Trojans ‘rise to the occasion’

Fort Garry

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This article was published 11/02/2026 (210 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Vincent Massey Collegiate varsity girls basketball team has been a slam dunk so far this season.

The Trojans boasted a 6-0 record at press time, and stood second in the Winnipeg Tier 1 regular-season standings with 12 points — just two below the Sisler Spartans, who had played one more game. (The teams were scheduled to meet on Feb. 9, after our publication deadline.) With just four games left in divisional play, the Trojans and head coach Stacy Hawash are looking forward to playoff action in their drive to repeat as provincial AAAA varsity girls’ champions.

“This group of girls is coming together quite well,” Hawash said.“We have a mixture of both Grade 11s and 12s that can definitely be a part of our starting lineup. So, we are relying on both groups. Our main leadership does come from our 12s, but our 11s are definitely stepping in and doing their job and taking a great role in where our team is going this year.”

High school teams look different year to year, as players graduate at the end of every season, but Hawash, a phys-ed teacher at the school, feels the Trojans have a healthy balance. Each player shines in her own way, and the girls love basketball, she added.

“We have a fair number of kids (for whom) it’s their main sport, and they come to practice every day, working hard, enjoying being together. It’s a group that likes to hang out in the school and out, and basketball is just one way that they get to be together and support each other, and grow as female athletes,” she said.

Emma Yard, a 17-year-old, Grade 12 forward, echoed the sentiment, saying the “sense of community and family” sets the team apart.

“We’re all friends, they’re all people we hang out with outside of school … it translates into the game,” Yard said.

Asked what the team needs to focus on as it prepares for playoffs, Yard emphasized intensity.

Teams differ in skill levels, she said. So, when the Trojans face tougher opponents such as Dakota (last year’s provincial finalists) and Garden City, they need to be ready.

“Confidence and intensity,” she said. “So we can rise to the occasion.”

Hawash said the team will also work on solidifying its strengths, such as defense.

“We focus on team defense — obviously — a lot,” she said. “And working together to create easy opportunities on the offensive end. I mean, everyone likes to score a nice, easy bucket, so one of our focuses is to play some good, solid defense to create easy opportunities.”

This season’s junior varsity team is also doing well, Hawash added, which sparks optimism for the future.

Yard will graduate at the end of this school year, but will move on play basketball at the University of Winnipeg. She said she’s grateful for all of the opportunities the Massey team has given her during her high school career — both at the JV and varsity level.

“I’m very grateful for all my experiences,” she said. “Coach Hawash has been my coach for four years, now … and I’ve definitely made a lot of friends.”

“I’m grateful not only for my team and teammates, but for my team and coaches.”