 6 @ Toronto 6pm

Up Next at Home:
Friday, February 12 vs Ottawa 6pm
Sat., February 13 vs Carleton 6pm (Graduating Athlete's Night)

Have a great week.
Dave.

Coaches Update - January 25, 2010

A weekend in the Nation's Capital involving two grind-out games that resulted in a split: a loss to Carleton by 2, and a win over Ottawa by 2. A quick couple of stats to give you an idea of how tight the games were this weekend. In the two games combined:

We scored 128 points
Opposition scored 128 points
Outscored opponent 5 of 8 quarters
Tied opponent 1 of 8 quarters
Largest quarter margins +7 and -9 (both against Ottawa)

On Friday our shooting percentages were very similar to Carleton (both teams - quite reasonable percentages), while on Saturday, we actually shot the ball very well; better than 50% from the floor, better than 50% from the 3-point line and better than 70% from the free throw line. What has begun to haunt us once again (similar to the beginning of the year) is our inability to control our boards, as we were out-rebounded in both games.

We have now played everyone in the league once. The next 3 weeks will see us play each of the Ontario East teams a second time. With the log-jam for the 2nd through 6th spots and first place still within reach of 6 teams, every game becomes critical. It already feels like play offs!

After being on the road for the past two weekends, we are looking forward to playing at home - and, of course, in our new (spectacular) facility.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, January 29 vs Laurentian 6pm (Shoot for the Cure - Breast Cancer Fund raiser)
Sat., January 30 vs York 6pm

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, January 5 at Ryerson 6pm
Sat., January 6 at Toronto 6pm

Have a great week.
Dave.

Coaches Update - January 18, 2010

The official "Queen's Centre Grand Opening" celebration took place Friday morning just prior to us heading out on the road to York University. It was held on the main court with the stands pulled, banners now hanging in the rafters, a live band playing and lots of entertainment - a great show all around.

Our game against York did not start well as we found ourselves down 11 to 2 after five minutes. Careless with the ball, poor rebounding, and a hot-shooting York was the cause. However, we finished the quarter with an 8-4 run to trail 15-10. The second quarter was much better as we rattled off the first 8 points and then continued to dominate the quarter 19-9. The third quarter was much the same as we outscored York 18-8 to put the game out of reach. We finished the fourth quarter up another 7 points, 19-12 to finish with a 66-44 win. Christine Wallace had another great game with 15 points, including 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, 4 boards & 2 assists. Brittany Moore continues to do an excellent job of running our offenses while dropping 13 points to go along with 4 assists and 2 steals.

The trip to Sudbury was not as kind, however. Laurentian came out on fire and we were cold as ice. Compounding the problem was poor defensive execution as Laurentian ran their systems with precision and we did little to disrupt the flow. Trailing by six after the first quarter (20-14), we managed to close the gap to 3 by the half (36-33), thanks in part to a buzzer-beating 3pt shot by rookie Emma Glasgow (her third 3pt buzzer beater of the season: RMC in the fall, York last night and Laurentian). The third and fourth quarters were similar; us unable to slow down Laurentian's offense, while we struggled to find any kind of rhythm. Laurentian outscored (and out-played) us 42 to 21 in the second half. Brittany Moore finished with 13 points, while Katie Guthrie added 11. Maddie Soye missed the game due to illness.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, January 22 @ Carleton 6pm
Sat., January 23 @ Ottawa U. 5:45pm (televised game)

Up Next at Home:
*Friday, January 29 vs Laurentian 6pm (Shoot for the Cure Š Breast Cancer game)
Sat., January 30 vs York 6pm
*(first game in the new gym)

Have a great week.

Dave.

Coaches Update - January 11, 2010

A very hectic but successful week, as we recorded 3 league wins, extending our league winning streak to 5 games. Tuesday we played our cross-town rivals, RMC. Playing no better than we did in Montreal the previous week, we managed a 15 point win, only scoring 57 points. Brittany Moore netted 19 points, but struggled from behind the arc, shooting only 3 of 11. Maddie Soye added 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Determined to get our game back on track, the team committed to some very physical and intense practises on Wednesday and Thursday ... with positive results. Although playing a little "tight" in the first half against Toronto, it was evident that some of our "flow" had returned. Deadlocked at 26 apiece at the half, we exploded for 26 points in the third quarter alone, while holding Toronto to 24 the entire second half. Sixteen points in the fourth led us to a 68-50 win. The return of Katie Guthrie to the lineup (missed 3 games with a shoulder injury) proved timely as she dropped 24 points, including 3 of 5 from 3pt. range and grabbed 5 boards. Erin Skippon recorded another double double, with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Brittany Moore, on 2 of 6 shooting from beyond the arc, added 10 points.

Saturday's game against Ryerson marked the end of a 39 year span of basketball games in Bartlett gym. Whether that had any impact on how we started the game, I don't know, but we were very tentative throughout most of the game. Nothing came easily as Ryerson hounded the ball with a variety of defences, grabbing a 1 point lead after the first quarter and extending that to 5 at half, 29-24. Scoring improved in the third quarter, but we fell behind another point, trailing 50-44. Down by as many as 9 points in the fourth quarter, it wasn't until the 4 1/2 minute mark that we began to chip into the lead. With 2 1/2 minutes to go we grabbed our first lead since the opening quarter and never relinquished it, finishing with a 69-65 win. Christine Wallace had a steal and score that provided the 1 point lead that sparked the rest of the team. Wallace finished with 16 points and 8 boards. Maddie Soye continued her fine play with 12 points and 7 boards, while Brittany Moore and Erin Skippon each added 11 points. Skip also hauled down 12 boards for another double double.

On Sunday, January 3, we hosted a very successful and competitive ID/Training Camp that saw 21 players (6 Grade 11s and 15 Grade 12s) in attendance. It was a great opportunity for the players to showcase their talents, and for us to show off the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC).

We are now moving into the ARC full time, although our first game in there will not be until January 29, as we head out on the road for the next two weeks.

Have a great week.

Dave.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, January 15 @ York 6pm
Saturday, January 16 @ Laurentian 6pm

Friday, January 22 @ Carleton 6pm
Saturday, January 23 @ Ottawa 6pm

Coaches Update - January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

It is January 1, 2010 and we are returning from the Concordia Tournament in Montreal, where we lost all three games of the tournament, exposing our lack of training over the past few weeks. With two practices under our belt prior to the tournament, our opening game against Concordia was... chaotic at best. Despite going into the game as the #2 team in the country in rebounding, we were out-rebounded (and to a good extent out hustled/muscled) and heavily laden with turnovers. Consequently we surrendered more points than any other game this season at 83. Our second game, against McMaster, showed some improvement in performance, although we were still plagued with turnovers. One bright spot was the play of first year post, Hanna Koposhynska, scoring 13 points. We played Ottawa in the "McMuffin game" (10am game), having saved our worst shooting performance for the last day. In neither half did we climb above 27% shooting from the floor. Ottawa did an excellent job of exposing our defensive deficiencies in the second half.

Katie Guthrie sustained a shoulder injury in the first game, sitting out the next two. Although it does not appear too serious, it is unclear when she will be able to return to action.

Our schedule is very hectic this week as we prepare for 3 games in 5 days.

Up Next on the Road:
Tuesday, Januara 5 @ RMC 6pm

Up Next at Home:
Friday, January 8 vs Toronto 6pm (Bartlett Gym)
Saturday, January 9 vs Ryerson 6pm (Bartlett GymÕs final game)

From our entire basketball team - best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2010.

Have a great week.

Dave.

Coaches Update - November 30, 2009

I have to admit, it is a pretty special feeling that I have writing this game report... for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that we managed two wins on the weekend. Also our football team had an amazing comeback (down 25 to 7 at half) to capture the Vanier Cup. Thirdly, I am writing this report in my new office in the Queen's Centre!!! With the building set to officially open tomorrow (December 1) there is still plenty of construction going on, but it is very exciting to be in the new space - and lots of space - it is enormous.

Our fall league schedule has come to a close with wins over Guelph and Brock, leaving us one game over .500 at 5 and 4. Last week I wrote that I thought our young team was improving - this was not particularly evident against Guelph, however, our performance against Brock would lend credence to the statement.

Reminders:

Identification/Training Camp: Sunday, January 3, 2010
Players in Gr. 11 or 12 interested in Queen's can attend and ID/Training Camp at Queen's with on-court sessions from 10am to 12noon and 1:30pm to 3:30pm. There is no cost to participate, but please email me at dave.wilson@queensu.ca to let me know of your intention to participate, so that I can prepare for the numbers.

Up Next on the Road:
Tuesday, December 29 vs Concordia @ Concordia Tournament 8:00pm
Wed., December 30 @ Concordia Tourney TBD
Thurs. December 31 @ Concordia Tourney TBD
Tuesday, January 5, 2010 @ RMC 6:00pm

Up Next at Home:
Friday, January 8, 2010 vs Toronto 6:00pm (in Bartlett Gym)
Sat., January 9, 2010 vs Ryerson 6:00pm (final game in Bartlett Gym)

In case I do not get another newsletter out before the holidays, best wishes for a safe and enjoyable holiday season from our entire basketball program.

All the best.

Dave.

Coaches Update - November 16, 2009

A successful, albeit bumpy weekend in Waterloo garnered us a couple of wins. Inconsistency seems to be the one consistent aspect of our performance to date, but the highs and lows are somewhat moderated. Game reports are available by clicking on "Schedule and Results" at left, then clicking on each game's score.

I've been so busy of late that I have failed to report on the Queen's Centre. WE ARE MOVING!! December 1 is the official opening of the Quee''s Centre. Amidst a couple of games and shooting practise on the weekend of November 27-29 the move will take place. No doubt it will be hectic, but the rewards will be well worth it. I had the opportunity to go through the building last week and it is nothing short of spectacular. It is immense in scale - took us over 2 hours to tour the facility. As with any new project, they are scrambling to finish up some of the details, and work will continue after the building begins operation on December 1, but it is well worth the wait to this point.

Also of note is our annual Identification/Training Camp - normally held at the end of November. We have moved the date to Sunday, January 3, 2010 so that we can host the players in the new facility. The camp is open to Grade 11 & 12 students that may be interested in playing for Queen's once entering university. This is a great opportunity for players to work with the Queen's coaches and get a feel for the university. We plan to be on the court Sunday morning from 10am to 12noon. We break for lunch (on own) from 12 to 1:30pm, and will conduct a campus tour during the break for those that would like to see more of the campus. We are back on the court from 1:30 to 3:30pm. There is no charge or formal registration required. I would ask that you drop me a quick email so I can prepare for the number of people attending. I will then forward further information as it becomes available.

Coaches Update - November 9, 2009

A disappointing weekend left us with two league losses; an embarrassing performance against Lakehead (33 turnovers) 66-54, and a 6 point margin to McMaster, 79-73.

Rebounding and turnovers have been plaguing the team throughout the fall, however our rebounding was significantly better this past weekend as we outrebounded Lakehead 47-41 and McMaster 44-32. Turnovers, however, continue to be an issue.

The Lakehead game was a back and forth battle ending in a 16-14 first quarter lead for the visitors. The second was much the same with Lakehead adding a single point to their lead 15-14. Our shooting percentage was a reasonable 40% from the floor, although we struggled from the 3-point line (25%) and the foul line (65%). The third quarter, however, was our biggest downfall, surrendering 21 points while scoring 15, opening up a 9 point lead for Lakehead. A 14-11 fourth quarter left us with the 12 point loss. Our shooting percentage dropped to 26% from the floor in the second half, 14% from behind the arc and 64% from the charity stripe. Ultimately, however, the turnovers were our greatest nemesis.

Brittany Moore (Hannon, ON) led the way with 18 points (but only 1 for 6 from 3-point land), along with 6 boards. Katie Guthrie (Orillia, ON) added 13 points, while Erin Skippon was a rebound short of a double-double with 10 points and 9 boards.

The McMaster game was another physical battle, with a pretty good display of shooting on both sides. Particularly impressive was Katie Guthrie who made it clear early that she would not be denied a lane to the hoop, while playing great defense on MacÕs point guard. We outscored Mac 21-19 in the first and 15-12 in the second for a 36-31 half time lead. Mac caught fire in the second half, overcoming the half time deficit in the third outscoring us 22-16. Their deadly shooting continued in the fourth with a 26 point outpouring (to our 21). Ultimately our inability to shut down their scorers (they shot 53% from the floor in the second half) was our undoing.

Katie Guthrie posted her best game as a Gael (both offensively and defensively) notching 30 points and grabbing 6 boards. Brittany Moore finished with 24 points, including 5 for 7 from beyond the arc.

Following FridayÕs game we were questioning ourselves as to whether we had made any progress over the last 2 months. SaturdayÕs game showed a marked improvement, but with lots to still work on Š consistency comes to mind.

We head on the road for the next two weekends, first in Kitchener, then Windsor/London. Please note the change in games times for the next two Saturdays Š game time 1:00pm.

Up Next On-the-Road:
Friday, November 13 @ Waterloo 6pm
Saturday, November 14 @ Wilfrid Laurier 1pm

Friday, November 20 @ Windsor 6pm
Saturday, November 21 @ Western 1pm

Coaches Update - November 2, 2009

After being shut out the last two weekends, we managed a couple of games in the win column this weekend, beginning with a 73-27 league win over RMC. Saturday we finished off our fall exhibition series with a squeaker over the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), 66-65. Game reports courtesy of our Sports Information Office are at the bottom of this email.

Our league play opener against RMC produced the jitters in a number of our players before we settled into a more coherent group on the floor. We jumped out to an 8-2 lead, before RMC responded with an 8-point run of there own, taking the lead 10-8. Following a time out, we settled down, finished the quarter with 4 points to lead 14-10. A small defensive adjustment began to pay dividends in the second quarter, holding RMC to just 1 field goal, while scoring 13. Rookie Sydney Kernahan provided some great energy coming off the bench and hounding ball carriers, while grabbing a few rebounds. This seemed to ignite the team, surrendering only 15 points in the entire second half, while converting many turnovers into 46 points to finish with the 73-27. Brittany Moore (Hannon, ON) finished with a game-high 21 points, including 4 for 8 from behind the arc. Erin Skippon (Kelowna, BC) had 14 points and 6 boards, while rookie guard Emma Glasgow (Orillia, ON) dropped 11 points including 3 for 3 from downtown.

On Saturday we faced a veteran squad from UQAM - returning all 5 starters from last season. We got off to a great start, scoring well in transition to lead 22-16 at the quarter. This would ultimately prove to be the difference in the game. The second quarter saw the pace slow considerably and UQAM effectively slowed our transition game, leading to a 12-12 quarter. The pace of the third quarter improved a little and our ability to get into the paint, led to a 21 point quarter, which saw us lead by as many as 13 points. Unfortunately, defensive breakdowns allowed UQAM to put up 21 points of their own and our lead was cut back to 6 by the end of the quarter. UQAM had their late quarter run continue into the fourth eventually capturing the lead and extended it to 6 points midway through. We struggled to score as our offense had become predictable, lacking variety in our motion. Fortunately aggressive drives to the hoop allowed us access to the free throw line, to close the gap and tie the game with under a minute to go. Katie Guthrie (Orillia, ON) who continued to penetrate and get fouled, scored 4 of our last 6 points from the free throw line, including the game winner with 2.9 seconds left. She finished with 18 points (6-10 from the foul line), while Brittany Moore had 17 and Erin Skippon 15. Rookie post Hanna Koposhynska also hit double digits - on the glass, with 11 rebounds.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, November 6 vs Lakehead 6pm
Sat., November 7 vs McMaster 6pm

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, November 13 @ Waterloo 6pm
Sat., November 14 @ Laurier 6pm

Have a great week.

Dave.

Coaches Update - September 20, 2009
Quick Alumni Game update:

Details are solidifying for our Alumni events on Saturday, September 26th. As you may be aware, the opening of the Queen's Centre has been delayed until the late fall due primarily to a flood that occurred in a heavy thunderstorm back in August. We have secured permission to do an escorted tour of the building on Saturday beginning at 9am sharp (meet in the main lobby of the PEC). From there we will go to the construction trailer for a 20min. safety session. There is a catch: you need steel-toed safety boots/shoes. We can help out with the hard hat and goggles, but have little in the way of steel-toed footwear (sorry about that). So pack your steel-toed boots, so that you can join us on the tour.

Following the tour, we can head downtown for brunch.

The Alumni vs Alumni game is set for 3pm, followed by a free Yoga session.

