Lyndzie Caron and Jacob Stokker attended Basketball B.C. under-17 camps for the experience.
They are about to get more than that as members of their respective teams.
“It’s pretty amazing, very exciting,” said Caron. “I wasn’t expecting to make this team. It’s pretty surreal but I’m having lots of fun with it. We’ve already had a couple weekends of practice and play. It’s going good so far.”
Caron travels to Vancouver for practices and said the pace of them have been quick compared to what she’s used to with the Pen High Lakers.
“So energetic, it’s really cool to be a part of,” said Caron, who stands five-foot-10.
The Laker wants to improve and intends to work hard and learn from her teammates as well as coach Shaun McGuinness, who she said is great. Caron’s Lakers coach Dustin Hyde said playing on the provincial team will give her the opportunity to grow from McGuiness’ coaching, since he’s one of the best in B.C.
“The drills, the philosophy, level of competition, the best way to get better, and to develop is to play with people who are better,” said Hyde. “She is playing with the best.”
Hyde said he knew Caron had a legitimate chance to make the team because of her dedication. She’s in the gym every morning working on her skills. He said her biggest strength is her work ethic.
“Lyndzie works tirelessly to improve herself,” said Hyde, who has worked with Caron since Grade 9. “Started in the post playing low, bangs a lot, rebounds, scores in transition and now she is turning into a player that can stroke the three. Her only weakness is her confidence. She doesn’t believe enough in herself. When you make teams like this, and you commit in the way that she does, you start to believe more and more. I think she is getting it slowly.”
Caron, who is in Grade 11, agrees and said she is getting better with that.
Stokker started believing he could crack the roster after surviving the first cut.
At six-foot-four, only four other players are shorter than him. The squad is filled with talented players including one who plays on the national team.
“We are very excited about the limitless potential of this group of athletes,” said U17 boys coach Joe Enevoldson on the Basketball B.C. website. “With our overall size and the multitude of different abilities of our athletes, we as a coaching staff feel very strongly that we will be able to compete for a national championship on Aug. 6 in Winnipeg.”
“Going against that was really good competition. They are all pretty good,” said Stokker, a member of the Lakers senior team, who also plays in the Junior Heat program.
Stokker is excited about the competition as starting positions were still up for grab leading into last weekend. The team played in Langley for its first tournament in the Basketball B.C. University/College/Club series. The next tournament is the Great Seattle Shootout on May 20-22. The different trips have him excited, especially Las Vegas for the Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic July 20-25.
“I’m really hyped for that,” he said.
Stokker’s goal is to become the best player in the province. Making the provincial team is the first step in achieving that.
“I think it’s great for Pen High and Penticton to get somebody local to make that team. Normally it’s exclusive to the coast guys,” said Lakers senior coach Colin Cooke. “He can shoot the ball. He fits into that kind of system. They want longer guys who can play inside and out.”