It’s all about development for the DSBN Argos
Wins and losses are secondary for the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) Academy Argos senior girls basketball team.
The visiting Argos topped the St. Catharines Collegiate Saints 29-27 in a Niagara Regional High School Athletic Association Tier 2 game Tuesday afternoon, but the final result wasn’t the point.
“This is a developmental league so just getting the girls to learn skills and develop those communication skills and teamwork abilities, those things are really important,” Argos coach Hannah Nazar said.
Nazar volunteered to coach the Argos this season at the behest of her mother, DSBN principal Lisa Nazar.
“This is my first time coaching,” she said. “I’ve been involved with the school for the past eight or 10 years, however long she’s been there, so it holds a special place in my heart.
“I love basketball so this is a good way to help out.”
Nazar has led the Argos to three wins in their four games so far this season, an impressive feat considering their schedule.
“We’re limited to practicing to on-court time,” she said. “It’s a mandatory after school program, so there’s only Tuesdays and Thursdays we can practice, and if we have a game that day we lose that practice. There is only so much time to develop skills outside of the game with the girls, so it’s really a learning experience during the game.”
Nazar, who graduated from Sir Winston Churchill, is proud of the way her 12-girl roster has improved in only a few weeks.
“It’s a considerable difference,” she said. “They haven’t played in two years because of COVID, so just building on those skills and seeing their growth, even just as a team, most of them have never played together.
“It’s an amazing thing.”
Lisa Nazar said the school has welcomed back sports with open arms.
“It’s huge,” she said. “You can tell how much some students appreciate extracurriculars coming back.
“Team sports, I think, brings another element to development. Working as a team, representing their school, they’re very proud. And certainly the physical activity and the skill development just from the beginning of the season, we’re just seeing the students’ ability to work together and co-operate.
“They’re just working really, really hard and you can tell they’re really happy.”
DSBN Academy is a combined elementary and secondary school with a population of 460. The school participates in track and field, badminton, volleyball, basketball, soccer and softball.
Saints co-coach Allison Mauro is also happy to see her school back on the court.
“It’s so good, she said. “We had a ton of girls come out for tryouts, more than we’ve had in probably the last five years, which was nice.
“We’ve had 100 per cent attendance to all our games and good practices so truthfully I think COVID kind of gave everyone a break to refresh and they’re eager to get back out.”
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