Our game against Concordia University College (of Alberta) is slated for 6pm.

A reception downtown (at Tim's place) is set for anytime after 8:30pm (byob).

There are a couple of other special things planned, but you'll have to be at the Alumni game for details.

Quick Roster Update:

Our roster is set for the season, after our training camp, open scrimmages and open try outs were completed. It is a very exciting roster with a good mix of veterans and young players. No question we have improved our size, speed, scoring power and overall intensity.

#        Name                      	Pos.     	Ht.      	Elig.    	Hometown
 
5       Paige Robinson       	G        	5-7      	1        	Calgary, AB 
6       Emma Glasgow       	G        	5-8      	1        	Orillia 
8       Brittany Moore         	G        	5-6      	3        	Hannon 
9       Maddie Soye           	W        	5-9      	4        	Kitchener 
10     Richelle Gaudet      	W        	5-11     	2        	Kingston 
11     Christine Wallace    	W        	6-0      	3        	North Gower 
12     Sydney Kernahan    	P        	5-11     	1        	Calgary, AB 
13     Erin Skippon            	P        	6-0      	4        	Kelowna, BC 
14     Hanna Koposhynska     	P        	6-2      	1        	Toronto 
15     Jill Wheat               	P        	5-11     	4        	Marwayne, AB 
21     Monika Szpytko  		P        	6-1      	1        	Mississauga 
22     Katie Guthrie            	W        	5-9      	5        	Sebright 

Head Coach:  Dave Wilson (28th season)
Assist. Coaches:  Tim Orpin (24th), Adam Lynn (6th)
Student Trainer:  Alana McEvoy
Strength Trainer: Laura Riesberry

That's it for now.

Dave.

Coaches Update - September 8, 2009
Quick update as Frosh Week at Queen's gets underway.

We will be holding open scrimmages daily beginning Tuesday, September 8 from 1:00 to 2:30pm and then continuing Wed./Thurs./Fri. from 2:30 to 4:00pm. All are welcome to join the scrimmages in Bartlett gym.

An open tryout will be held on Monday, September 14 from 5:30 to 7:30pm in Bartlett gym with invitation-only tryouts to continue the rest of the week.

Our Alumni game scheduled for Saturday, September 26th continues to take shape.
We have added a special free Yoga session following the Alumni vs Alumni game (and before the Q's vs King's University College game). No experience is required and our instructor is a specialist at making newcomers and the less flexible (not that I am making any assumptions here) very comfortable. It will be lots of fun. Brunch in the morning and a reception in the evening are still part of the plans. I will send out another email when all the details of the whole day are confirmed. For us to get an idea of numbers please let Jacqueline Beaudoin (jbeaudz@yahoo.com) know - thanks.

That's it for now - I'll be in touch again shortly.

All the best.

Dave.

Coaches Update - August 11, 2009
Time for another update - primarily to bring you up to speed on the new recruits joining us this fall. No question that we have made significant strides to improve our team in numerous areas including, size, speed, scoring power and competitiveness. Here is a brief bio on the new additions:

Emma Glasgow - a 5-8 athletic guard from Orillia. Very good athlete with solid ball handling skills. Is a scoring threat from behind the arc and has strong moves to the hoop.

Katie Guthrie - 5-8 athletic guard - also from Orillia. Played four years at Guelph culminating in an OUA West All-Star selection. Very aggressive player - scores inside and out - plays bigger than her stature and is a great leader.

Sydney Kernahan - 5-11 undersized post from Calgary. Physically very strong and competitive - rebounds extremely well and sets excellent screens. Very hard worker.

Hanna Koposhynska - 6-2 post from Toronto. Adds significant size and strength to our post game. Great hands and soft touch around the hoop. Very intelligent player.

Paige Robinson - 5-7 guard from Calgary. Very quick and aggressive defender. Good ball handling and shooting skills. Gets to the hoop very well and is a great competitor.

Monika Szpytko - 6-1 post from Mississauga. Good skills and clever moves around the hoop - will stretch defenses with her 3-point shooting capability. Solid rebounding skills.

As we head toward September, we are continuing to evaluate a number of players that could potentially impact our roster as well. As with past years, nothing is ever completely settled until we hit the hardwood and players have the opportunity to show their stuff.

Our Alumni Game is set for Saturday, September 26. With a different spin this year, the Alumni will be squaring off against the Alumni at 3pm, with our current players serving as minor officials. Activities are planned throughout the day, including an exhibition with the Gaels taking on King's University College of Alberta at 6pm. Alumni organizer Jacqueline Beaudoin (1996-01) would love to hear from anyone interested in joining the festivities (playing-wise or not).

jbeaudz@yahoo.com

One minor change to our schedule this fall, as Waterloo has pulled out of an exhibition game on November 1. We still have two games that weekend (RMC on Friday and UQAM on Saturday.

In my other coaching role, with Canada Basketball, our U19 team finished 4th in the World (playing in Bangkok, Thailand) - the best finish ever at this age category. Critical wins over Japan and China preceded a one-point upset of Australia in the round of 8 to put us in the medal round. Another great experience.

That's it for now - hope you are enjoying a great summer.

Dave.

Coaches Update - July 10, 2009
Quick update - couldn't wait to share this information.

One of the most frequently asked questions by recruits (and parents) is, "Can you combine basketball with your academics and be successful?" My answer has always been about our track record, in that over my 28 years at Queen's, 100% of our players have graduated.

To become an Academic All-Canadian you must achieve an 80% average while participating on a varsity team. Over the years we have certainly had more than our share of Academic All-Canadians, and I am very thrilled to announce that HALF of our team achieved this incredible feat this past season.

Sincere congratulations to:

Ruby Egit
Anne Murphy (2-time Academic All-Canadian)
Alaina Porter (2-time Academic All-Canadian)
Lauren Scott
Maddie Soye
Jill Wheat

OUTSTANDING!!!

Dave.

Coaches Update - June 25, 2009
Summer is here and lots has been happening around our basketball program. Foremost in everyone's mind (around here anyway) is our move to the Queen's Centre. The countdown is on: 44 working days and counting. I have been busy designing the court lines for our main basketball court and two practice courts. Our main court, in particular, will be spectacular with main court basketball and main court volleyball as the only lines on the court. Surrounded on three sides with retractable stands, the gym will hold 2,000 spectators, a state of the art sound system, along with lighting (and cabling) for network television productions. Our team room looks awesome, providing our players with a convenient and elegant space to change, meet and watch film.

Our Alumni game is just starting to take shape - and it is going to be bigger and better than ever. Jacqueline Beaudoin (1996-2001) is the official event Organizer and has the following schedule tentatively planned for Saturday, September 26:

11am Lunch downtown (tbd)
2:00pm Queen's Centre Tour
3:00pm Alumni vs Alumni game (current team to score/time)
5:00pm Wine and Cheese for Alumni (Alumni Lounge)
6:00pm Game: Queen's vs. Kings University College
8:30pm Reception (Tim's place)

It is going to be a great day with more information forwarded as details firm up.

Our schedule has undergone a few changes since my last newsletter. Of particular interest is the October 30 - November 1 weekend. On the Friday, we still have our league game with RMC at 6pm, followed by an exhibition game against the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) on Saturday at 4pm. Sunday, we will host Waterloo in an exhibition match at 2pm. Please check here for any last minute changes to schedules.

Be sure to check out the recently updated Photo Gallery - team photos (and names) from the last 28 years of Queen's basketball have been added.

Recruiting has gone extremely well for this fall. While one piece of the puzzle is still in limbo, the rest of the incoming players are exceptional. We have added size, strength, toughness, speed and scoring power. With considerably more competitive practices (and a larger roster) our team will quickly become very competitive in exhibition and league games this fall - the coaches are very excited about combining the returning talent with the incoming athletes. I will send out another newsletter when all recruits have been finalized.

Lastly, I will be heading off with the U19 National team in early July. Our training camp begins July 10 and we depart for World Championships in Thailand on the 18th.

All the best for a safe and enjoyable summer.

Dave.

Alumni Game: September 27, 2008 (photo courtesy of Neil Skippon)

Coaches Update - April 21, 2009
This news update is long overdue. While one might assume I have had more time on my hands since the end of the season, recruiting has usurped more time than our regular in-season routine. Patience continues to be the operative word when talking about recruiting. The bulk of offers to potential student-athletes will go out the last week of April and into mid-May - an eternity from my perspective, but that is the university's plan. I will say I am very (albeit cautiously) excited about our recruiting class. As details solidify, I will keep you abreast.

Our schedule for next season is almost complete with exhibition tournaments scheduled in Quebec City and Montreal prior to our league play. We will also be hosting Acadia University in a preseason exhibition game. During the Christmas break we will be heading back to Concordia University's tournament. Each tournament features teams from coast to coast, ensuring top quality competition and exposure. The upcoming season also marks the introduction of a new CIS Championship format. Instead of an 8-team Championship tournament, there will be 4 Regional tournaments (4 teams each), with the winners of each Regional Tournament competing the following weekend in a Final Four Championship. Canada West, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic Provinces (AUS) mark the four regions. The top team in each of those regions will host a Regional-4 tournament comprised of teams from other conferences. For example, if Queen's wins Ontario, we will host a Regional-4 tournament. The second place finisher in Ontario will move to another Regional-4 tournament and compete there. With 4 different regions of 4 teams, a total of 16 teams will compete in the first round of the Nationals; 5 teams from Canada West, 5 from Ontario, 2 from Quebec, and 3 from the AUS. The last spot will come from the conference that won the nationals the previous year (upcoming will be Canada West courtesy of Simon Fraser's win this year). It is a really exciting concept. McMaster will host the Final Four in March 2010 (although they are not guaranteed a birth as in the past) in Hamilton.

Our complete schedule has been posted. Just click on the "Schedule and Results" menu button in the column at the left.

Also posted is our Camps & Clinics scheduled for this Spring & Summer. We have programs for youngsters as early as Grade 3, right up to Elite Camps for those serious about playing beyond high school. Registrations can be completed on-line (with no extra cost).

The Queen's Centre is moving along very well, with a scheduled move-in date of August 31st. Over 2,000 work hours are put in daily (over 200 workers x 10 hour days) working towards completion. I hope to get another look inside in the near future and will provide some photos. On the outside, most of the windows have been installed, along with insulation and a recent section of limestone facing.

I will be returning with Canada Basketball and the U19 team again this summer. Last year, as an assistant with the U19 team, we qualified for the 2009 World Championships, sweeping all South American teams to capture the Silver medal - our lone loss was to the United States. The Worlds will be held in Bangkok, Thailand with the tournament opening July 23rd with a game against Russia. Tunisia on the 24th and Japan on the 25th will round out our pool play (4 pools of 4 teams each). The finals of the tournament will be held on August 2nd.

That's it for now. Hope you are enjoying some spring weather.

Dave.

Coaches Update - February 19, 2009
This is the game report you least like to write: one that tells of the sudden end to the season. Our game last night in Carleton was not unlike many of our league games -- periods of solid play, good decision-making and sharp execution. Also in there, however, were a couple of lapses where we failed to control the boards and coughed up the ball too often. A poor start to the game saw us trailing by 10 early on, 14-4. We scored another 3 points to close out the quarter down 14-7. The second quarter continued to be a low scoring affair (as would the whole game), but we managed to gain two points on Carleton (12-10) to go into the half down 5, 24-19. We continued to claw away in the third, outscoring Carleton 13-10 to pull within 2 points heading into the fourth quarter. While we never gained the lead, the score fluctuated back and forth between 2 and 4 points until mid-way through the frame. A rebounding and ball handling lapse led to 6 straight points by Carleton, increasing their lead to 8. That lead would hold through the next 3 minutes until we began fouling to stop the clock. Foul shots expanded the lead to 11 as time ran out: 53-42. Kendra Walker-Roche (Brockville, ON) was our only player in double figures with 14 points, including 4 for 5 from behind the arc.

In this business, as one season closes, so opens another. While there is plenty of work ahead in solidifying players for next season, I am hopeful that we will be able to release information regarding some very exciting additions to next year's squad in the coming weeks.

On the Queen's Centre front - everything is progressing nicely. They have been tarring the roof over our practise courts this past week as well as installing a number of windows. I can only imagine the frenzy of activity taking place inside the walls at this point.

A slight adjustment has been made to our late summer camps in order to accommodate our move into the Q's Centre. We have a very exciting and comprehensive package of basketball lined up:

May 14 to June 26th - Elite Girls Skill Sessions - Thursday evenings from 7 to 9pm for girls entering Grades 10 to 12.

May 19 to June 9th - Elite Girls Shooting Camp - Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9pm for girls entering Grades 10 to 12.

June 29 to July 3rd - Half day basketball, half day volleyball for girls entering Grades 3 to 8.

August 17 to 21 - Junior Girls basketball camp (full day) for girls entering Grades 5 to 8.

August 24 to 28 - Senior Girls basketball camp (full day) for girls entering Grades 9 to 12.

August 24 to 28 - Elite Girls Training camp (evenings) for girls entering Grades 11 or 12 (for serious players looking to play in university or college)

I'll try to have the details of each camp on our web site ( www.queensbasketball.net) in the near future.

That's it for this season's game reports. I will have periodic newletters over the next few months to keep you abreast of developments in and around our program.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement over the season, the emails, phone calls and attendance at games. A special thank you to the parent's, many of whom opened their doors (and refrigerators) to look after the team (and other parents) throughout the course of the season. It certainly enhanced the cohesiveness and camaraderie on the team.

Until next time.

Dave.

Coaches Update - February 16, 2009
Just a quick update as we have a short week to prepare for the first round of the playoffs set for Wednesday, February 18 at Carleton at 7:00pm (note start time).

On Friday night we played a little better against Carleton than our previous few games and better still against Ottawa on Saturday night. It is a trend that needs to continue if we want to extend our season past Wednesday.

Up Next on the Road:
Wednesday, February 19 @ Carleton 7:00pm

Cheers,
Dave.

Coaches Update - February 9, 2009
Heading into the final stretch of league play, our performance level has stalled in the mediocre range - and that is not good enough to be successful at this time of the year. Despite playing reasonable basketball for most of both games this past weekend, we were unable to close out either game. In both games we had controlled the boards for the majority of the game and in both games our rebounding disappeared down the stretch. Next weekend we will face #3 Carleton and #2 Ottawa to close out the regular season. We need a win to seal a play-off position, or we could back our way into the play-offs with a York loss (they host Ryerson & Toronto this weekend). We are taking two days off this week to rest, recover and rejuvenate - hopefully it will translate into a stronger, more consistent performance this weekend.

Have a great week.

Dave.

Coaches Update - February 2, 2009
A very tough weekend left us winless, falling to Ryerson 48-46 and to Toronto 58-51. I would not say we were at our best in either game, yet still had the opportunity to come away with wins. While execution was part of the problem - particularly rebounding at this point - the greater concern remains our decision-making - recognizing who is dangerous, and fouling inappropriately. Toronto is now alone in first place, while we slip to a 5th place tie with Laurentian. Ryerson is a game ahead of us in fourth, while Ottawa & Carleton are tied for second.

We are now on the road for the remaining of the regular season schedule, heading to Sudbury on Friday to play Laurentian and back down to Toronto on Saturday to play York.

This past weekend also marked our Graduating Players' Game, where we take a moment to recognize our grads, amongst a couple of other achievements. Alaina Porter, Jaime Dale and Anne Murphy were recognized as Academic All-Canadians from last year, having attained an over 80% average while participating on the varsity basketball team. Lauren Scott, Jaime Dale, Lyndsey Gauley and Anne Murphy we recognized as our graduating athletes. Lauren & Anne have used all 5 years of eligibility, whereas Lyndsey & Jaime have completed 4 years. Each received a framed photo and handcrafted wood sculpture donated by Ray Scott of Pine Spirit Studios in Westport, Ont. (www.pinespiritstudio.com)

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to tour the construction of the Q's Centre. The first impression that hits you is the immensity of the building. From the underground loading docks (capable of handling 18-wheelers and highway busses), to the change rooms, team rooms and activity spaces - amazing! The following link will take you to a web site that has some of the photos I took:

Queen's Centre Photos...

Since these photos were taken, the largest construction crane (which sat in the southeast corner of the main gym) has been dismantled. This will allow the main gym roof to be completed and closed in. Construction continues to move along at a rapid pace and is still on target for a September opening. The athletic department is altering some late summer programming to accommodate the move. I will have details out shortly.

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, February 6 @ Laurentian 6pm
Sat., February 7 @ York 6pm

Friday, February 13 @ Carleton 6pm
Sat., February 14 @ Ottawa 6pm

Have a great week.

