BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Tim Kendrick of New Minas has been named head coach of the Nova Scotia U-17 boys’ provincial basketball team as well as the 2009 Nova Scotia Canada Games team.

Kendrick, the popular head coach of the back-to-back NSSAF provincial D-1 boys’ champion Horton Griffins, replaces Scott James, who recently accepted the head coaching position at Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont.

The new appointment will have no effect on Kendrick’s coaching position at Horton.

An assistant coach under Steve Konchalski with the 2001 Nova Scotia Canada Games team as well as president of the Valley East Basketball Association and a successful head coach for close to 20 years, Kendrick brings a wealth of experience to the new position.

While he was interested in the provincial team program (and had applied for the head coaching job the last time there was a vacancy), Kendrick did not lobby for the position and the announcement came as a bit of a surprise.

“They approached me early last week,” he said Thursday, June 12. “They were left without a coach when Scott went to RMC. They called me and I agreed on Friday to take over the program.”

It is also understood that this year’s U-17 team will be at least a starting point for the 2009 Canada Games team, for which Kendrick will also be head coach.

Shawn Mantley of Halifax and Marvin Rhyno, the senior of Kendrick’s three current assistant coaches at Horton, have been named as assistant coaches for the U-17 team.

At the time we spoke, Kendrick had had only one practice with the team. “We’re a fairly small team, but our guard play should be very strong.” In other words, “a lot like most of my Horton teams over the past few years.”

Focus on strong fundamentals

He expected the team would end up playing “a similar style to what we play at Horton,”

with the focus on strong fundamentals, good shooting and solid defense including frequent use of a half-court and full-court press.

Kendrick said he’s very excited with the new opportunity. “It’ll be fun. The players are all really excited, there’s a great team atmosphere and positive attitude.”

The team roster is already in place, though he added there are a couple of injuries to deal with at present. “There aren’t any local kids on the team – at least not right now. Thomas Baltzer from Aylesford (and West Kings), a VEBA kid, would be the closest – but there could be others by the time the Games roll around next summer.”

Kendrick said, “they call it an U-17 team, but as you can’t turn 18 before Jan. 1, it’s really a 17-and-under team.”

All of the current team roster is eligible to compete at the Games. Kendrick noted that several current Horton players, including Matt Riley, his son Jake Kendrick and possibly Stephen Traynor and Chris Babin, also fall into the right age bracket. Traynor has previous provincial team experience.

Kendrick expected to have the U-17 team take part in at least one of three VEBA tournaments set for this summer. The team will also take part in the Great Canadian Challenge July 26-Aug. 1 in Toronto and will host the Bluenose Classic Aug. 11-13 in Halifax before competing at the national U-17 championships Aug.18-24 on PEI.

“The nationals this summer are at the same venue as the Canada Games will be next year. It’s done that way on purpose,” he said, “and I personally think it’s a great idea.”

The appointment continues what has been a special year for the Kendrick family. Both Tim and Jake were provincial champions at Horton, elder son Joe won the CIS men’s basketball title with Brock University, and daughter Jennifer had an undefeated season at Mount St. Vincent, which won the conference title and competed at nationals.