Sisler girls burst out of the gate

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This article was published 04/02/2022 (1680 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Sisler High School varsity girls basketball team has burst out of the gate to kick off Winnipeg Tier 1 league play.

At press time, the Spartans had battled to wins in their first four games and were the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s second-ranked AAAA team, behind only the Dakota Lancers.

It’s a torrid start to a season that follows a year of cancelled sports due to COVID-19. That layoff has had student athletes raring to go.

“We had the largest number of kids try out for the team this year,” coach Michael Tan said. “To have about 40 kids in the gym trying out for our varsity program speaks volumes about kids just wanting to get back to some sort of normalcy.”

Enthusiasm, hard work and the lessons that came from adversity in a pre-season tournament have translated into early-season successes, Tan said.

“I’m very happy about it, because it’s showing that the work we’ve put into the gym has really paid off, but we started off in the tournaments and the results weren’t exactly what we wanted,” Tan said. “But we got a lot out of it in terms of a lot of the things we can’t cover in practice. We ended up losing three very close games, all in single digits. But we learned a ton from it.”

Grade 12 student athlete Raia Guinto said she’s just happy to be back on the court.

“I’m definitely eager to always be on the court and practice and play games whenever,” she said. “Just because, after the gap, it’s just really fun to be back.”

Guinto said she missed getting into the competitive mindset. For her, that means being a pest on the defensive side of the ball, she said.

“I love being annoying,” Guinto laughed, “and just wanting to get the ball whenever I can.”

She’s also happy to be back connecting with teammates and creating those bonds particular to team sports.

“We definitely all support each other a lot, in practice and during games,” Guinto said. Without spectators cheering from the bleachers, gyms could easily get quiet. But Guinto said players on the bench make sure that doesn’t happen.

“Whenever one of us makes a good play, then we’re all jumping out of our seats. We’re just so excited for each other,” she said.

Those connections are what keeps Yna Guerra playing year after year.

“I grew up playing basketball, and I think the most important thing for me is playing with teammates and creating friendships that last a really long time,” the Grade 12 student athlete said.

And so far, the team is clicking just as Guerra likes, she said. Practices are fun and the team group chat is always popping. As long as the team keeps on this path, Guerra thinks they’ve got what it takes to make it to provincials.

“We’re working really hard and each game is a learning point. And I feel if we keep our momentum going, we could have a good chance.”