Dave.

Coaches Update - January 26, 2009
This was a bizarre weekend to say the least. On Friday we hosted Ottawa U. in one of the most embarrassing performances by a Queen's women's basketball team in memory. I do not wish to take anything away from Ottawa, who were well prepared to exploit every mistake we made... and the mistakes were a-plenty. Brain-dead seemed the most apt description as we were unable to execute at either end of the floor. The one positive that could be taken from the game was that it seemed to make the players determined to play hard the next night against the first place team in our division, Carleton. And play hard we did, controlling the tempo of the game from start to (almost) finish. Three mental lapses late in the ball game saw a 6-point lead (which we held for much of the ball game) disappear and be replaced by a 2 point deficit with only 6 seconds to go in the game. What happened in the remaining 6 seconds was the most unusual finish to a game that I have ever witnessed.

The upcoming weekend marks our last two home league games of the season - each has a special event attached. On Friday, we will be hosting our "Shoot for the Cure" game, with all proceeds going to the local chapter of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (see more info below).

On Saturday, we will be honouring our graduating athletes, Lauren Scott, Lyndsey Gauley, Jaime Dale and Anne Murphy. In addition to introducing their parents at half time, immediately following the game there will be brief presentation to each of the athletes.

Upcoming at Home:
Friday, January 30 vs Ryerson 6pm (Shoot for the Cure Game)
Sat., January 31 vs Toronto 6pm (Graduating AthleteÕs Night)

Upcoming on the Road:
Friday, February 6 @ Laurentian 6pm
Sat., February 7 @ York 6pm

Have a great week.

Dave.

SHOOT FOR THE CURE!
Friday January 30
Basketball vs Ryerson, Women 6pm, Men 8pm
Bartlett Gym

All proceeds from ticket sales will go to suppport the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Wear Pink to show your support. Donate at the door and receive a chance to play "Basketball Bingo" and win great prizes!

From the CIS Website Oct. 2008: OTTAWA (CIS) - The CIS Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) proudly announced Tuesday its fundraising initiative to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is up and running for a second season.

The initiative, named "Shoot for the Cure" for the 2008-09 campaign, was an overwhelming success in its inaugural year as the WBCA presented a cheque for $50,320.87 to the Breast Cancer Foundation at last March's CIS championship, in Saskatoon.

Once again this year, CIS women's basketball programs will raise money through regular season games, exhibition matches, tournaments or special projects.

For more information contact Queen's Home Events at homevent@queensu.ca of (613) 533-6000 x77834.

Coaches Update - January 20, 2009
Our first road trip of 2009 sent us to Toronto to face the Varsity Blues and the Ryerson Rams. The results: down 4, up 6. We split the games, losing to Toronto 75-71 and beating Ryerson 73-67. There were some striking similarities between the two games (which is not necessarily a good thing), but I am cautiously optimistic that we are making improvements to our game. Sort of the "two steps forward, one step backward" type scenario, which, while better than the "one step forward, two steps backward", still seems painfully slow at times.

We have a couple of special events occurring at our upcoming games:

Friday versus Ottawa we will host our Community Basketball Night where there will be FREE admission to ALL minor basketball players - just register at the door and chances to win great prizes from our sponsors.

The following Friday (Jan. 30) we will host our "Shoot for the Cure" Breast Cancer Fund raiser. The CIS Women"s Basketball Coaches Association began this initiative last year and raised over $50,000. Our goal this year is to double that figure. More information will be released next week.

As Saturday, January 31 is our last league home game, we will honour our graduating players, Jaime Dale, Lauren Scott, Lyndsey Gauley, and Anne Murphy.

Up next at home:
Friday, January 23 vs Ottawa 6pm
Sat., January 24 vs Carleton 6pm

Friday, January 30 vs Ryerson
Sat., January 31 vs Toronto (Graduating Athletes' Night)

Have a great week!

Dave.

Coaches Update - January 12, 2009
Happy New Year! From all of us here at Queen's basketball, we wish you happiness and prosperity in 2009 and beyond.

Having returned from the longest lay-off I can remember, it was a little nerve-wracking heading into league play with only a few practises under our belt. We played three games in four days beginning with RMC last Wednesday - a team that has improved greatly and is very hungry for a win.

While our defense was somewhat suspect, scoring did not prove to be a problem... at least not for second year guard, Brittany Moore (Hannon, ON) who established a new Queen's record with 40 points in a league game, breaking the record set by current assistant coach, Claire Meadows (37 vs Windsor in 2006). Moore may have set an new CIS record (still trying to clarify) by scoring 33 of those points from behind the arc, shooting 11 for 18. The final score was 79-64, meaning that Moore scored more than half of our team's points. Alaina Porter (Burlington, ON) was one rebound away from a double-double with 10 points and 9 boards.

Friday we hosted York, a team that has also struggled this season. Having a solid week to prepare for us (they have no classes as the university continues to be on strike), proved beneficial as they effectively shut down our offense for good portions of the game. We only scored 6 points in the first quarter, followed by 19 in the second to lead 25-24 at the half. A dismal third quarter - scoring only 6 points again, while giving up 17, put us in a hole from which we could not overcome - although a buzzer 3-point shot from Kendra Walker-Roche (Brockville, ON) that rolled around the rim before popping out, would have sent the game to overtime. Instead, we were left with a 3 point loss, 55-52. No question mental lapses were a significant factor in the outcome - something we must work hard to avoid if we are to have success in the second half of the season. Walker-Roche finished with 15 points, followed by Moore with 13. Erin Skippon (Kelowna, BC) finished with a double-double, grabbing 13 rebounds to go along with her 11 points, while Jill Wheat (Marwayne, AB) just missed the same feat with 10 boards and 9 points.

Saturday we hosted Laurentian - a team tied for first place in the league. Over the last few years our games with Laurentian have been quite the battles and this was no exception. Laurentian opened an early lead before we settled down and began to retaliate - ending the quarter down 21-17. The second quarter was less precise as neither team could finish. A 3-point buzzer-beater by Walker-Roche pulled us to within 2 at the half, trailing 31-29. A great start to the third quarter, including 3 consecutive steals by Moore, led to a 28 point outburst and a 10 point lead by the end of the third quarter. We managed to maintain that lead through most of the quarter and finished with a 71-62 win. Four players hit double figures in scoring, led by Moore with 19, Porter with 16, Skippon with 13, and Walker-Roche with 12.

We are on the road this week in Toronto, before returning home for two weekends to finish out the month (details below).

Have a great week.

Dave.

Upcoming on the road:
Friday, January 16 @ U of T 6pm
Sat., January 17 @ Ryerson 6pm

Upcoming at home:
Friday, January 23 vs Ottawa 6pm
Sat., January 24 vs Carleton 6pm

Coaches Update - December 22, 2008
All of our players have finished their exams and have returned home to enjoy a significant break (from our normal schedule), returning on January 3 for practises. Then, we are right back in the thick of things with home games on Wed., Jan. 7 (RMC), Fri., Jan. 9 (York) and Sat., Jan. 10 (Laurentian).

The Queen's Centre keeps moving along nicely (see below). They have closed in much of the south & west end of the structure with roofing, blocks or plastic (over the windows). They have brought in significant heaters/blowers to heat the interior and continue working through the winter. The north side of the building has yet to be closed in (photo of roof girders over the main gym).

On behalf of our entire basketball program, I would like to wish you and your family all the best for a safe and enjoyable holiday season. May the New Year bring you continued happiness and prosperity.

Happy Holidays!

Dave

Coaches Update - December 2, 2008
Not exactly the way we wanted to head into the Christmas break - on a 4-game losing skid. No question the games had been getting tougher and tougher as the fall rolled along. Judging by our scores on a quarter by quarter basis, it would appear that we have the ability to compete (and at times, dominate) with our opponents. In different quarters, however, we have been completely dominated. Some may cite conditioning as a possible issue. I would tend to agree, although I am not speaking of physical conditioning. An area in which we need to improve is our mental conditioning - our ability to maintain focus and concentration throughout the game - whether we are making a "run" or the opposition is making a "run." With a relatively young team, this is not uncommon - but certainly can be frustrating. All I can say is - we will continue to work on it, and our players will continue to give their best efforts - time will judge our success.

We had a very successful ID/Training Camp at Q's on Sunday with over 20 players in attendance. Thanks to all those that made the time and effort to join in.

Sorry - no photos of the Q's Centre this time around. I forgot that my camera was stolen two weeks ago (smashed window & grabbed my briefcase out of my car while in downtown Ottawa). I am looking to replace my camera shortly and will fire off a couple of pictures.

Up Next at Home:
Wed., January 7 vs RMC 6pm
Fri., January 9 vs York 6pm
Sat., January 10 vs Laurentian 6pm

All the best.
Dave.

Coaches Update - November 24, 2008
This was a weekend I will not soon forget - and that is not a good thing. Consistency is something every team, every coach strives for. In our case the consistency of decision-making is the most critical attribute - we are still striving.

We are now heading into our last week before the league breaks for exams - and it is not going to get any easier. We host Western on Friday and Windsor on Saturday. Western is a veteran, talent-laden squad that has yet to hit full stride this fall - they are due. Windsor is a team ranked in the Top 3 of the country. A dynamic point guard (who two years ago dropped 42 points on us), along with aggressive and athletic wing players are complimented with a big front line, including their 6-4 import centre. We will have our hands full - to say the least.

On Sunday, November 30th we will be hosting our annual ID/Training Camp for Gr. 11s & 12s interested in Queen's. It looks like it is shaping up to be a very competitive day.

The Queen's Centre is moving along nicely as they continue to place the roof girders, cinder block the exterior walls, and run conduit and duct work inside the structure. I will try to get a photo or two in the next email.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, November 28 vs Western 6pm
Sat., November 29 vs Windsor 6pm

Have a great week.

Dave

Coaches Update - November 18, 2008
We split on the weekend, playing horribly against Guelph on Friday night to lose, and then somewhat better against Brock on Saturday to win in overtime. After scoring an average of 85 points per game last weekend, a little bit of reality set in as we entered the Guelph game very flat and unfocussed. Despite taking an early lead, it was clear our decision-making was not as sharp as the week before. The game remained close throughout the first half - we led by 3 after the first quarter and were tied at the half - but with only 25 points on the board. Guelph began to exert much more pressure in the second half, and we continued to cough up the ball - trailing by 7 at the end of three - and then completely failed to execute in the fourth surrendering 20 points and only managing 8 to finish with a 63-44 loss. It felt like "one of those days", if you know what I mean. Second-year guard, Brittany Moore (Hannon, ON) led the way with 19 points, while second-year wing player, Alaina Porter (Burlington, ON) had 9 points and 7 boards.

Saturday - we looked much sharper. To start the game, we grabbed a four point lead at the quarter 21-16 after overcoming a 6 point deficit. The second quarter, however, turned into a good scoring baseball game, 7-6 in favour of Brock. Turnovers were a huge problem, as we committed 16 of them in the half. Brock continued with the pressure in the second half and enjoyed some success, but at a cost as well. Brock outscored us 14-11 in the third and 15-14 in fourth to tie the game at 52. Brock grabbed the lead in the overtime, but gave up two consecutive transition baskets against their pressure, one by Porter, the other by Moore with just 20 seconds to go in the overtime to give us the lead. We did not surrender any more points, holding on to the 58-57 win in a game that featured 6 lead changes and 6 tied scores. Three players hit double digit scoring, led by Erin Skippon (Kelowna, BC) with 13 points and 9 boards, Moore with 12 points, and Porter with 10 points and 6 boards. Maddie Soye (Kitchener, ON) also had a strong rebounding game with 9.

On another note - a reminder that we will be hosting an ID/Training Camp for Gr. 11 & 12 players interested in Queen's on Sunday, November 30 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Up this week - on the road:
Friday, November 21 @ Lakehead 6pm
Saturday, November 22 @ McMaster 6pm

Next Week at home:
Friday, November 28 vs Western 6pm
Saturday, November 29 vs Windsor 6pm

Have a great week!

Dave.

Coaches Update - November 10, 2008
We had a pretty successful and certainly exciting weekend of basketball - game reports provided by our Sports Info Department are below. We opened with Waterloo on Friday and it was quite the see-saw battle - we were up 6 at the end of the first, tied at half, down 5 at the end of the third and then tied at the end of regulation. We were outscored 12-9 in the 5 minute overtime to lose 82-79. Surrendering 82 points is not exactly what I had in mind for this team, but to be honest, I did not expect us to score 79 either.

Despite the over-time game Friday, we came ready to play on Saturday - offensively at least - posting a 22-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. It continued to be tight in the second with us holding a small advantage 15-12 to go into half time up 37-33. The third quarter saw us lose the lead briefly before adding to our previous lead, finishing the quarter with 23 points to Laurier's 20. The fourth quarter continued to be hotly contested, but as we reached the mid-point we began to pull away, eventually outscoring Laurier 29-16 in the quarter to win 89-69.

I can't recall a pair of back to back games where we averaged 85 points per game. Our offensive reads and execution was quite good. The challenges our offense face will continue to get tougher as the season progresses and, of course, we need to make significant improvements and the defensive side of the ball.

We hit the road for two weeks, before returning home on the 28 & 29th of November.

Upcoming on the Road:
Friday, November 14 @ Guelph 6pm
Saturday, November 15 @ Brock 6pm

Friday, November 21 @ Lakehead 6pm
Saturday, November 22 @ McMaster 6pm

Up next at Home:
Friday, November 28 vs Western 6pm
Saturday, November 29 vs Windsor 6pm

Have a great week.

Coaches Update - November 4, 2008
We had a pretty good weekend - both opening league play and wrapping up our fall exhibition - grabbing three wins. Most aspects of our game are improving as would be expected at this point in the fall season. Our offensive execution continues to get sharper as has our starts to the third quarter. We continue to struggle with some defensive reads, rebounding and taking care of the basketball. Lots of work to be done this week as we prepare for our league home-opener this Friday against Waterloo. Game reports follow. Following our Saturday game against Nazareth College, we had a great reception at TimÕs place, with an opportunity to meet most of the parents and other family & friends. Thanks to Anne Murphy's folks for taking the initiative to organize the event.

In other news, we will once again be holding an Identification/Training Camp on Sunday, November 30th for players in Grades 11 & 12 (and highly motivated Gr. 10s). It will run from 10am to 12noon - break for lunch and a campus tour and then resume from 1:30 to 4:00pm. It is a great opportunity for high school athletes that are interested in Q's to come on campus, meet and work with the Q's coaches and show their stuff. Anyone interested in attending should contact me directly (dave.wilson@queensu.ca) so I have an idea of numbers.

The Queen's Centre keeps moving along - still on target for next fall. I have attached a photo taken from the roof of the Phys. Ed. Centre showing the steel girders that will form the walls and roof structure for our two practice basketball courts (far right of the picture).

I have also had our web site updated (finally) - sorry for the delay.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, November 7 vs Waterloo 6pm
Saturday, November 8 vs Laurier 6pm

On the Road:
Friday, November 14 @ Guelph 6pm
Saturday, November 15 @ Brock 6pm

Have a great week.

Coaches Update - October 21, 2008
We spent the weekend in Halifax and were treated to the usual outstanding down-east hospitality - except when it came to the on-court competition - they were a little less hospitable. Last year grad, Amanda Northcott was on hand to help out at the airport with transportation and to support the team throughout the tournament. Christine Goodday, mom of Alum, Amy Goodday was on hand for support at our Friday game, complete with a tin of cookies for the players. Dal's tournament organizers, including reception organizer, Bill Spurr made sure we were well looked after throughout the weekend. The entire team greatly appreciated the friendlessness of all involved in the tournament.

On Sunday, we had time for a side excursion to Peggy's Cove - for most of the players, this was their first time to the historic landmark.

The game reports should give you a good indication as to where the team is right now. We did play the weekend without starting centre, Anne Murphy (Milford, ON) as she missed the trip due to family commitments. Kendra Walker-Roche (Brockville, ON) had been out for 2 weeks but was cleared for the games on Saturday and Sunday. And Jill Wheat (Marwayne, AB) missed the Saturday game with a sprained wrist. We are now concerned with Lyndsey Gauley (Belleville, ON), as her back is giving her significant grief. Always challenges.

I'm hoping to update the queensbasketball.net web site with player profiles, etc. in the very near future.

Have a great week.

Dave.

