Wheatland Wildfire basketball club on the rise

Times Contributor

 

Now in its third year running, the Wheatland Wildfire Basketball Community Club is rapidly growing in numbers due to the popularity of the sport and integrity of the program.

Coach Kyle Larson and his wife Leslie initiated the program three years ago out of a desire to improve the “love of the game” in Strathmore and the area of East Wheatland. 

Pat Fule had already introduced many younger students to basketball through the STARS/JETS program for Grades 1 to 9. Wildfire isn’t a continuation of STARS or JETS, but is instead an entity unto itself in that students at Wildfire are driven to hone their skills and play games against one another on a regular basis on full court. 

“The goal of this program is to continue to develop skills in a competitive environment through games and fundamental skill development. The focus of the program in year three is still on the sport of basketball, and improving fundamental skills and application of these skills in game situations,” said Larson.

“They will run a development night once a week and will have a travelling team for boys and girls in their appropriate age groups.”

Three years ago the Wildfire program consisted of one night of a co-ed group of young people and has rapidly increased to not only a two-night program but also two sessions each on Monday nights for boys, and two sessions each on Tuesday night for girls. The younger participants from both nights play from 5:30 to 7 p.m. while the high school students from both nights play from 7 to 8:30 p.m. 

In total 100 students, both boys and girls, have registered for the popular program this year that plays out of the Strathmore High School gymnasium. Mar-Nai YellowHorn and her husband Shay coach the 43 boys on Monday nights. 

“The program turnout has been better than expected. We have a great group of kids that show a lot of potential. It’s exciting to be part of a program that will go a long way to putting Strathmore on the basketball map and hopefully generate successful teams and players in the near future,” said YellowHorn.

She continued to say that, “basketball is a growing sport with more and more of our Canadian athletes moving on past high school to play at the college/university level as well as receiving scholarships to play in the United States. It is never too late to take up the sport. I have seen kids who have started playing in Grade 11 move on to receive full scholarships to play at the college/university level.” 

For the YellowHorn family, basketball has been a very big part of their lives and they are very happy to have the opportunity to pass on what they have learned through the Wildfire program.  

“Even if basketball is not your end goal, it is a great sport which develops a well-rounded athlete. You develop speed, strength, jumping ability, coordination/ hand eye coordination,” said YellowHorn.

Their hope is to develop the boys into quality players on the basketball court, but more importantly to provide a positive environment that shows the right attitude and work ethic needed to succeed both on and off the court. 

“There are so many life lessons that can be taught through the game that we love so much. We are happy to pay it forward and hope that we can be a great influence,” said YellowHorn.

The kids that have signed up for Wildfire have an opportunity to work with amazing coaches and leaders who love the game. For more information about the program please go to their website (www.wildfireathletics.ca).