NACI coaches win provincial award

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Published on Friday, May 1, 2015

By Eoin Devereux

The Neepawa Banner

Co-coaches for the Neepawa Tigers varsity girl basketball team were recently honoured for their dedication to the sport. Darren Roe and Jody Jury received the AA girls coach of the year award, during the Basketball Manitoba awards held in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 18. 

This past season, the pair lead NACI to a Zone Seven regional title and an appearance in the “AA” provincial basketball championship game.

Roe said receiving this honour is nice, but it’s not something that could have been accomplished without the commitment of the players throughout the season.

“It’s always nice to get recognition from your peers but it all starts with the kids,” said Roe. “If you don’t have the players who are talented and who are willing to learn. [Willing] to be taught, it doesn’t mean a thing. All of our players this season were committed and skilled and that makes our job as coaches a whole lot easier.”

Co-coach Jody Jury could not be reached for comment before the publication deadline, but noted through her Twitter account that she was thankful to Basketball Manitoba for the coaching award. She added that this was a great honour for both herself and her co-coach Darren Roe. 

As for the co-coaching arrangement, Roe noted that it has worked very well because each of them bring a unique perspective to the court that seems to blend well.

“We’ve been co-coaching for about two or three years now,” said Roe. “Jody and I are comparable. This style of coaching works because we agree on a lot of the fundamentals of the game but at the same time, see things from a different perspective.”

Roe added that the team had set certain goals at the start of the season and were able to achieve them, which was just a gratifying as any award.

“Our goal at the start of the year was to get to the AA gold medal game,” said Roe. “[Eventual provincial champions] Teulon was going to be a big mountain to climb for who ever faced them, but I’m glad that our girls fought through. We achieved the goal we set for ourselves and got to that gold medal game and that’s one highlight that means just as much as any post season recognition.”