Coaches Update - September 22, 2008
Time for a quick update:

Approaching quickly is Alumni weekend for which we have a game scheduled for Saturday, September 27 at 11am. Response from the Alumni has been great - whether to play or to watch - it will be a good time.

Our team for the 2008-09 season has been selected. It includes 9 returning players (tentatively) along with 5 new faces for a total of 14. Jess Selinger (Ancaster, ON), sidelined all last season with a back injury, has continued to work hard at her rehabilitation. She is just now starting practises to determine whether she is healthy and strong enough to compete for her 5th season. It is a day to day process at this point. Jaime Dale (Ottawa, ON) is one of the 9 returning players, but will be red-shirting this season to undergo knee surgery to repair a damaged ACL courtesy of our summer training camp. She will look to compete her fifth season in 2009-10, but in the meantime is providing solid leadership to this year's squad. Anne Murphy returns for her 5th season, now attending McArthur (Teacher's College). She will continue to anchor the Gaels under the boards. Lyndsey Gauley (Belleville, ON) returns for her 4th season, just now returning from a non-basketball related summer injury. Erin Skippon (Kelowna, BC) and Maddie Soye (Waterloo, ON) both enter their third season with eyes on making significant contributions. Brittany Moore (Hannon, ON), Alaina Porter (Burlington, ON) and Christine Wallace (North Gower, ON) are returning for the second seasons. Moore was the OUA East Rookie of the Year and finished first in the country in 3 point shooting percentage (45.8%), while Porter earned OUA East All-Star Rookie Team honours.

New to this year's line-up are transfers, Kendra Walker-Roche (Brockville, ON) who played 3 seasons at Fresno State, Jill Wheat (Marwayne, AB) who played 2 seasons at Red Deer College, and Lauren Scott (Ancaster, ON) who played 4 seasons with Mount Allison University. Richelle Gaudet (Kingston, ON) and Ruby Egit (Toronto, ON), both first-year students round out this year's roster.

Sarah Barnes (St. Catharines, ON) completed her 5th and final year last season. A great career and a great leader, Barnesy leaves as an OUA East All-Star, having averaged 13 points per game last year. Amanda Northcott (Lower Sackville, NS) graduated with her Arts Degree in 08 and, although being accepted at several Teacher's Colleges (including Q's), has decided to defer more schooling for another year. A Master's degree may be in the future plans. Last year's OUA East Defensive Player of the Year, Teddi Firmi was sidelined with knee problems for a good portion of the summer. Given her skills and passion in the sport of Rugby (Teddi is a national team calibre Rugby player - we managed to steal her away from that sport for a few years), she has made the switch to the softer (grass) surface of the Rugby pitch this season. All three players will be missed, but we wish them all the best in their various pursuits.

A few more photos of the Q's Centre (taken on September 16, see below). The roof-top view is looking at what will become two practise courts running side-by-side. You can also see some steel girders lying on the surface toward the back of the photo. They are now erected and will provide part of the support for the steel girders that will form the roof of the main competition gymnasium.

The second photo looks into the building from the back of the Phys. Ed. Centre. Most of the jack-posts have been removed to give you a better feel for the space. Duct work has already begun in parts of the building, along with the delivery of cinder blocks that will be used to form some interior walls.

The last photo gives you a better idea of the scope of the construction -- looking North-West from the PEC roof top. The steel re-bar you see at the left of the photo (dark flooring) has now been encased with concrete - another floor poured!

Upcoming Events:
Saturday, September 27 - Alumni Game - 11am
Fri/Sat., Oct. 3/4 - HS Tournament

That's about it for now.

Cheers,
Dave.

Coaches Update - August 15, 2008
Time for a quick update:

As we head toward the end of August, basketball camps become our focus. In addition to the camps that we have run for the past 20+ years: Week I (Aug. 18-22) Jr. Girls grades 9-10 & Week II (Aug. 25-29) Sr. Girls grades 11 & 12), we have added an Elite Girls Camp for competitive players looking to play beyond their high school years. It is a week-long, all-day camp, August 18-22.

Our focus also turns to the Queen's program as our pre-season training camp runs in the evenings from August 25 to 28. Returning players and newcomers hoping to make this year's roster will attend in a highly competitive environment. The following week (Frosh Week) will see afternoon scrimmage sessions to gain further exposure, while a one-evening open try out will follow on Monday, September 8th.

Our schedule has had some minor alterations. The exhibition game with King's University College from Alberta in September has been cancelled and the Alumni game scheduled for Saturday September 27 will now be played at 11am.

We are thrilled with the three signed recruits coming this fall. Local talent Richelle Gaudet has been in working out all July and August and is making great strides in her game. Kendra Walker-Roche of Brockville is also making her way to Kingston for workouts and will add another great scoring dimension to our team. Jill Wheat has been working out in her hometown of Marwayne, AB and is anxious to get on campus to work out with the rest of the team.

Construction on the Queen's Centre is moving along nicely. Since the last photo, they have added another floor (one level above ground) and are now preparing the floor that will become our two practise gyms (see below). Amazing to think that we are about 12 months away from our scheduled move in date!

My experience with the U18 National Team was a very positive one. We trained in Barrie, ON for a week and a half prior to departure for Buenos Aires, Argentina for the Americas Championship. We finished with a 4 and 1 record (only loss was to the US), grabbing the silver medal and a berth in the 2009 World Championships in Thailand next summer. Our wins were over Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Argentina.

That's about it for now. Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Dave.

Coaches Update - July 9, 2008
Just a quick update:

First, I am pleased to announce that Jill Wheat, a 5-11 post player from Alberta will be joining us this fall. Jill has played two seasons with Red Deer College in Alberta, where she finished fourth in the conference in rebounding last season hauling in 7.5 rebounds per game. She also scored 10.3 points per game on 42.3% shooting from the floor. Jill's experience, knowledge and commitment to the game are a very welcome addition.

Secondly, great news from our coaching staff. Tim Orpin was honoured by his high school (KCVI) last month when he was selected at "Teacher of the Year" - a prestigious honour that recognizes his dedication and commitment to the students and staff of the school. Tim brings those same great characteristics to our basketball program and we are fortunate to have such a talented coach with us.

Thirdly, our schedule for the fall/winter is pretty much set. There have been a couple of last-minute adjustments, but our web site has the updated dates and times. Of note, we have shifted the time of our Alumni Game to 11am (from 12n). The Alumni Football game is scheduled for 1pm (instead of 2pm), so an 11am start will give people lots of time to make it to the football game if so desired.

A note from the Executive Director of Ontario Basketball that may be of interest to you or someone you know:

NBA 3on3 Toronto is less than three weeks away! Players from across Ontario will come to Exhibition Place on July 26th and 27th to compete in Canada's biggest 3on3 tournament. Basketball Ontario is asking for your help in promoting the event to your current and alumni players as well as any basketball camps and leagues taking place at your university. For the first time ever, a $1000.00 cash prize will be awarded to the winners of the Sirius Ballers (Open) division. This is a great opportunity for alumni and current players to cash in on their basketball talent. Currently we only have one female Sirius Ballers team and four Sirius Ballers teams. Since the quality of the players that come through the OUA schools is high, there is little doubt that they can not only compete but win! In addition to the cash prizes that will be awarded to the winners of the Open Division, we have other great prizes for the Slam Dunk competition and the Speed Stick Shoot for a Grand contest. Additional on-site activities include Toronto Raptor player appearances, Rogers Streetball Court and a halftime show from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. each day.

NBA 3on3 Toronto is an event that every basketball player should experience and undoubtedly something that everyone will enjoy. Please visit www.nba3on3.com for more information and registration. If you have any further questions you can contact Ryan Albright at 416-426-7207 or 3on3@basketball.on.ca.

The Queen's Centre continues to grow. Pretty soon the photo I usually take out the back door of the PEC will show nothing but a big wall. You can see the first set of steel girders that I believe will be supporting the roof over our main gym. I've added a photo taken from the roof of the PEC as well. Much more work has gone into the north/west corner of the site, where the swimming pool will be located. The plans originally called for a concrete pool, but that was changed some time ago to use a steel pool (common in Europe).

On another construction note, the new Tindall Field has two layers of underground parking and yesterday they poured the last concrete for the surface of the field. They have already started to coat the south half of the concrete surface with underlayment in preparation for the artificial turf to go on top. All is on schedule for a September opening.

That's it for now - have a great July and I'll touch base again in August.

Dave.

Coaches Update - June 23, 2008
Time for another update with a few things on the horizon.

First, I am thrilled to announce that Kendra Walker-Roche will be joining our team this fall. Kendra is a Brockville native, having graduated from Thousand Islands Secondary School before accepting a full scholarship to Fresno State in California. The 5-9 guard played 3 seasons at Fresno before sitting out last season to preserve eligibility in the CIS. In her last two seasons she led the Bulldogs in 3-point shooting percentage and was a 3-time Academic All-WAC. In addition to her deadly three-point shooting, Kendra is a dynamic offensive player who sees the floor very well and can create off the bounce.

Secondly, tryouts for Canada Basketball's Senior Women's and Development team are rapidly approaching:

Open Tryout Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Times: 5:00-8:00pm
Location: York University, 4700 Keele Street, 302 Tait McKenzie Centre, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3

Please note that all costs to attend and participate in the 'open tryouts' are the athletes' responsibility.

Please check-in for registration outside the gym starting at 4pm and no later than 4:30pm.

Athletes selected to continue with the 'Tryout by Invitation' July 3-4th, will be transported to Barrie where their meals and accommodation will be paid by Canada Basketball during these two days. Athletes are to bring sufficient gear to cover all these days of tryouts.

Should you have any questions about tryouts, please email swnttryouts@basketball.ca.

Thirdly, tryouts for Canada Basketball's U18 national team (born 1990 or later) is set for:

JWNT OPEN Tryout Thursday, July 10, 6:00 to 9:00pm at *Father Redmond HS in Etobicoke.
JWNT Invitational Tryout July 11-12, 2008 11:30am-2:30pm and 6:30-9:30pm **Georgian College, Barrie, ON
JWNT Training Camp July 13-14, 2008 11:30am-2:00pm and 6:30-9:30pm **Georgian College, Barrie, ON
JWNT Training Camp July 15-19, 2008 10:00am-12:30pm and 4:30-7:30pm **Georgian College, Barrie, ON
FIBA America U18 Women's Qualification Tournament July 20-29, 2008, Competition Dates July 23-27 Buenos Aires, Argentina

*Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School, 28 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive, Etobicoke, Ontario M8V 4B7
** Georgian College, Athletic Centre, 1 Georgian Drive, Barrie, Ontario, L4M 3X9

2008 JWNT tryouts and training camp are open for observation by recruiting coaches, please register by emailing swnttryouts@basketball.ca

I will be returning with Canada Basketball this summer as an assistant coach with the Junior Women's Team. Our goal is to qualify for the World Championships scheduled for the Czec Republic next summer.

Note: At this point, plans for the U16 program have been put on hold for the year pending funding.

Lastly, I have a couple of photos of the on-going construction of the Q's centre. They have now almost completed pouring the ground level floor, have the walls of the squash courts up one level above ground and are putting the scaffolding in place to pour that floor. Athletic offices will be located on that second level along with cardio-fit areas. The level above that will house our two practise courts.

That's it for now - have a great summer.

Dave.

Coaches Update - May 28, 2008
Quick update from the basketball office.

I am very pleased to announce that Richelle Gaudet will be joining the Gaels this fall. Richelle, a local product hailing from LaSalle Secondary School in Kingston, is a gifted athlete standing 5-10 tall. She is known for her strong drives to the hoop utilizing her incredible quickness. I am also very impressed with her determination to get to the offensive boards - something every coach likes to see in a player. The benefits of Richelle being local are immense. She is dedicated and will have the opportunity to workout with the coaching staff over the summer to improve her game. With her strong desire to improve, and her fearless attitude, gains in her basketball abilities will come quickly.

I am also pleased to announce that Claire Meadows (2002-07) will be returning to Q's this fall as a Faculty of Education student. After spending a good portion of last year in Australia, Claire returns to the limestone city to pursue her teaching degree, and will be helping out with the basketball program as well. A consummate leader in her playing days, Claire will bring her motivational and technical skills to this year's squad.

Two other key recruits are waiting in the wings. As transfer students, Q's will deal with their admission in the coming weeks after they wrap up the incoming frosh applications. But the good news does not stop there - a couple of other key recruits are also poised to round out a potential 15 person roster. Details will be released in the next few weeks.

Our schedule for the fall is almost complete and can be found on our schedule and results page.

We are planning an Alumni Game for Saturday, September 27 at 12noon. If you are interested in playing or watching, please drop me a quick note so I can prepare.

The Q's Centre is coming along quite nicely - see photos below. What was once an immense hole in the ground is now filled in and beginning to extend above grade. Hard to believe we are at 15 months and counting to the scheduled opening (September 09).

That's it for now - hope you are enjoying your Spring.

All the best,
Dave.

Coaches Update - April 16, 2008
Welcome to Spring... finally. Just a few quick updates, including one of my favourite subjects, the Queen's Centre (photos below).

Our annual awards banquet (Colour Night) was held on Tuesday, March 25 and was a great success. We were able to recognize our team Rookie of the Year, Brittany Moore and team MVP, Sarah Barnes.

Assistant Coaches, Adam Lynn & Tim Orpin and I will be offering a couple of new basketball programs this summer - both geared toward the high school player aspiring to compete at the next level. On Thursday evenings beginning, May 15 from 7 - 9pm we will be running skills sessions for 7 weeks. These sessions will focus on the fundamentals of the game, in particular footwork, ball handling and shooting skills needed to advance as a player.

Secondly, we will be running a week-long camp, August 18 to 22, from 9am to 4pm daily. This will be an intense, university-style training camp, including daily sessions with our strength and conditioning coordinator, Rodney Wilson. For further information on the camps, please check out the following web address: www.queensrecreation.com/index.php?section=3 (Basketball - Elite Girls Weekly & Basketball - Elite Girls) or drop me a line at: dave.wilson@queensu.ca

Our schedule for next season is close to being set. Looks like a trip to the East Coast is in order (Dalhousie Tournament), along with a tournament in Quebec City and some games in Montreal. Click here for a complete (to-date) schedule.

The Queen's Centre is moving along very nicely. Having almost completed the parking garage ramp (just need to extend it to the street level), they have added in an underground loading dock (criss-crossing metal bars in the Clergy St. photo). A lot of concrete is scheduled to cover all that metal tomorrow.

The walls in the upper right hand corner of the bottom photo are those of the new squash courts. On top of the squash courts will be the Athletic offices. At the top of the photo, they are just starting to extend the walls of the building above ground level. In the foreground, they are (partially) extending the decking over the ramp heading underground.

Have a great Spring!

Dave.

Coaches Update - March 18, 2008
Quick update with pictures of the construction of the Queen's Centre to date. First, more accolades, as Teddi Firmi was selected as a Coca~Cola Athlete of the Term by the Athletic department committee. Amy Goodday received this honour in 2005 and Claire Meadows in 2007. Colour Awards (Athletic Banquet) is set for next Tuesday (March 25) -- I'll forward information on team awards following the banquet.

With regard to the last newsletter, I neglected to mention that Heather Box, while not the Defensive Player of the Year, was selected to the OUA East All-Defensive Team in 2001 (sorry for the omission).

Attached are two photos of the Q's Centre. The first one is looking out the back door of the Phys. Ed. Centre (as usual). What you see is as follows:

Top deck
- main varsity gym floor level (centred - a little to the right)
- far right (past the crane) - you can just catch the corner of one of the supports for the squash court wall
- left side pillars -- varsity strength & conditioning area

Lower deck
- left side -- men's varsity team rooms
- centre - (a little to the right) - main change rooms
- far right (out of picture) women's varsity team rooms
- foreground - visiting team rooms

Second photo is taken from the west end (University Ave.) of the pit, looking east (toward Division St.) (down what was Clergy St.)

Left side of photo:
- decking as described in previous photo

Centre of photo:
- left centre is a ramp going down to ground level (parking)
- dead centre you can identify the curved knee-wall which curves 180 degrees (looks like hockey rink boards)
- right centre is the start of the ramp going up toward Division St. (it's difficult to visualize)

The construction is moving along quite nicely, with a seemingly endless parade of cement trucks on a daily basis.

Have a great week.

Dave.

OUA East All-Stars Announced - February 28, 2008
Hot off the press: the OUA has announced the East Basketball All-Stars and I am pleased to report that Queen's is very well represented.

Garnering recognition as a second-team All-Star, captain Sarah Barnes caps off her great career with this award. Barnesy averaged almost 13 points per game, shooting a blistering 38.2% from behind the arc.

