Once in a lifetime opportunity

Times Reporter

 

Finding a passion for sports at a young age and then sticking to it can be tough. The stress, the continuous practices, and the time commitment can get taxing as you get older. Often only the most dedicated can make it through and play past their high school years. 

Brennen Fule has been playing basketball since he learned to walk, with his dad Pat coaching him through most of his basketball career. His dad has been a big influence on his basketball career. 

Fule played basketball at both the University of Calgary and Mount Royal but had taken the last two years off.  Recently he decided to get back into the game after being awarded a full scholarship to Cape Breton University. 

“This is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity, to get another chance, even though I haven’t even been playing,” said Fule. 

The decision wasn’t an easy one to make, and it was thanks to the support from his father and former coaches Kenton Zandee, Dion Galandy and Kyle Larson that he was able to finally decide. The men were encouraging him and were there for him to bounce ideas around. 

“They kind of went out of their way and had meetings with me and kind of pushed me in the right direction,” said Fule. 

Matt Skinn is the reason Fule found out about the opportunity to play with the Cape Breton Capers. Skinn was Fule’s junior Dynos coach in Grade 10, and his assistant coach during his first year playing at the University of Calgary. Skinn moved along to coach at St. Francis Xavier University, and continued to keep in touch with Fule. 

“Once his contract was up, he started messaging me saying he was applying to a bunch of places and that if he got anything, I would be one of his first calls. I got a call about three months ago,” said Fule. 

“I took two years off because I fell out of love with it because it… became a chore. Since I’ve kind of got the itch back and Matt’s the only coach I’d ever play for again. As soon as he started talking to me then all of a sudden I was the one out training, I wasn’t being told to train, so that’s the first time I’ve had that in a long time too.”

Fule said he is hoping to “just have fun again and to play like I used to, just free and loose,” while finally finishing up his school career in business and finance. 

“One of the reasons I’m going to play for Matt too is I have a lot of unfinished business and he knows that. The first three years didn’t go as well as I had hoped, playing wise,” said Fule. 

During the first three years of University ball, he said he lost his confidence and wasn’t playing like himself. He was always offensive juggernaut shooter and he went there he became scared to shoot and became a defensive player. Skinn told him the main thing he wants is Fule’s confidence on the court with the Cape Breton Capers.