From Rio and the Olympics last summer to CARSA and Canada West this week, it’s been quite a journey for Lisa Thomaidis.
The Canadian Olympic team head coach brings her defending national-champion University of Saskatchewan Huskies to the Canada West women’s basketball pre-season tournament, which begins today on Ken and Kathy Shields Court in the CARSA Performance Gym.
It’s been a hectic pace for Thomaidis, who guided Canada to the quarter-finals of the Rio Olympics.
“I have awesome assistant coaches . . . that’s how I can do it,” she said, of the toggling back and forth between the national team and the Huskies.
Thomaidis has become a role model for Canadian hoops coaches.
“I give a lot of credit to Basketball Canada’s search process in that they saw they did not have to have a foreigner coaching our Olympic team,” said Thomaidis, who took over from former national team head coach Allison McNeill, also a Canadian, in 2013.
“Our entire coaching staff in Rio was Canadian and that says a lot for our system and coaching model in Canada,” added Thomaidis, in her 17th season on the Huskies bench, and four-time Canada West and two-time national U Sports coach of the year.
The host Vikes meet the Alberta Pandas tonight at 7 p.m. and Thomaidis’s Huskies on Friday at 6 p.m.
Saskatchewan won the national championship last season while Alberta placed fifth, although both squads now face retooling with the Huskies 1-4 so far in pre-season while the Pandas, featuring Claremont-grad and former UVic guard Shaylyn Crisp, are 3-5.
“We have a very different look than last season and are rebuilding,” said Thomaidis.
“But we will be up to speed soon. There’s going to be a lot more parity in Canada West this season with a lot of teams in the mix.”
Dani Sinclair’s Vikes, preparing to host the 2017 national championship at CARSA, are coming off a 2-1 record in the Ryerson tournament in Toronto.
The Canada West pre-season tournament at CARSA also showcases the UBC Thunderbirds, Fraser Valley Cascades, Thompson Rivers WolfPack, Calgary Dinos and Regina Cougars. Admission is by donation.
Meanwhile, the UVic Vikes men’s team plays its final exhibitions before the start of the Canada West regular season with a pair of friendlies against the Mount Royal Cougars at 8 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday at CARSA.