Third-year point guard Teddi Firmi grabbed the Defensive Player of the Year award with her tenacious on-the-ball defense, great rebounding and the more than occasional pilfering of the basketball.

Brittany Moore earned the Rookie of the Year honours, finishing first in the nation in three-point shooting percentage (45.8%) (I erroneously indicated she was second in the nation in a previous newsletter - sorry about that). Britt led the team in scoring her last three games to finish with a season average 7.5 points per game.

Alaina Porter was also recognized for her stellar play, as she was selected to the All-Rookie Team. Porter shot 46.4% from the floor, averaged almost 5.5 points per game, grabbed 47 rebounds and took numerous charges.

This marks the first time that Q's has placed two athletes on the All-Rookie Team in the same year, the first time a Q's player has won the Rookie of the Year award since 1990 (Vicki Wilson), and the first time a Q's player has won the Defensive Player Award.

Certainly bodes well for the future of Queen's Basketball!

Dave.

Coaches Update - February 19, 2008
This will be the last "game report" update of the season, as we lost our sudden-death playoff game to Carleton 67-58. Our slow start left us in a bind as we surrendered 24 points in the opening quarter and another 17 in the second quarter to trail 41-19 at the half. We managed to claw our way back into the game, closing to within 5 points on three different occasions, only to have Carleton reply with a run of their own. On the bright side, rookie Brittany Moore had another outstanding game, dropping 24 points, including 5-11 from behind the arc. Moore finished the season second in the country in three-point shooting percentage at 45.83, just 0.05% behind the leader. Sarah Barnes finished off her career with 11 points and 6 rebounds. Barnes averaged almost 13 points per game this season, shooting better than 38% from behind the arc. Aside from her on-court expertise, Barnesy is an outstanding captain, leader, teacher and motivator. It is these skills that will be most difficult to replace. Second-year forward Erin Skippon played a solid game with 10 points on 4-6 shooting from the floor.

As disappointing as the season has been (given our record), it has also been very rewarding. I can't say enough about the character of our players - their work ethic, positive attitude and sense of team cohesion. They are a fun group with which to work... and they will continue to get better. The support around our team, in particular, the parents, has been outstanding. Thanks to all that have supported us over the season and past years.

After a couple of weeks to decompress, we will shift our focus to off-season training - and the cycle begins again.

I'll be back in touch with updates on the Queen's Centre and other news in and around Q's basketball.All the best.
Dave.

Coaches Update - February 11, 2008
Our regular season has come to a close with us in locking up 4th spot, courtesy of our win over Ottawa on Friday night. This means that we will host the first round of the playoffs on Saturday, February 16 at 2:00pm versus Carleton. (Please note as per OUA Playoff regulations, there are no complimentary tickets available for any playoff games.)

In terms of our play - we are still struggling - having difficulty finding our rhythm and difficulty finding the hoop. Yet there are moments where we show signs of our capability - we just need that to happen a little more often as we move into the playoffs. We have our work cut out for us.

Playoff format:

First place team (Toronto) and Second place team (York) receive a first round bye.
Sixth place team (Ryerson) travels to the Third place team (Laurentian)
Fifth place team (Ryerson) travels to the Fourth place team (Queen's)

Winner of 6 @ 3 will travel to York (Wed., Feb. 20)
Winner of 5 @ 4 will travel to U of T (Wed., Feb. 20)

Winner of each of the above games will play each other at the highest seed's home court
(OUA East Final) (Sat., Feb. 23)

Winner of the OUA East Final with host the OUA Final against the OUA West winner (Sat., March 1)

Up next at home:
Saturday, February 16 vs Carleton 2pm

Coaches Update - February 4, 2008
What a tough weekend. We were playing our 4th & 5th games in 8 days against the 3rd and 1st place teams in our division, nursing injuries, and preparing for our Graduating Athlete Night. Friday, our game against Laurentian was no different than most games we have with that team: very physical and demanding. In a game that featured a total of 54 fouls (30 against Q's), we were scrambling to hang on to a slim lead down the stretch with 3 starters on the bench with 5 fouls and another 3 players on the floor with 4 fouls. Credit to Jaime Dale who was playing with a very sore back for knocking down a critical foul shot late in the game to give us a two possession lead, while rookies Alaina Porter and Christine Wallace connected in the dying seconds to increase the lead to 6 points.

Saturday we honoured our 3 graduating players following the game against York: Amanda Northcott, Anne Murphy & Sarah Barnes. The game itself was another very tough battle. We trailed by 4 after the first quarter, 8 at half, but then pulled into a tie by the end of the third. Each team scored 17 in the fourth to send it to overtime. Unfortunately we were outscored in the overtime 11-6.

The Principal's report on the Athletic Review was supposed to be released last Thursday, but is now expected by mid-week this week. I have no other details to offer at this point -- sorry.

We are now preparing for our final two league games (in Ottawa) prior to playoffs. In terms of securing fourth place (and a home playoff date), our magic number is 1. We need a win or a Carleton loss to secure fourth. While Ryerson has a mathematical chance of catching Carleton for fifth place, they cannot catch us.

Have a great week.

Dave.

Up Next on the Road (Please note that some printed materials have listed these games incorrectly):
Friday, February 8 @ Ottawa 6pm
Sat., February 9 @ Carleton 6pm

Play off scenario:
Sat., February 16 vs Carleton tba Bartlett Gym
OR vs Ryerson tba Bartlett Gym
OR @ Carleton tba

Coaches Update - January 31, 2008
My apologies for the delay in getting this game report out - not used to the mid-week game. Our team continues to struggle with consistency - playing with intensity and precision on one day, then lacking both on another. Tuesday's game was an example of the latter. But for a brief 2 minute span near the end of the game, I would have to say we played uninspired basketball. The ups and downs have haunted us all season and, without trying to make excuses, injuries have played their part. Jaime Dale, was sidelined with a back problem, forcing us to alter the starting line-up yet again.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, February 1 vs Laurentian 6pm Bartlett
Sat., February 2 vs York 6pm Bartlett (graduating player night)

Up Next on the Road:
Friday, February 8 vs Ottawa 6pm
Sat., February 9 vs Carleton 6pm

Coaches Update - January 28, 2008
A weekend with two wins that's a good start. Despite starting the game against Carleton on Friday night much the same way as we played the entire game against Ryerson the week before, we managed to come alive in the fourth quarter. A packed crowd (complete with the Queen's Band and Cheerleaders) provided us with a great deal of energy as we outscored Carleton 24 to 7 in the final quarter.

On Saturday versus RMC, other than a soft second quarter, we played pretty well. We had 6 players in double figures and only surrendered 15 points in the second half.

Many have asked about the Athletic Review. The Principal has delayed her findings (originally to be released January 1) until January 31 - this Thursday. We have an Athletics Meeting scheduled that day to go through her release. I'll keep you posted.

Up Next at Home:
Tuesday, January 29 vs Ottawa 6pm Bartlett Gym
Friday, February 1 vs Laurentian 6pm Bartlett Gym
Sat., February 2 vs York 6pm Bartlett Gym

On the Road: (please note that some printed materials are incorrect)
Friday, February 8 @ Ottawa 6pm
Sat., February 9 @ Carleton 6pm

Have a great week.

Dave.

Coaches Update - January 21, 2008
You know what they say about Monday mornings...here I sit at my computer trying to find words to describe a game at Ryerson that has me baffled, frustrated and exhausted. When asked by reporters, I could only say, "embarrassing...for the players, the coaches, the basketball program and the school." I know...it happens...its just hard to accept that it has happened. Our performance the next night against U of T, bore no resemblance to the Ryerson game. We played with intensity most of the time, were very tough in quarter-court defense, and battled hard on the boards. We did not handle their pressure well at all, leading to many transition hoops for Toronto...ultimately our downfall. It is clear that, in order for us to be successful, we need contributions from everyone on the team...something we were able to accomplish against Laurentian last week...something we will need to replicate over the last 7 league games and into the playoffs. We have a stretch of 5 games in 8 days coming up. We will have starting point guard, Teddi Firmi back in the line-up (missed this past weekend), putting us back at full strength. Ryerson and Carleton are both within striking distance of our 4th place standing, so this Friday's game against Carleton is critical.

On another note, the Queen's Centre construction is moving along nicely. (see attached photo) The lowest level is a parking garage, and now they have poured part of the floor above that, which will be the lowest floor of the Queen's Centre. It will be home to the change rooms and team rooms. They are continuing to pour concrete pillars to support the next floor up (upon which will eventually by laid some maple flooring for our varsity court). That thought does put a smile on my face!

Have a great week.

Dave.

Upcoming games in Kingston:
Friday, January 25 vs Carleton 6pm Bartlett Gym
Sat., January 26 @ RMC 6pm
Tues., Januray 29 vs Ottawa 6pm Bartlett Gym
Friday, February 1 vs Laurentian 6pm Bartlett Gym
Sat., February 2 vs York 6pm Bartlett Gym

Alaina Porter Named First Recipient of Catherine Gertrude Milliken Smith Award
Kingston, Ont. (November 29, 2007) - Alaina Porter of Burlington, Ont., was named the first recipient of the Catherine Gertrude (Milliken) Smith Award given annually to a first year athlete on the Queen's University women's basketball squad.

The $1,500 scholarship was established in March of 2007 by Sherwood Smith Jr. Of Raleigh, North Carolina, in memory of his mother Catherine Gertrude (Milliken) Smith. She attended Queen's from 1921-1924 and while earning her Bachelor of Arts degree she played and managed the varsity women's basketball team. She also served terms as the secretary and president of the Levana Society which was the official association of women students at Queen's.

In order to keep the fund living, Smith donated $25,000 towards an endowment fund to ensure the continuation of the yearly award for years to come. An additional $1,500 was contributed by Smith in order to present the award this season. His goal was to create a lasting memory of his mother and her association with Queen's basketball.

"It's a remarkable gift and a special way for Mr. Smith to pay tribute to his mother," said Dave Wilson, Head Coach of the women's basketball team. "He felt that she would be proud to have her name associated with a scholarship which helps young student-athletes at Queen's."

Porter joins the Gaels from Nelson High School in her native Burlington. Last year, Porter graduated as an honours student with a 95% average and helped lead her high school team to a silver medal at the Ontario Federation of School Athlete Association (OFSAA) Championship.

"It's an honour to be the first recipient of this award," said Porter who is majoring in Commerce. "This is something that will help me so I can focus on my academic studies and improve my game."

Coaches Update - November 26, 2007
I definitely need a ghost writer. The more our team struggles, the more I am studying film, meeting with players, and struggling for solutions. Hence I forget to write the game reports and I end up scrambling to get something out.

If you haven't guessed, we had a disappointing weekend, dropping both games - overtime to Laurier and by 13 to Waterloo. Even more disturbing than the losses, was the poor quality of play versus Waterloo. We are much more talented than we show, but getting the ball to drop through the hoop has been a major obstacle. Life will not get any easier this weekend as we host McMaster and Lakehead - two very tough teams. But, at least we are at home.

Without letting the "cat out of the bag", there will be a special presentation (and press release) made prior to the start of the McMaster game. Not only does it signify a huge boon to the womenÕs basketball program, both presently and in the future, but it allows us to recognize and honour a past member of the Golden Gaels basketball team.

On another note, I've posted a photo (below) of the Queen's Centre construction, which is actually construction at this point (instead of creating a big hole in the ground) - very exciting.

Up Next at Home:
Friday, November 30, 6pm vs McMaster
Saturday, December 1, 6pm vs Lakehead

On the Road at the Concordia Tournament in Montreal:
Friday, December 28, 7pm vs Bishops
Saturday, December 29, 3pm vs UQAM
Sunday, December 30, 5pm vs Concordia

Dave.

Coaches Update - October 29, 2007
A pretty tough weekend in London, ON for the Western tournament. With only one win against two losses, we are at least learning what we have to do to be successful in the coming weeks. Jess Selinger remains sidelined with back problems, although an MRI has revealed a less severe disk problem than originally thought. The prognosis is still not clear, but further rehab is in the works. We expect the return of Erin Skippon within a week, as she has been patiently (well almost patiently) nursing pulled muscles.

BREAST CANCER FUND RAISER GAME:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 6:00pm VS. RMC
Please note that our game this Friday is a fund raiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Society. All gate receipts (and other donations) will be donated on behalf of Queen's Women's Basketball and the WomenÕs Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). All universities across the country are participating with the final pooled funds raised to be presented at the CIS National Championship in Saskatoon in March.

Coaches Update - October 1, 2007
Time for a quick update. On the basketball front, we have been practicing for 3 weeks now, but I don't think we have had 10 people at practice for 2.5 of those weeks. We have been inundated with (relatively minor) injuries Š ankle sprains, pulled muscles, etc. The most serious is a back injury to co-captain Jess Selinger (5th yr.), but she is getting better daily and we hope to have her back after Thanksgiving. While a little frustrating, we have accomplished much with those that are healthy.

The players are anxiously looking forward to our first exhibition game, scheduled on Homecoming Weekend, Saturday, October 13 versus Ste. Foy at 11:30am. After that, we will be on the road for the next couple of weeks.

We just finished hosting the 22nd Annual Tricolour Basketball Tournament for High School Senior Girls. The tournament is coordinated by captains Selinger and Sarah Barnes and run by all of our players. Sixteen teams from across the province competed in 26 games in the Friday/Saturday event. Ashbury College from Ottawa defeated St. Peter from Orleans to capture the Gold. Two local teams competed for the Bronze, with Regi defeating Bayridge for the hardware.

Tournament All-Stars were:
Steph MacDonald - St. Peter
Illesha Ste. Helene Uko - Ashbury
Annie McNeely - Regi
Margaret Lamptey - Markham
Jenna Gilbert - Merivale

Tournament MVP:
Anneka Bakker - Ashbury

I've added a couple of more pictures of the construction/destruction around the Phys. Ed. Centre (see below). We are still rocked by 3 blasts per day with the large hole in the ground behind the Phys. Ed. Centre. Rumour has it that they have to get down 40 feet - it looks like they are getting close.

The Arena (shown with two walls) is now no more. Two days after taking the picture, the rest of the building was reduced to rubble. They are currently clearing the site to make way for the new School of Kinesiology and Health Studies.

University Avenue between Union and Clergy looks like it is ready to be filled back in. The rest of University Ave. (down toward the water) still has much work to be done.

I've also included of photo of what used to be Tindall Field. It will become a temporary parking lot, while the Mac-Corey parking lot is excavated for two levels of underground parking. On top of that will become the new Tindall Field - an artificial surface that will facilitate many intramural events, along with a few varsity programs.

That's it for now.
All the best.
Dave.

Coaches Update - August 27, 2007
Having just returned from Thailand, I have a few things to catch up on - but things are a little hectic around here, so I'll keep this note brief and follow up a little later.

Briefly, our FISU team finished 7th in the world - Canada's best finish since 1991. It was a great experience - exhausting, but enjoyable. Hard to believe, but Bangkok had even more traffic issues than Mexico City.

Back at Queen's, our team is preparing for an unexpected exhibition game this Saturday, September 1 at 6pm in Bartlett Gym against the University of Toledo (a Division I school from Ohio). With our players working hard all summer, we are in pretty good shape (all things considered) to play a game this early in the season.

With Frosh Week (Orientation week) beginning after Labour Day, we have open gym time scheduled each afternoon for scrimmages. They are open to anyone interested in trying out this fall.

Due to the nature of the newly activated Athletic Financial Awards (aka Scholarships), we will be holding a one-day try out session on Monday, September 10 (first day of classes) from 5:30 to 7:30pm. All are welcome to attend this try out. From this try out, players may be asked to continue with the try out process further into the week. Competition will be very tough as we have 9 returning players and 3 signed recruits.

I am also pleased to announce that we will be playing an exhibition game on Homecoming Weekend. On Saturday, October 13 at 11:00am we will host Ste. Foy (CEGEP) from Quebec City. (For those football fans, our game will be finished by 12:30pm, long before the start of the football game against Waterloo)

That's it for now. I'll be back in touch shortly with some more pictures of the QueenÕs Centre progress!

All the best.

Dave.

Coaches Update - July 16, 2007
Time for a quick update. The team has been training hard all spring/summer, either at 7 in the morning or at 5:30 in evenings …. and sometimes both. There is little doubt that we will be heading into September with the fittest team possible.

