September 2011 www.firebasketball.ca Official Newsletter of: FIREBALL While our young athletes embark on another season of Fire basketball isn’t it our responsibility to: STAND UP AND CHEER! “The guys are feeding off you,” was the players,” offered Darnell Charlemagne the proclamation from Assistant Coach - a veteran Fire coach. “Even in Kevin Sewell as the Fire Atom boys were circumstances where things aren't going about to embark on their OBA gold medal well for the team or an individual player, a crusade. Sewell’s words were directed to boisterous crowd can help the players the large contingent of parents , family persevere through adversity by knowing members and friends who occupied much their parents and family members support of the real estate in Brock University’s main them win or lose,” he added. gymnasium. The air was filled with their According to John Murray, a collective voice and the joint was electric. renowned sports psychologist from The young lads donning the Fire logo took Stateside, “the home court advantage notice and responded with an unstoppable matters more in basketball than any other determination. sport.” “The impact of a vocal and engaged With the Fire rep season fast VOLUNTEERS parents on a basketball game is significant; approaching the Fire Basketball family are WELCOME not only does it create a vibrant hoping that we all get involved or at the atmosphere, but also instills confidence in very least - ‘stand up and cheer’. [email protected] [1] YES COACH! REP TRYOUTS Words From Our Coaches by Dwayne Lubin, FBA Head Coach improve your game someone else is, and that someone else will eventually work their way to take With the recent surge of basketball your spot.’ This concept speaks in the GTA, many aspiring youth directly to the importance of an ball players are often looking for an individual’s work ethic. edge over their competition. When providing advice to these young As for my place in the basketball men, one of the key messages I universe, the focus is on leadership. always try to deliver is the I know that I must be the best importance of strengthening their www.firebasketball.ca leader possible for my team or my work ethic. group. I was inspired a few years back by a quote from a book I read U-10 to U-17 I believe that work ethic is a ‘talent which stated that, “an army of deer within a player’s control.’ One led by a lion will defeat an army of All participants are required lasting concept I heard another lions led by a deer.” Bringing that to pay a $15 fee and will receive coach once say, and a point I type of “lion” leadership on-and-off a Fire Basketball t-shirt. always relay to aspiring players is, the floor every season is my ‘for every minute you’re not on the motivation. Saturday September 17, 24 basketball court working to from 10AM to 4PM at Pine Ridge Secondary School , 2155 Liverpool Road, Pickering Sunday September 18, 25 from 10AM to 4PM at Senator O’Connor College School, 60 Rowena Drive (west of Victoria Park) Toronto additional tryout dates may be arranged by the coaching staff. visit the club website for exact times and details of your age group Coach Dwayne Contact : offering instruction to campers info@firebasketball.ca or 416-358-7131 289-314-3974 [2] Pickering’s Papa Papa Oppong lists Pickering as his home town yet the 6’4” guard made a name for himself in Scarborough where he played high school ball for the Blessed Mother Teresa Titans. After a decorated collegiate career that saw Oppong take his talents south of the border to Division 1 and the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky he found himself showcasing himself for the National Basketball League of Canada. The Halifax Rainmen selected Oppong 13th overall in POWER SURGE the inaugural NBL draft. The Oshawa Power make a splash at the NBLC draft with three impressive choices It was a historic event that graced the hardwood of Seneca College’s athletic complex. Nearly two hundred talented ballers migrated to the North York College over a two day span to strut their stuff with the hope of landing a professional contract with one of Canada’s seven charter members of the National Basketball League of Canada. The drills were intense and the scrimmages OSHAWA were spirited leading up to a draft gala at the POWER Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto. After the dust HOME OPENER settled 21 players made their way to the podium to such player who once again can enjoy some shake hands with the Commissioner and form the Thursday November 3 at home cooking after spending the early part of identity of a fresh new basketball league. 7PM his professional career toiling in European For the Oshawa Power three young men are General Motors Centre leagues. Oshawa head coach Mark Strickland now the face of the franchise that hopes to carve a Oshawa had the bearded Francis on his radar since the niche into its diverse sports loving community. combine tipped off. “ He has size, great hands, The first pick overall was Morgan Lewis (pictured far left) , active on the defensive end, talking and a great attitude, “ a high flying American from Painesville Ohio who is sure to explained Srtickland. entertain with his above the rim style. Blain Labranche (pictured middle) is a choice of great But of greater significance were the two Canucks picked by symbolism. The 6”5” pure shooter from Edmonton is a product of the Power brain trust. Imposing power forward Kevin Francis, a the unheralded Canadian University system where he shot the young man who honed his basketball skills as a youngster in the lights out for the UBC Thunderbirds. “Plain shooter, every team Jane / Finch corridor, is a prototype of what the league is targeting. needs a shooter, explained Coach Strickland of his domestically When the league first announced its existence it made it clear that trained forward. it was its mandate to bring Canadian ballers back home. Francis is one [3] TALES FROM THE HARDWOOD 2009 with three teams participating in a a more confident and tougher attitude, no tournament in Scranton / Wilkes Barre, matter their age or size,”offered Dyal who Pennsylvania. According to veteran FBA just completed his second season on the head coach Deryck Dyal it was such a AAU circuit. “I am trying to instill this positive experience for coaches, players attitude of "no one is better than you" but at and families that Fire Basketball decided to times is a tough sell,” he explained of his add AAU basketball to its many initiatives own team. Dyal is a firm believer that AAU offers Despite having a difficult time during Joining the union players a chance to experience basketball his first AAU season due to a compressed from another perspective. schedule he found this past summer to be “I find U.S. basketball a bit different much more rewarding for his players who from Canadian basketball as players have meshed after a season of playing together The Amateur Athletics Union ( AAU) throughout the winter. has been around for over a century but “This summer we played in a for the past 20 years its basketball Syracuse, N.Y. tournament, losing 2 program has grown into one of North games in overtime by 1 point each, and America’s biggest spring and summer the other 2 games against very talented events. The AAU conducted its first teams. Our next tournament was in National Men's Basketball Pittsburgh, PA, where we won 1 game, Championship in 1897 when the 23rd lost the 2nd by 1 in overtime and the 3rd Street YMCA out of New York City won game by 3 points,” Dyal recalled of how that crown. his U15s competed during their AAU AAU tournaments now litter North adventures Stateside. America’s rich sporting landscape with He did caution, however, that a great many talented players showcasing deal of work needs to be done by his their skills for club and college young charges if they want to compete recruiters. Canada has taken notice with their American counterparts who with many talented Canucks finding their ways to AAU tournaments. possess a never surrender attitude. Fire Basketball Association is no With two years of AAU experience stranger to AAU basketball having its under his belt Deryck Dyal is convinced players don the distinctive Fire logo that Fire Basketball has benefited from throughout many AAU tournaments on the exposure. both sides of the border. “Overall, I believe each player got Fire Basketball started entering better and the experience helped them,” AAU tournaments in the summer of he stated. FIRE BASKETBALL is a non responsibilities placed upon all profit organization located members, players, parents, throughout Toronto and Durham volunteers and coaches. Regions. The Fire team, a qualified Fire Basketball provides FIREBALL and dedicated group of coaches and programs throughout the year that administrators, strive to provide a will develop basketball skills, The Official Newsletter of safe, fun and competitive place to leadership skills, teamwork skills Fire Basketball Association play as well as learn the game of and other essential life skills. The basketball. club is committed and dedicated to www.firebasketball.ca The Fire Basketball motto of teaching these fundamentals enquiries: “Attitude, Respect and Teamwork” through hard work , discipline and signifies the expectations of teamwork. info@firebasketball.ca [4].