Kaitlyn Rosenburg
Special to the Record
The University of Victoria Vikes women’s basketball team travels up island on Oct. 3 for a pre-season training and a game against the Guelph Gryphons. The Vikes will host a practice open to spectators at Mark Isfeld Secondary School, also the home of Avery Snider, who has just committed to the Vikes for the 2015-16 women’s basketball season. The 16-year-old guard is a key member of the Isfeld senior girls basketball team and the B.C. U17 provincial squad.
The Vikes welcome Snider’s competitive spirit, which recently helped her team place 10th at the B.C. High School Basketball provincials and sixth at the national tournament with Team B.C. This past season, Snider was named a Second Team All-Star for her provincial performance and was named to the Top-15 BC High School Girls Basketball team.
“Avery’s been part of our youth programs for five years and we’ve obviously been keeping our eye on her,” said Vikes women’s basketball head coach Dani Sinclair. “On the court, Avery brings a strong sense of competitiveness but she’s also developed the qualities of a great leader. She brings energy to every practice and game.”
The five-foot-eight guard will be on site to get a glimpse of her future basketball career, watching the Vikes’ open practice on Friday, Oct. 3 at her own high school (12-1:15 p.m. at Mark Isfeld).
“I am honored and excited to join the UVic Vikes women’s basketball team. I’m looking forward representing the Island and playing in front of my friends and family,” said Snider, who plans to study kinesiology at UVic.
Sinclair hopes to see the same up-Island draw for Vikes support for Snider as former Vikes men’s basketball player Ryan MacKinnon, also from Comox. “MacKinnon and Snider are both skilled players and I see the high level of character MacKinnon brought to UVic in Snider.”
Sinclair will have to focus on her current squad for the time being as the Vikes will face the Guelph Gryphons later that night at 6 p.m. at G.P. Vanier. Sinclair will be up against her former provincial teammate Christin Dickenson, currently head coach of the Gryphons.
“As the only CIS basketball program on the Island, I’m thrilled we can include the entire community in Vikes Nation,” said Sinclair. “Everyone has rallied around the event and it’s fantastic to see the local support. We’re already looking to make this a recurring event.”
The Vikes will make a quick return home to host Guelph again Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. in the McKinnon Gymnasium, as part of Days of Thunder and the Guy Vetrie Memorial Tournament. For more information visit govikesgo.com.
The Oct. 4 home game will be streamed with live video and stats on http://uvic.canadawest.tv.
Kaitlyn Rosenburg is with Vikes Communications.