Construction/destruction is in full force around the Phys. Ed. Centre. The Jock Harty Arena has been stripped of almost all its limestone and is starting to be torn down --- to make way for the new School of Kinesiology and Health Studies. Blasting has begun in the city block behind the Phys. Ed. Centre --- where Phase I of the Queen’s Centre will house a new swimming pool, varsity gyms (3), team rooms, change rooms, fitness and strength training centre, office space and more. (see photos below)

The Queen’s Basketball Camps are set for the end of August with most of our players employed as assistant coaches. Week 1 (August 20-24) is for boys and girls aged 9-12, while Week 2 (August 27-31) is for players 13 and up.

A new format for try outs will be implemented this season, given the success of off-season recruitment and training. We will have an open try out on Monday, September 10th at 5:30pm (first day of classes). Players may be selected from the open try out to attend the “by invitation only” try out the next morning at 6:30am. Team selections will be finalized shortly afterwards.

I will be heading to Bangkok, Thailand at the end of July to coach the Canadian World University Games team (FISU). Canada is in a pool with Turkey, Thailand and Korea with games beginning on August 7th. I will return just in time for our basketball camps starting on August 20th.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to being back in touch when the basketball season is set to get into high gear.

All the best,
Dave.

Coaches Update - May 29, 2007
Time for another News Update from the basketball office. Up first are congratulations to some award winners from this past season:

Claire Meadows: Team MVP (2nd consecutive yr.), CIS Academic All-Canadian
Jess Selinger: CIS Academic All-Canadian (2nd time), Accepted to Master’s Program at Q’s
Anne Murphy: Team Most Improved Player, CIS Academic All-Canadian
Erin Skippon: Team Rookie of the Year
Sarah Barnes: Accepted to Master’s Program at Q’s

Our attention has now turned to next season, with our returning players already working hard on their games. We have added three outstanding recruits, Christine Wallace, from just south of Ottawa, Alaina Porter from Burlington, and Brittany Moore from just outside Hamilton. For more information, please see the press releases below.

Our schedule for the fall is also shaping up:

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13 vs. STE. FOY 11:00am (Homecoming Weekend)

Friday, October 19 @ Cape Breton U. tba
Saturday, October 20 @ Cape Breton U. tba
Sunday, October 21 vs. UPEI in Truro, NS 12noon

F/S/S, October 26-28 @ U of Western Ontario Tournament

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2 vs. RMC 6:00pm (League game)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3 vs. UQAM 2pm (Exhibition)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4 vs. ST. F.X. 12n (Exhibition)

League play continues beginning the weekend of November 9 through to December 1.

S/S/M, December 29-31 @ Concordia Tournament

League play resumes January 4, ending on February 9 before heading into playoffs.

Progress continues with the Queen’s Centre – Union St. in front the Phys. Ed. Centre is now a big moat. They have also starting digging in the back corner of the PEC. Blasting in the city block behind us is also scheduled to start soon. They have been inspecting and photographing the existing PEC to provide reference should the blasting shift and/or damage the building …. Comforting to know! See photos below.

Lastly, I have been selected by Canada Basketball as the Head Coach of the FISU (World University Games) team for this summer. We will have a week-long training camp in Kitchener (at Laurier University) in June and will be heading to Bangkok, Thailand at the beginning of August. See press release below for further info.

That’s about it for now.
Dave.

Women's Basketball Lands Another Recruit
Kingston, ON (May 14, 2007) - Queen's Golden Gaels women's basketball head coach Dave Wilson is pleased to announce the final part to his recruiting trilogy for this season in the committment to Queen's of recruit Christine Wallace. Coach Wilson says he "is thrilled!" to have the 6'0 wing player from North Gower, Ontario suiting up for the Tricolour this fall. Christine helped lead her St. Mark high school team to a bronze medal at the AAA OFSAA championships in Stratford, Ontario last December. In St. Mark's eight point semifinal loss to eventual champion Governor Simcoe, Christine scored a team high 14 points. Coach Wilson says of Christine "she is very athletic and has a huge upside as to where she can develop", adding "she can shoot the 3, and runs the floor as well as anyone I've seen". The Osgoode OBA team member says of her decision to join the Tricolour in the fall "I am pleased to be given the opportunity to be a part of this dynamic team of coaches, teachers and students. Basketball has been a passion of mine for many years and I would like to bring this level of commitment and dedication to the Golden Gaels Athletic Department. I look forward to discovering the enriched and diverse environment of a post secondary education at Queen's". With Christine Wallace joining the earlier committed recruits Alaina Porter and Brittany Moore, Coach Wilson feels ecstatic about the team that will hit the Bartlett Gym floor this season. All three newcomers will be in Kingston May 25th for a training weekend at Queen's with the rest of the returning Gaels from the team that made it to the East division final in late February.

Women's Basketball gets Commitment from Hamilton Guard
Kingston, ON (April 25, 2007) - Queen's Golden Gaels women's basketball coach Dave Wilson continues to have a successful recruiting season with Hamilton point guard Brittany Moore deciding today to attend Queen's this September. Moore a 5'6 point guard played her high school basketball with St. Thomas More in Hamilton and is currently playing club basketball with the Burlington Panthers. The sixth ranked Panthers also have another future Gael on their team in Alaina Porter who committed to Queen's a couple of weeks ago. Moore who will enter the Physical Education program at Queen's is, according to Wilson " a terrific point guard that handles the ball, sees the floor and can shoot the ball extremely well!". Wilson added that Brittany attended a one day camp in December at Queen's where she participated in a three point shooting drill. In the drill, a player has two minutes and ten seconds to take 25 shots from behind the arc. Moore made an unbelievable 23 in the allotted time. As for attending Queen's this fall Brittany says "I am thrilled with the opportunity to attend one of the best universities in Canada! Queen's offers the complete package: tradition, academic and athletic excellence along with a spirited campus community. I am really excited about joining the Golden Gael basketball team under the leadership of a great coaching staff". The Gaels finished last season in second place in the OUA East losing in the East championship game.

Women's Basketball Announces Recruit For 2007 Season
Kingston, ON (April 16, 2007) - Dave Wilson, head coach of the Queen's Golden Gaels women's basketball team, is pleased to announce the committment of one of his recruits to attend Queen's this fall. Alaina Porter a 5'8 wing player from Burlington, Ontario is pleased to become a part of the storied Gaels tradition. Porter was the captain of her Nelson High School team this season helping the Lords to the silver medal in March at the OFSAA AAA championships. She led Nelson in scoring this season including accounting for 23 of her team's 38 points in the OFSAA gold medal game. Dave says of the graduating high school senior "I coached Alaina at the Stu Julius Camp (Laurier University) last summer. She is a very intelligent basketball player, who works really hard and picks up concepts very quickly. Also Alaina always has a smile on her face". In a written statement Saturday Alaina says " I am extremely happy to be coming to Queen's with the opportunity to play basketball with such committed basketball players and a great coaching group. Queen's stands out as the university that I want to attend because of its excellent commerce program, great campus and sense of university community. I am really excited about the upcoming season and school year as a Golden Gael!"

Queen's Women's Basketball Coach To Lead Canadian Development Team
Kingston, ON (May 28, 2007) - Canada Basketball announced today the coaching staff for each of the four women’s national teams competing in 2007 and Queen's Golden Gaels Head Coach Dave Wilson figures prominently. Coach Wilson will be the head coach of the development women’s National Team. For Dave it is his first head coaching assignment with the women’s national team program after successfully serving as an assistant for five years with each of the senior, young and junior national teams since 2001. Wilson is in his 25th year as head coach of the Golden Gaels who were OUA East finalists this past season. Coach Wilson will be assisted on this staff by Donna Branch who is a former junior national team athlete and currently the head coach at the University of Lethbridge. The FISU Games begin in August in Asia. Coach Wilson says "all the experiences I have had with Canada Basketball have allowed me to gather skills and knowledge to help improve our Queen's program. I see this opportunity as a way to continue to gain valuable insight and experience at the world level.".

In addition to the FISU Games squad, Canada will field a Senior Women’s National Team, competing in the FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifier and Pan Am Games, and a Young Women’s National Team, competing in the 2007 U21 World Championships and a Junior Women’s National Team, competing in the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship.

Coaches Update - March 26, 2007
Everyone keeps asking me if I am rested now that the season is over ….. far from it. It has been very busy in terms of association meetings, both in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Hamilton, Ontario, trying to attend as many OBA Club ball games as possible, and do a little training with our team. Once the OBA Championships in May are over, it will cut down on some of the weekend travel.

This weekend (Sunday) is the annual Colour Awards (Athletic) Banquet, held at the Ambassador Conference Resort. I’ll have a summary of award winners in my next newsletter.

You are probably going to laugh at me ….. but I wanted to include a couple of pictures with construction beginning on the new Queen’s Centre. (see below) Yes I know, they are only digging holes in the ground – not that exciting. But you have to understand that we have been working towards this moment for better than 10 years, so please let me indulge myself by being excited to see …. well…. a hole in the ground.

The first part of construction will involve the re-routing of the underground services which currently run north on Division St., then west on Clergy. These will be re-routed to running west on Union St. and then north on University Ave. Basically, they will be trenching all around the existing PEC. Great, we will have our own moat, just like our castle in England.

Not too much happening in behind the existing PEC, but soon enough the digging will begin there as well. Phase I will include a new swimming pool, varsity basketball court (and 2 practice courts), fitness and weight areas, squash courts, team rooms, change rooms, and offices all in the city block behind the existing PEC. The Jock Harty Arena is scheduled for demolition immediately after convocation (June) to make way for the new School of Kinesiology & Health Studies. All of this is expected to be open for business in September of 2009. That will allow us to vacate the existing PEC, which will then be demolished in favour of a new Olympic-size ice arena, complete with field house on top (includes 4 basketball courts, 6-lane track). This is scheduled for completion in 2012. The final phase primarily involves the JDUC – which will undergo major renovations scheduled for completion in 2014.

The Athletics & Recreation Division has been undergoing a review process for the past 6 weeks. The report is looking at the role of Athletics at Queen’s and how it blends with the mission of the University as a whole. Recommendations are expected sometime in late April. The construction of the Queen’s Centre prompted the review, with an eye to determining what structure we should adopt when moving into the new facilities.

That’s about it for now.

Happy Spring!

Dave.

Coaches Update - February 26, 2007
Our season has come to an end with a 65-41 loss to York. Nonetheless it was a very good season. Capturing second place in the division and advancing to the OUA East Championship game was quite an accomplishment. A quick couple of individual accomplishments:

Claire Meadows
Selected first team OUA East All-Star
OUA nominee for All-Canadian
Second All-time leading scorer in Q’s history (990 career league pts.)

Jess Selinger
Selected second team OUA East All-Star
First in the country in Free-Throw Shooting percentage (93.65%)

The focus now shifts to the future, scouting, recruiting and off-season training.

On behalf of our coaching staff and entire team, we would like to thank you for your interest and support throughout the season. We greatly appreciate the fan support, emails and good wishes.

Have a great off season.
Dave.

Coaches Update - Dec. 14, 2006
Just a quick update prior to our holiday break. With the fall portion of our schedule completed, we sit with a league record of 6 and 3, good enough for second place in the OUA East Division.

OUA-East	Wins	Losses	For	Against	Points
York	7	2	593	513	14
Queen's	6	3	573	534	12
Toronto	4	5	640	620	8
Laurentian	4	5	641	714	8
Ottawa	1	7	454	503	2
Carleton	1	7	449	571	2
Ryerson	0	9	394	666	0
RMC	0	9	375	692	0

Prior to heading into the second half of our season we will play a couple of exhibition games - both at RMC: Friday, December 29 at 6pm vs Guelph and Sunday, December 31 at 10am vs Laval.

The other news I wanted to update you on is the construction of the Queen's Centre -- the $230 Million athletic and student life complex. By way of background, the first phase of the Queen's Centre will see the construction of a new swimming pool, varsity showcase gymnasium, two practise courts, strength & conditioning areas, squash courts, team rooms, change-rooms, meeting rooms and office space. This will all be built on the city block behind the existing Phys. Ed. Centre. The houses and Kingston Curling Club that used to reside on that space have all been demolished (see attached photos - looking out the back of the Phys. Ed. Centre - across Clergy St. which will eventually not exist - over to William St.). Excavation of the property is set to begin in January. The current Jock Harty Arena will be demolished in the spring to make way for the new School of Kinesiology and Health Studies. Completion of the first phase is a little over 2 years away (2009). When the facility opens, all functions in the current Phys. Ed. Centre will move to the new buildings. (Arena arrangements are still being finalized). Once the move is made in 2009, the existing Phys. Ed. Centre will be demolished to make way for a new Olympic-sized arena, complete with a field house on top -- including a 6 lane running track and 4 more basketball courts.

This is a very exciting time for Queen's Basketball. Not only is the new Queen's Centre construction underway, we also have a new Athletic Director in place as of December 1, 2006. She is Leslie Dal Cin, someone very familiar to the Canadian Basketball scene as she was the former Executive Director for Canada Basketball. She comes to the position as an agent of change -- change that will move Queen's Athletics into a new model of excellence -- a model that will bring pride and prestige to the entire University.

I will keep you posted as the Queen's Centre continues to take shape and the evolution of Queen's Athletics begins. In the meantime, have a great holiday season.

Homecoming Weekend
Homecoming is scheduled very early this year -- September 15 - 17 -- making an alumni game impractical. With the team being selected on September 15th, our plan is to continue with our "Retreat Weekend" on September 16 & 17th to begin the team-building process. This is an anomalous year -- I'm sure Homecoming will move later in the calendar next year.

Sponsorship
Converse All-Star Canada continues to be a proud sponsor of our program. They provide each of our athletes with 2 pairs of shoes and a few other goodies throughout the season.

The Athletic Department has signed a clothing/uniform sponsorship agreement Russell Athletic, the world's largest uniform distributor. As part of the agreement, our athletes will receive a "player's package", consisting of a Travel bag, T-shirt and Hoody sweat shirt.

Scholarships/Bursaries (Athletic Financial Awards)
As you may or may not be aware, CIS institutions across the country have been able to offer athletic scholarships to incoming students for a number of years now. At the time, however, Ontario universities opted to not offer scholarships. That decision has now been changed -- effective September 2007. These measures were adopted to try and address the inequities that were occurring across the country. Not only were Ontario athletes leaving the province in search of athletic scholarships, Ontario universities were having difficulty attracting top notch out-of-province students.

The next major hurdle for Queen's, is to develop a scholarship fund that can sustain itself for years to come. There are two broad ways of establishing Athletic Awards: one is to collect money and distribute it as awards (meaning that if the money runs out, the award cannot be given). The other is to endow an award -- meaning that collected money is invested and only the generated interest is given out as an award. Therefore the award will be available year after year. Obviously to endow money to generate an award, takes a great deal more money up front. It is not clear at this point what strategy the university will pursue and what responsibility will fall to the individual teams. Simple math tells me that if endow $1 million dollars, the interest (4% = ~$400,000) would allow me to provide 12 athletes with a $3500 annual award. (I have yet to formulate a strategy to raise $1 million, but am open to suggestions).

Queen's Centre
The Queen's Centre is a GO! Construction on the 1/4 of a billion dollar Centre will make this the largest undertaking of any university in Canada. The first phase (which will be built on the city block directly behind the current PEC) will house a new varsity basketball court (& two practise courts), swimming pool, squash courts, strength training & fitness area, athletic offices, change rooms and customized team rooms. A new School of Kinesiology and Health Studies will also be built in Phase I. The plan is to move into the new facility in the summer of 2009, followed by the demolition of the current Phys. Ed. Centre -- which will eventually house an Olympic-size ice arena, and field house (with 6 lane running track and four basketball courts).

Dave

BC All-Star to Join Gaels Women's Basketball

Kingston, ON (June 1, 2006) - Dave Wilson, Head Coach of the Women's Basketball Program at Queen's University is pleased to announce the signing of another "blue chip" player for the coming season. Erin Skippon (Kelowna, BC) a 6' forward/post player, will suit up for the Gaels this fall with the potential to make an immediate impact.

Hailing from Kelowna High School, she played for Coach Harry Parmar and helped lead her team to a provincial silver medal this past March, while garnering All-Star recognition for herself. A clever athlete, Skippon can play inside, where she has a strong rebounding presence, and away from the hoop with an effective jumper and drive to the rim.

A member of the BC U16 team in 2004, and the U17 team in 2005, Skippon competed last summer in the Canada Summer Games in Regina where her team captured fourth place. She also has a connection to the Queen's Basketball Program as her aunt, Dr. Karen Graham, was a provincial All-Star for the Gaels back in the mid 1980's.

