High school hoop dreams are just that for basketball players at Okotoks area schools.
Elias Ralph was hoping to end his high school career with the Holy Trinity Academy Knights by qualifying for Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association 4A provincial championship in 2021, but just like last season, his hopes have been dashed due to COVID-19.
“It’s been pretty frustrating,” said Ralph, a 6-foot-6 guard for the Knights. “I got to play a little bit in the fall during the club (Calgary Basketball Association) season for about a month, but that was it.”
Ralph and the rest of the Knights were just hours from a showdown with cross-town rivals the Foothills Falcons for the 4A Boys South Central zone championship when the game was cancelled due to COVID-19 on March 12, 2020.
Both teams had qualified for provincials at that time, but neither the Falcons, the Knights or any other high school basketball team in the area has played a game since.
“Obviously, a little bit, it sucks,” Ralph said. “But obviously there is nothing you can do when there is a global pandemic, you just have to push through it.”
Ralph is keeping himself game ready as much as possible, despite the fact the shot-clock is ticking away on any chance of a high school season.
“My mom (Robin) has some weights at the house and a bench I can use,” Ralph said. “I got a net in the back that I can shoot on, and I try to get into the gym – an actual court – whenever I can.
“I really miss it. Today I was talking to a couple of my teammates and said, ‘We would have been leaving for a tournament.
“We were all sad.”
Elias, along with Tobias Krueger, Easton Bishop and Miguel Yu were the returning Grade 12 players to the squad.
It is difficult for the graduating players to showcase their talents for any post-secondary coaches when there is no stage to play on.
“I have had my mom or anybody else tape all my games,” said Ralph, whose brother, former Knight Jesse Ralph had a stint with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. “Mr. (Sam) Aiello and my club coach have been really good about emailing coaches for me and getting in contact with them and that has been really helpful.”
Ralph, an 80-per-cent-plus student, said he has a few feelers from post-secondary schools but nothing definitive.
Meanwhile, Victoria Want is missing her final year of high school basketball with the Foothills Falcons senior girls squad.
“It’s been pretty hard not having school basketball. Since Grade 10 we have been working so hard for our senior year because that is when you are supposed to shine,” said Want, a Grade 12 guard with the Falcons. “Last season ended early which was pretty hard for us, but we didn’t realize we wouldn’t get to play this year… I have been trying to stay in shape, just in case there is some kind of season.”
The Falcons also had a zone championship game scheduled for March 12, 2020 when their season was cut short due to COVID-19.
Want has been on the senior squad for the past three years with the Falcons.
She said COVID may have pulled the plug on any chance of playing post-secondary basketball.
“For next year, I don’t really have anything planned for sports,” Want said. “I have applied to a couple of schools.
“The fact we haven’t been able to play and have your coaches bring in scouts and all that kind of stuff, it’s been extremely hard to try and go to the next level like I was planning.”
The most difficult aspect is not playing the game she loves – a love she shares with her teammates.
“It’s been kind of heartbreaking,” Want said. “Playing basketball gave you a lot of friends, it gave you a bunch of people to bond with for the year and always rely on.
“It always felt that basketball would go on forever. Having it not there, not being able to see the girls you have seen with the last two years, is heartbreaking.”
Want, along with Jadie O’Bray, Makayla Porteous and Sawyer Remington have played senior ball at Foothills since Grade 10.
“I think it would have been an amazing year,” Want said. “I feel like we could have done a lot of damage at provincials and tournaments with the girls we had.”
(The Alberta Schools’ Athletics Association said it will make an announcement on Feb. 8 concerning Dr. Deena Hinshaw’s decision that some high school sports can begin practising. No games are allowed.)
