Best of the best

Fort Garry

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/06/2025 (430 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Basketball Manitoba’s annual award winners were announced recently, and there’s some serious representation from south Winnipeg.

Among the winners of the varsity coaching awards were Vincent Massey Collegiate’s Stacy Hawash, the AAAA girls coach of the year, and Dakota Collegiate’s Dean Favoni, the AAAA boys coach of the year.

Hawash said she was proud of the season her Trojans team had — it ended with the team winning the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s AAAA provincial championship, beating Dakota 76-44 in the final.

“It was an excellent season,” said Hawash, 51, who lives in St. Vital, and has been coaching for almost two decades. “The team I had this year was outstanding. It was a coach’s dream in terms of the group I had.

“The group was on the same page, and the team grew as a group as the season went on. We were all in this together, and I’m also grateful for the group of coaches I’ve had with me through the years.”

Talking about her coaching philosophy, the Dakota alumna said “every year is different” but this year was characterized by each player “pulling each other along.”

“The team loved playing together, and kept pushing each other.”

One player who is grateful for Hawash’s support during her high school career is guard Lilly Vande Graaf.

“She is always super accommodating, and a really fun coach to have,” said Vande Graaf, 18, who was named most valuable player at the MHSAA provincial championships. “And when it’s practice time, it’s practice time.”

Reflecting on the past season, Vande Graff said it ended on the high note that everyone involved with the team had wanted.

“It was amazing. Going into the championship game, I definitely felt nervous and felt the pressure, but (Coach Hawash) has been there before, and was a very reasoning voice,” Vande Graaf said. “I remember seeing her tear up near the end of the game.”

Vande Graaf added winning provincials was “the perfect way for me to end my high school career.”

Favoni, 56, has been teaching at Dakota for the last 34 years, and he’s been coaching basketball from pretty much Day 1 – spending his first two years at the helm of the junior varsity boys team, and the last 32 leading the varsity squad.

“It feels great,” said Favoni, who lives in River Park South and is a Transcona Collegiate alumnus. “Sometimes it’s not just a coaching award, it’s a reflection of the players and how much work you’ve done collectively. It’s nice to be recognized by your peers.”

In March, Favoni’s Lancers reached the AAAA provincial final at the Investors Group Athletic Centre on the University of Manitoba, a game they lost 67-52 to the Kildonan East Reivers.

Reflecting on the past season, Favoni, who is a math teacher/teacher leader, said the team was consistent and solid, which was a big factor in it reaching the championship game.

“I don’t think too many people in the basketball community would’ve placed us in the provincial final when the season started,” Favoni said. “I thought we had a very good chance of making the final four, though.”

Favoni said he’s appreciative of the collective effort of the Lancers players, coaching staff, and the school’s community.

“I’m really grateful for the kids on the team this year. They bought into the team philosophy, and I’m also grateful for our assistant coaches. Winning is really hard, which makes it really satisfying.”

Regarding his coaching philosophy, Favoni said preparation is crucial.

“I try to be really prepared for every game, and I try to go into every game with a plan. Part of that is watching other teams play, reviewing videos,” he said. “A key thing is to keep the culture around the team positive and team-focused.”

Kinsey Nkunze, a Grade 12 student who plays forward on the team, described Favoni as an inspirational coach.

“As a coach, he’s really amazing, and he really cares about you on and off the court,” Nkunze, 18, said.

“Life can get busy, and there can be scheduling conflicts, and Mr. Favoni has been super understanding.”

“His strongest quality is his preparation and game-planning, as well as his attention to detail, and telling us what we need to do,” he added.