"One of my coaching goals is to coach the daughter of a former player," comments Wilson. "I'm not quite there yet, but Erin gets me a little closer to that goal. She will be a great addition to our team," added Wilson. "Her athleticism and spirit will allow her to develop into a first-rate basketball player."

Skippon, along with fellow incoming BC players, Gen Hunter & Janelle Roger, and Ontario recruit, Maddie Soye, mark an outstanding recruiting class. But Wilson still has another weapon up his sleeve. "I would like to be able to call our recruits the proverbial 'fab five', and I have just the right person in mind," Wilson says with a smile. Not ready to divulge his secret, it is obvious that another impact player is on the radar screen.

Women's Basketball Announces Two More Recruits

KINGSTON, ON (April 28, 2006) - Dave Wilson, Head Coach of the Women's Basketball team at Queen's is pleased to announce the commitment of two blue-chip players for this fall. "It was a great day," proclaimed Wilson, referring to the day that both Janelle Roger (Surrey, BC) and Maddie Soye (Kitchener, ON) confirmed their intent to come to Queen's.

Roger is a 5'11" guard that has played both point and shooting guard for Southridge HS under coach, Marc Ayotte. As captain and floor general, she led her team to a Bronze Medal in the BC A division Championship. Selected as a first-team tournament All-Star, Roger had the distinction of leading the tournament in scoring, dropping an incredible 101 points in only 3 games, including a 44 point effort in the opening round. Characterized by Wilson as a very intelligent player, it was not the first time that Roger put up 40 points in a game, having dropped 40 the previous week in her regional semi-final game. "She has a great instinct for the basket and is a very good student of the game," adds Wilson.

Soye is a 5'9" guard that had a stellar career at Grand River Collegiate, playing for former CIS standout Kathy Brook. Grand River made their second straight OFSAA appearance this past December. Currently playing for the Kitchener-Waterloo Lightning, Coach Al Haehn has his squad playing extremely well, grabbing the 5th seed heading into the provincial championship in early May. Soye is a critical part of the team, using her diversity of skills, good size and long reach to play a variety of roles, both on offence and defense. "I really believe Maddie is not only a very talented player right now, but that she will continue to develop into a multi-dimensional threat at the CIS level," stated Wilson.

Soye is reuniting with former high school and club teammate, Teddi Firmi, who just completed an outstanding first season with the Gaels. They worked very well together and expect to pick up right where they left off a couple of years ago.

Soye and Roger join post player Gen Hunter (North Vancouver, BC) as part of the committed recruiting class for this fall. "It is unusual to have three committed players this early in the spring," commented Wilson. "Pat Tracey [Athletics recruiting officer] and all our friends in the admission office have been doing an outstanding job of handling the enormous number of applications," added Wilson, "I can't thank them enough."

Gael's Women's Basketball Team Attracts High Level PLayer from B.C.
By Henk Pardoel

KINGSTON, ON (April 7, 2006) - Dave Wilson, head coach of Queen's University women's basketball team is pleased to announce that Gen Hunter has confirmed her intentions to join the Gaels this fall. Gen, a native of North Vancouver, BC has an extensive basketball background including stints with Canada Basketball's Centre of Performance, BC's U15 & U16 provincial teams and a very strong high school program at Handsworth Secondary School.

The list of coaches that have worked with Gen is very impressive, including: Rich Chambers (CP), Shaun McGuinness (CP, U15 & Handsworth), and most recently, Scott Palmer (Handsworth) who led his team to an outstanding season, culminating with a fourth place finish in the BC Triple A Provincials.

At 6' in height, Gen has experience at the power forward and post positions. With a good wing span, Wilson noted that, "with her physical strength and willingness to use that strength, she is very effective at controlling the boards, even against taller players."

A gifted student, Gen has attained a 90% average (hence the early offer of admission and scholarship from Queen's) while committing significant time to her basketball. "I am impressed with her character and work ethic. She will be a solid addition to our program," commented Wilson.

Queen's finished the 2005-06 season in 4th position in the OUA East Division. After defeating Carleton in the quarter finals, they lost a 2 point buzzer-beater to Toronto in the semi finals.

Blues Defeat Gaels 54-52 - February 22, 2006
By Dave Wilson

All I can say is that it was a heck of a ball game. We played hard -- we played well -- we played smart. It wasn't enough to win on this day, as we lost 54-52 to Toronto in the Eastern Semi-Final match-up at U of T. For the 25 years I've been coaching Queen's, we have now slipped to a playoff record of 3 losses and 2 wins with Toronto. All 3 losses were on Toronto's court, while the two wins were on neutral sites.

Giving up a significant amount in size, we countered with solid execution and some clutch shooting, frequently scoring as the shot clock expired. Toronto's largest lead was 7, while our largest lead was 6. Trailing by 2 with less than 30 seconds to play, sharp execution following a time out led to a Teddi Firmi baseline jumper with 6 seconds remaining. Toronto quickly inbounded and raced the length of the court to finish with a drive and score with only 0.8 seconds on the game clock. Another time out to set up a desperation attempt actually saw us get the ball down the floor to the top of their key for a shot attempt (albeit a very awkward one), and the season was over.

Claire Meadows, despite playing on a badly bruised heel, pumped in 16 points to lead all scorers in the game.

The improvement in this team, from September to now, particularly in their understanding of the game has been exceptional. It certainly bodes well for the future of Queen's basketball.

Congratulations to Claire Meadows who was selected as an OUA East All-Star, and to Teddi Firmi who was selected to the All-Rookie team.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and encouragement over the course of the season. For me, it has been a particularly rewarding season, working with such great players and coaches.

All the best.

Dave

February 17, 2006

Gaels expect tough playoff battle with Ravens
By Frank Dixon

The OUA East playoffs will begin on Saturday in Bartlett Gym when the Queen's Golden Gaels (11-11, fourth place) host the Carleton Ravens (10-12, fifth) at 2 p.m. This is a sudden-victory game, with the winner advancing and the loser going home until next season.

The game is shaping up to be a very closely-fought affair. Each team won once in head-to-head play this season, with both wins on home court. Queen's won 50-45 in November, while the Ravens answered, 66-51, in January.

The Ravens have been an up-and-down team since early January. They ran off an 7-game winning streak, and were named OUA Women's Team of the Month for January. But they have lost their last four games, including an inter-city rivalry game to the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Tuesday night. Had the Ravens won that game, they would have hosted the Gaels for the playoff. The game's site is a major factor, since Carleton was just 2-9 on the road in OUA games this season, while Queen's was 6-5 at home.

The Gaels have also been struggling somewhat since they defeated #4-ranked McMaster 58-52 on January 7th, the highlight of their season so far. At that stage, they stood at 7-4, while Carleton was 3-8 after the same number of games. Queen's has been outrebounded in many games, and committed too many turnovers in several games. Head Coach Dave Wilson is certainly aware of the problems, and has been working on them in practice, but with a young team, growing pains take time to correct. It's a law of basketball that a winning team usually has to be better than its opponent in at least two of the following three categories: shooting percentage, rebounding, and turnovers. So, taking care of the basketball, and taking care of the boards, better than they've been doing, will be essential for the Gaels to advance.

The statistical categories based on season-long play are very similar between the teams. Queen's is better defensively, ranking third in Ontario behind York and McMaster, while the Ravens offer a little more octane at the offensive end. Experience also stacks up about dead even, with each team relying on a core of experienced veterans, backed up by several key reserves, with a couple of rookies fitting into the mix.

GUARDS:
The Gaels' guards have excellent team speed, ball handling, outside shooting, and defensive skills, and can drive off the dribble when given the opportunity. They will be led by their captain Claire Meadows, who has led the team in six important statistical categories (minutes, scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, and blocks). Claire heads a solid group of Gaels' guards which matches up well with any team in Ontario. Jess Selinger has returned strongly from an injury which caused her to mix six January games, to finish second in team scoring with more than ten points per game. Sarah Barnes shook off the 'flu to hit for 18 points against Laurentian last weekend, and is among the OUA leaders in three-point shooting. Jaime Dale has been a reliable floor general at the point guard position, and also shoots the trey well. Rookie Teddi Firmi has played important minutes at the point, and shown tremendous rebounding skill and defensive smarts. Lyndsey Gauley is a first-year guard who improved substantially during the season.

The Ravens rely very heavily on their fifth-year shooting guard Dasa Farthing, a past Defensive Player of the Year for the conference. The versatile Farthing is Carleton's leading scorer, leads the OUA in steals with 3.5 per game, is a good outside shooter, and has enough size at 5'10" to play virtually anywhere on the floor, from one to five. Point guard Avely Serin missed last season for surgery but has come back strongly; she runs the offense well but doesn't look to score much herself. Jyllian Grosse is the most athletic Raven, offering a powerful package of scoring, rebounding, and defensive skills; she is the team's second-leading rebounder and fourth leading scorer, but has missed the last seven games. Rookies Lauren Ziebell and Tanya Perry have both had good first CIS seasons, each averaging 23 minutes and about five points per game, with several games in double figures scoring.

Edge: QUEEN'S.

FORWARDS:
It has been a development year for the Gaels' forwards group, following the graduation of OUA All-Stars Amy Goodday and Sarah Cameron, and five-year player Jen Bittner. Lindsay Robb, in her fourth season, is the most experienced, and has been clutch in a reserve role. Robb can take her checks to the perimeter, where she has made 45 per cent of her treys, and battles hard in the paint with larger players. Anne Murphy greatly increased her minutes this season, hit a career-high 19 points against Ontario champion Guelph to key that win, and shines defensively. Amanda Northcott is a second-year forward who has stepped up in the later part of the season, starting several games and playing big minutes. Kira Borden is a reserve player who can defend mobile forwards and play tough inside. The 6'2" rookie Agnes Herra is a reserve who has shown good inside conversion, rebounding, and shot-blocking skills.

This is the strength of the Ravens' team, with plenty of experience, size, scoring talent, and rebounding punch. Sarah Kennedy is in her fourth season and was Ravens' Player of the Year in 2004-05. She averages 10 points per game, and has had several huge games in the second half of the season, hitting for 32 against Toronto and 20 against Laurentian, both wins. Brooke Ritchie is in her third season and really developed in 2006, topping the 20-point mark three times, and leading the team in rebounding. Jacqui Snyder, a sophomore, averages 18 minutes and seven points per game, often in a reserve role, but gets into foul trouble frequently. Erin Mathieu is a fourth-year reserve who averages 16 minutes without much production. Rookie swing player Allison McCann scored 14 against Laurentian but hasn't seen much action in other games. Ines Jelic is a promising tall rookie who averages 11 minutes per game. Carleton is taller, heavier, and more experienced close to the basket, and will give the Gaels big challenges with defense and rebounding.

Edge: CARLETON.

INTANGIBLES:
Queen's has home court and this is important, in light of the Ravens' struggles on the road. Queen's won't have to travel in midwinter conditions. Two Gaels, Meadows and Robb, played on the 2003 OUA East Gaels' team which also went to the CIS Final Eight, while the Ravens have no players with similar levels of experience. Queen's has been a winning program for most of the past 15 years, while the Ravens are having their best season in some 20 years, having improved their fitness, systems, and recruiting. The Gaels' Head Coach Dave Wilson has been with Queen's for 25 years, while Christy Lauzon is in her third year at Carleton. Each has university experience as a player: Wilson at Queen's, Lauzon at Vermont. Wilson also has quite a bit of international coaching experience with Basketball Canada. Lauzon and her staff will be hungry for success. Dave Smart, Raven's Men's Head Coach, has also been scouting Carleton women's games on occasion, but with the Ravens' men facing a huge game with Ottawa the same day, may not have six hours to spare for a Kingston excursion. The Ravens come into the game with a bit better form, having beaten Laurentian and Toronto in recent matches; those are two teams the Gaels have struggled with.

But the uncertainly over Grosse's availability may be a big factor; even if she plays, she will have been out of action for nearly a month. The teams occupy adjacent spots in the Cheers' RPI index. The game will likely be close, and Queen's is 9-3 in games decided by less than ten points, while Carleton is just 3-6.

Slight Edge: QUEEN'S.

Forecast: The game could tip either way, and will likely go right down to the final buzzer. Queen's should win in a tight finish!

January 27, 2006

Gaels face biggest weekend so far
By Frank Dixon

The season is approaching the stretch drive phase, and the Queen's Golden Gaels will face their biggest weekend so far. The OUA-East leading York Lions (12-3) will travel to face Queen's (9-6) on Saturday night at 6 p.m. in Bartlett Gym. Friday night's game pits the Laurentian Lady Vees (7-8), led by their scoring phenom, All-Canadian guard Cassandra Carpenter, against the Gaels. This will be the first time this season that the Gaels will face either team, and the weekend will go a long way towards determining the final standings and playoff seedings for all three teams.

The Gaels are coming off a 1-1 split in Ottawa last weekend. Queen's defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees 42-38 in a defensive battle on Friday night, for the third time this season. Sarah Barnes was the only Gael in double figures with ten points. Jaime Dale had nine, Teddi Firmi six, and Claire Meadows and Lindsay Robb each tallied five points. Sarah Hrehoriak led Ottawa with 11 points, while Hilary Foster hit for ten. Ottawa is struggling this season with a 4-11 mark, after winning the OUA East the last two seasons. The next night saw the Gaels lose to the Carleton Ravens 66-51, for only the third time in the last 20 years. This was the fourth straight win for the Ravens, now 7-8, who are having their best season in recent memory. Five Ravens hit for double figures, led by Sarah Kennedy with 13 points. Dasa Farthing and Jacqui Snyder each scored 11, while Avely Serin and Jyllian Grosse both tallied ten points, and Brooke Ritchie hit for seven points and eight rebounds. Claire Meadows led Queen's with 11 points and four rebounds. Lyndsey Gauley, rookie guard, had her best game so far as a Gael with eight points on 4-for-6 shooting. Lindsay Robb had six points and six rebounds. Teddi Firmi had five points and four assists; Jaime Dale also hit for five points, while Sarah Barnes, Amanda Northcott, and Anne Murphy each notched four points, with Murphy leading the team with eight rebounds.

Carpenter is currently leading the OUA in scoring with 21.8 points per game, and stands third nationally. She is shooting an astonishing 12 free throw attempts per game, to lead both the OUA and CIS in this category by a wide margin, more than 60 per cent more than the next CIS woman player. To put into perspective just how incredible that is, look at the NBA statistics. This 12 free throw attempts per game is more than the NBA leader, Allen Iverson, is shooting, and also tops Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwayne Wade. Carpenter averages 32 minutes of court time per game, in a 40-minute CIS game, while the NBA plays 48-minute games.

Clearly, the Gaels will have a big challenge trying to contain Carpenter, since she is so aggressive on her drives. The style of refereeing during the game figures to play a big role.

Queen's has not forgotten the Lions' last visit to Bartlett Gym last February for a first-round playoff game. York, after losing both regular-season games to Queen's, pulled a major upset with a 40-36 win over the higher-seeded Gaels. York plays a tough defensive zone, and has their key players back and healthy this season, leading to their division-leading status to this point. It's a different Gaels' team, however, and one which is having a solid season of their own. It should be a great game.

The return of Jess Selinger to the Gaels' lineup is still uncertain, more than three weeks after Jess fell on the ice and hurt her ankle. The team's second-leading scorer with ten points per game, Jess will be needed for the key stretch drive games and the playoffs, if the Gaels are to achieve their best results. Queen's has put together a 4-2 mark without her, but that has taken top efforts from the rest of the lineup.

January 5, 2006

Gaels begin 2006 in optimistic mood
By Frank Dixon

As the new year 2006 unfolds, the basketball season is near its midpoint, and the Queen's Golden Gaels find themselves in a decent position, tied for third place in the OUA East division, with a 5-4 league record. Highlights of the fall season have included two clutch wins over the Ottawa Gee-Gees, who are twice defending OUA East champions, and a dramatic overtime victory over the defending Ontario champions, the Guelph Gryphons. After beginning the exhibition season with five straight losses, Queen's started to gel as they got more comfortable with their new offence, and turned it around to win seven of their next nine games. In OUA league play, the Gaels have very been competitive in all but one of their nine games so far, the off-night opener against the powerful Brock Badgers.

Things could have been better for Queen's, had they managed to win at least one of their final two games before the Christmas break. Head Coach Dave Wilson remarked that that weekend may yet come back to haunt the team when it comes to playoff positioning.

