About four years ago, Tom Skabar noticed a gap in the level of basketball being offered to teen girls in the area. So he, with Brad Blenkhorn, founded the Junior Mounties Basketball Club.
“I thought it would be a worthwhile venture to develop a program that kind of forged a connection between the varsity athletes here who have so much to offer and to the aspiring young women who are hoping to be them someday,” said Skabar.
“And then it kind of took off from there.”
The program has three aged-based teams for girls in Westmorland and Cumberland counties. Skabar coaches the under-18 team, co-founder Brad Blenkhorn coaches the under-16 team, and the under-14 team is coached by Keira Dyck and Madison Bennett, who both participated in the program in its early years.
Sykora Hussey goes to Amherst Regional High School. She plays on its basketball team, and the Junior Mounties U18 team.
“With high school, since we’re [Division Two], the level isn’t as high as (it is) for Junior Mounties,” said Hussey. “We play against a lot tougher and rougher teams with Junior Mounties. So I feel that it helps us build our skill and our mindset better.”
Skabar invites members of the Mountie’s women’s basketball team to help coach the girls. He says it builds leadership amongst the university team’s players, and gives the teenagers a sense of what playing university basketball looks like.
With the spotlight on Caitlin Clark, and the rise in popularity of the WNBA, Skabar says women’s basketball is getting more attention, and deservedly so. But he adds, “I would encourage people to look around at home first and see the quality that’s already in the gyms here.”
“As much as it’s great to see what’s happening in the States and at the professional and college levels, I think people need to remember that there are athletes closer to home, who deserve their support just as much.”
The U18 and U16 hosted a 12 team basketball tournament last weekend. More games are scheduled through out the spring.