Facing the Toronto Varsity Blues, a big team, the Gaels were playing very well, led 21-18 at halftime, and opened up an eight-point margin, 37-29, seven minutes into the second half. It could have been even more, since plenty of excellent Queen's playmaking was sometimes undone by an inability to finish many great chances. At that stage, a shade of overconfidence, manifesting itself in some unplanned trapping defence and several too-quick offensive attempts, allowed Toronto to break the press for some easy baskets, and grab several rebounds to initiate fast breaks. The Blues ran off a 14-2 streak in six minutes. But Queen's hung tough and trailed by only three points with two minutes left, before finally falling 54-46. Blues' rookie post Laila Bellony, a strong 6'3" with plenty of quickness and agility, proved a difficult defensive matchup, as she came off the bench to dominate much of the second half. Claire Meadows and Jess Selinger led the way for Queen's with 19 and 14 points respectively, while posts Christine Cho (19) and Bellony (13) paced the Blues.

The next night against the Ryerson Rams saw Queen's very competitive in most aspects, but struggling with rebounding in the first half, allowing the Rams a dominant advantage in that category. However, the score was still close at halftime, 23-17 for Ryerson. Much better effort on the boards after the break brought the Gaels back into the game, yet they were unable to reclaim the lead. The Rams prospered by mixing in a plethora of pick-and-roll plays set off ball-screens, pumping in several easy baskets. Ryerson, which plays a bit of a chippy style, got into foul trouble, yet kept their key players in the game and eligible, and managed to hold off a late comeback attempt, to win 51-45. Meadows (15) and Selinger (9) were again the leaders for Queen's, while post Amanda Redhead (15) and guard Justine Navarro (12) led the Rams.

Captain Claire Meadows has certainly been the most consistent Gael this season, leading the team in minutes, scoring, and rebounding. But her teammates have improved their games significantly, responding to the opportunity of more playing time with intense effort across the roster. In the backcourt, Jess Selinger has played her best basketball so far, Sarah Barnes has shaken off an early injury to come through at the unfamiliar 4-spot, and Jaime Dale has been impressive as the floor general. Anne Murphy put forth her best game to date to lead the win over Guelph, rookie Teddi Firmi has been spectacular at times and solid most of the time, and the rest of the roster have contributed as they could.

The Gaels know that they have to battle hard in every game, since their inexperience, lack of size, and thin roster depth, are all challenges. But this team works well together, has great camaraderie, and is not afraid of hard work. Good things usually happen to teams which keep trying their best!

However, the second term will find Queen's the road for four of the six weekends to come; staying competitive will certainly be a challenging task. An early visit to Bartlett Gym by the McMaster Marauders, ranked #4 in Canada, will provide a key barometer. Queen's finishes with nine consecutive games against OUA East rivals. Two late-season games with each of the York Lions (leading the East with an 8-1 mark) and perennial challenger Laurentian Lady Vees will also be critical, since those teams currently lead the Gaels in the standings.

December 6, 2005

The fall portion of our season has come to a close, and unfortunately on a less than happy note. We lost two important games on the weekend as Toronto snagged a 54-46 win on Friday, with Ryerson topping us by 6 points on Saturday, 51-45. This drops our league record to 5 – 4, and we drop from second place to third (tied with Toronto) in the OUA East standings.

While our execution faltered somewhat at times, poor shooting certainly plagued us this weekend. With little margin for error, in terms of how tight all our games are going to be, it is critical that we manage all aspects of our game to a high level. It is an enormous task to do so day in and day out over the course of a long season – but that is what it will take for us to be successful, so we will find a way.

Up next:
Break for exams and holidays
St. Mary’s Tournament (Halifax, NS) December 29-31 (we open with UNB on Thursday, December 29 at 5pm local time)

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season.

All the best.
Dave.

August 24, 2005

How time flies. We are less than a week away from our Pre-season training camp, less than two weeks from Frosh week, and less than three weeks from the start of classes. Can you tell I have basketball on my mind. Currently we have 120 youngsters at the Queen’s Basketball Camp, with another 120 scheduled to arrive next week.

Our schedule for the year is well in place with one of our most important games on the schedule up first. With homecoming scheduled for the September 23-25 weekend, we will have our Alumni Game on Saturday, September 24 at 12noon in Bartlett Gym. Please feel free to suit up, or stop by and chat – we could probably use a couple of honourary coaches for the Alumni team as well.

Our first road trip will take us to Canada’s most easterly major city, St. John’s Newfoundland to play in the Memorial Seahawks tournament from October 13 -15. The next weekend we head to Guelph and Kitchener to play Friday/Saturday against Guelph and Laurier, before returning home for games on Friday, October 28 (4pm) against Ottawa and Sunday, October 30 (11am) against Windsor. A few days later (November 2) we open our league schedule against our cross-town rivals, RMC.

We are in the process of updating the basketball web site: www.queensbasketball.net The complete schedule should be up shortly, with a season preview and roster information to follow by mid-September, once the team has been selected.

I hope you have had an enjoyable and relaxing summer and that we will have an opportunity to get together sometime over the course of the season.

All the best.

Dave.

July 28, 2005

I’ve been out of contact for awhile, thanks to my stint with Canada Basketball and our Junior National Women’s Team. I am writing this note as I travel from Paris to Montreal, having left Tunisia (North Africa at 2:00am Kingston time).

By way of background, I am an assistant coach with our Jr. National Team – a team I worked with last summer – a team that qualified last summer for the U19 World Championship held this past week in Nabeul and Tunis, Tunisia (North Africa). A year ago, this team traveled to Puerto Rico to beat the Dominican Republic, Guatamala and Brazil (the South American Champions), in round robin play to make it to the medal round. Finishing first in our pool, we faced the host Puerto Rico in the semi-final, losing badly (21 points). The next day, however, we rebounded well to beat Brazil (for the second time) to capture the Bronze Medal, and the final berth in the World Championship. This marked the first time any Canada age-group team had ever qualified for a World Championship.

After training in Lennoxville, PQ, and playing a four-team exhibition tournament around the province, we flew from Montreal to Paris and then drove (6 hrs.) to Angouleme, France to participate in another 4-game exhibition tournament. We opened with China, a well respected world power. Playing well, we managed to compete with the Chinese, but only for 3 quarters of the game. In the final quarter, their precision led them to a 15 point win. Next we played Tunisia – a team we had beaten previously in Quebec – sort of. It turned out that the Tunisian’s sent a completely different team to France than the team that competed in Quebec. Regardless, we dominated this version of the Tunsian team. Next we played the host, France – a team that was upset in the European Championship, thereby failing to qualify for the World Championship. France, having previously beaten China in a great game, we knew we had our hands full. Despite putting in one of our best performances, we lost to the French 69-61.

Heading back to Paris, we then flew to Tunis, Tunisia – then hopped aboard a bus to Nabeul, arriving a 2:30am. We had a couple of days to train, including a scrimmage with Spain, before opening the Championship with the host, Tunisia. With a spectacular opening ceremonies immediately prior to our game, the Tunisian crowd was out in full force, complete with drums and multiple noise-makers. As for the Tunisian team, it was the team we beat in Quebec. It proved to be a hard-fought battle, in particular for the first three quarters – but in the end, we prevailed with a 69-53 win. Of interesting note was the Tunisians tactics to conceal their tendencies – while playing in Canada, not only did the players where different jersey numbers, they played under false names. It didn’t take us too long to figure out who was who come game time.

Our next game was against Hungary – a team that had been centralized for the past 6 years. While they were a very talented team, our performance was less than stellar, leaving us with a 71-44 loss. A chance to play China again resulted in a very good game – but only for the first half of the game. Swamped in the third quarter, after leading at half, we succumbed by a score of 77-60. Life didn’t get any easier as we had to face the number 2 team in the world, Australia. Playing our best basketball to date, we gave Australia all they could handle, and more. Having built a 9 point lead by the end of the third quarter, Australia came out smoking in the fourth to capture the lead late in the game – leaving us with an 82-73 loss.

The final game in our pool was critical – whoever won (Canada or Spain) would advance to the medal round (top 8). The loser would play with the other 3 remaining teams to determine the 9 – 12 spots. Unfortunately a disastrous start to the game left us with a quick 15-2 deficit after only 4 minutes. Despite valiant efforts, we never recovered from the poor start, although we played even for the rest of the game.

Our goal of making the top 8 was gone, however we established another goal of being the “best of the rest”. Our opening game was against the Congo – a team with a lot of height and athleticism. Again, a tightly contested match for the first 3 quarters – however, this time it was Canada that would shine in the fourth, running away with the game in the last 4 minutes, winning 67-51.

Puerto Rico defeated Tunisia in the other semi-final, leaving us to face the team that had defeated us soundly last summer. In a carbon copy of our game against the Congo, the game was tight through the first 3 quarters. In the fourth we managed to get rolling and built a 16 point lead, before Puerto Rico made their run. With two minutes to go, they reduced our lead to 5, but could get no closer – final score, 71-64.

For a team that had never qualified for the World’s before, finishing 9th was a decent accomplishment. The experience gained will continue to make the players (and coaches) more savvy and comfortable on a world stage.

As for the overall tournament, USA went undefeated (their closest margin was 25), beating Serbia-Montenegro in the final. Our friends from China captured the Bronze medal with a great win over Russia. Spain finished 5th with a win over South Korea, while Australia defeated Hungary for 7th place.

As for Tunisia – what a great country – the people were very friendly, and while we couldn’t drink their water, the food was quite good. We had a beach front hotel on the Mediterranean Sea and our own private bus to shuttle us to and from practices and games. Along with the bus came our own police escort (red lights were never an issue) and two Secret Service guards. Their toughest job was trying to keep the players together when we took a trip into Tunis to go shopping in the open market! We were very welcome in the market as the shop owners, on discovering we were Canadian, always had “a very special price for you”. The bartering system – gotta love it.

This time of year, it certainly is a tad warm. Twenty-six degrees was pretty common ------ as a low temperature at night. Daytime temperatures were in the mid to upper 30’s in the shade and in the low to mid 40’s in the sun --- and there were no clouds! Air conditioned gyms would of course make it more tolerable for practices and games – if they were air conditioned --- not. Blinking your eyes was cause for major perspiration! The players were tough, however and handled the heat extremely well.

On the Queen’s front, I am preparing for our day camps, running the last two weeks of August, plus our pre-season training camp running the last week of August (in the evenings). I am anxious to implement some information gathered on my travels, having had the opportunity to view Hungary and China in practice and to talk with the Australian, Puerto Rican, French and Spanish coaches.

That’s about it for now. Have a great August.

Dave.

June 27, 2005

Just a quick note to bring up to date on a couple of items. I have a brief respite from the first phase of our Jr. National Team training camp. We trained hard for almost two weeks before playing in a small tournament in various cities throughout the province of Quebec. The Quebec senior provincial team, comprised mainly of university and CGEP players hosted the Jr. National teams from Cuba, Tunisia and ourselves. We opened the tournament with a game in St. Therese against Cuba – a team that had beaten us 4 consecutive times last year. The story was different this year as we finished on the better end of an 81-51 score. The second round of the tournament was played at Bishop’s University in Lennoxville (where our training camp was being held) against the Quebec provincial team. Despite a poor start to the game, we managed to squeak out a 56-53 win. Round three was played in Trois Rivieres, where we beat Tunisia by 20, despite playing poorly.

With a record of 3-0 we played Quebec (2-1) in the gold medal game, while Cuba and Tunisia battled for the Bronze. In a hard fought, back and forth game, Quebec came out on top 55-50. Cuba beat Tunisia for the Bronze medal.

We now return to Lennoxville for the next phase of training before heading to France to play 3 exhibition games against France, China and Tunisia. From there we will travel to Tunisia for the World Championship. In our pool we have Hungary, China, Australia, Spain and Tunisia.

For further information, please check out Canada Basketball’s website at:

www.basketball.ca

On a different note, it turns out Erin McDiarmid is not the only former Queen’s basketball player to be raising money for Diabetes by running a marathon. Cara Waterfall, who played in the mid-90’s is running in the Amsterdam marathon in October. She has provided me with the following information:

I'm running the Amsterdam Marathon this October in support of the Canadian Diabetes Association and I would love to have your support.

Team Diabetes Canada is the national fundraising program for the Canadian Diabetes Association. Its goal is to create awareness about diabetes and demonstrate the benefits of healthy living - leading an active life is the best way to prevent type 2 diabetes. My reason for joining Team Diabetes has a lot to do with what I've learned working on the other side of this program, providing support to its participants. Since March 2004, I have been a Team Diabetes Associate for this program, providing program support. I have talked to many people who run or walk for their families, their partners, their friends­ and for themselves. It inspired me to become a participant myself.

I was also drawn to the personal challenge of running a marathon. Having played Varsity basketball and soccer at Queen's University, I have really missed being part of a team and pursuing an athletic goal such as this one. I'm joining athletes from all over Canada to participate in the Amsterdam Marathon on October 16th. As members of Team Diabetes Canada, we are raising awareness about diabetes, and funds in support of diabetes research and education. Today I am asking for your support in helping me reach my goal of raising $5,500.

Your support for my efforts would be greatly appreciated. Any amount that you are able to contribute brings us one step closer to finding a cure for diabetes. As with all charitable donations, tax receipts will be issued for contributions of $15 and over.

If you would like to donate to my campaign, you can do so online with your credit card by clicking this link.

Or cheques should be made payable to the Canadian Diabetes Association and sent to Cara Waterfall, 1402 Yonge St., Apt. A, Toronto, ON, M4T 1Y5.

For more information, please visit www.teamdiabetes.ca.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my request for a donation. The Amsterdam Marathon is the first step in what I hope will be many charitable adventures. I promise to run hard for you this October!

Sincerely,
Cara

Have a great summer and I will be back in touch next month with information about the upcoming Golden Gaels season.

All the best.
Dave.

June 9, 2005

My apologies for being out of communication for so long. I have been working hard to get everything in order at Queen's before joining Canada Basketball again this summer (details below). On the Queen's front, scheduling for next season is complete. In addition to hosting a couple of games at Queen's, we will take to the skies in October to visit the "rock" (St. John's, Newfoundland) for a tournament at Memorial University, followed by a trip to Ontario west to face Guelph and Laurier. League play will carry us through the rest of the fall term with games against RMC, Guelph, Brock, Windsor, Western, Ottawa and Carleton. Shortly after Christmas, we will once again head east, this time to St. Mary's tournament in Halifax, Nova Scotia, before returning home to complete our league play, beginning with Lakehead on January 5th.

Big thank you to Frank Dixon, who quickly prepared the article below -- prompting me to get this newsletter out.

Have a great summer!

Queen's basketball people pushing the envelope
By Frank Dixon

Even though it is the off-season right now for CIS play, three Queen's basketball people are pushing the envelope towards new levels of achievement.

Amy Goodday graduated from Queen's last weekend, but may not be done with her university studies just yet. Amy finished her career as the top rebounder in school history, and won the PHE '55 Award as the top Queen's female athlete this past year. She is spending the summer in Kingston, working out and scrimmaging as often as possible. Amy is also preparing for her Medical College Admission Test, which she will write in late August. Amy's father, Dr. Reg Goodday is a surgeon in Halifax, Nova Scotia. But Amy's really big news is that she has signed a contract with Bonn of the German Women's Professional League, and will begin playing with her new team in September.

Amy may not be the only former Golden Gael playing pro basketball in Germany next season. It is possible that Erin McDiarmid (Queen's '04) may join her, pending developments which are unfolding as this article is being written. Erin, a two-time OUA All-Star, and the leading scorer in Queen's history, has been playing and teaching in France for the past year, and will run the first marathon of her life in Reykjavik, Iceland, in late August, to raise money for charity.

Gaels' Women's Head Coach Dave Wilson is preparing for six weeks of really intensive hoops stuff. Coach Wilson temporarily removes his Queen's hat while he serves as an assistant coach with the National program. The Canadian Junior Women's team (U19) has qualified for the World Championships (thanks to their Bronze Medal performance in Puerto Rico last summer), to be staged in Tunisia, Africa, next month. First will come a training camp in Lennoxville, Quebec, which is home to the Bishop's University Gaiters, followed by a series of exhibition games throughout the province of Quebec. The team will make the transatlantic flight to France in early July to compete in a pre-World Championship tournament with Tunisia, China & France before flying across the Mediterranean to North Africa. The World Championship begins in mid-July, where Canada will play 5 games in 6 days in round robin play before entering the medal round. Tunisia, Hungary, China, Australia and Spain comprise the pool with Canada.

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