The Ecole H.J. Cody High School senior girls’ basketball Lakers are among the top Alberta Schools Athletic Association 3A teams in the province.
According to rankings on the ASAA website, the Lakers rank third behind top-seed Springback High School, Strathmore High School and George McDougall High School.
For Lakers coach Peter Saik, the ranking isn’t a total surprise.
“We’ve got a pretty strong group of girls this year. Heading into our season, we had some pretty big expectations of what we wanted to see and how we wanted to perform, and the girls have done exactly what we wanted them to do,” Saik said.
The team began their season at the end of November and will continue playing into the third week of March if they make provincials. 3A provincials will take place from March 14-16 at Strathmore High School.
From a development and growth stand point, Saik said it’s been fun to watch his young group perform this year.
“We have seven girls that are in Grade 10 and five girls that are returning players,” he said.
Saik added as the season progresses, there are still a lot of finer details to iron out.
“Our challenge is to make sure our girls stay healthy and stay focused. There are a couple of small details to the game that we are still perfecting but we are pretty satisfied with where we are,” he said.
For the team, the community has also been a great support.
“The gym is always packed when we have our games. As well, last year the team was recognized at a town council meeting,” Saik said.
The entirety of H.J. Cody is proud of the senior girls’ basketball team’s accomplishments, Principal Alex Lambert said.
“The girls have displayed dedication and tenacity which has taken them far this season. They work hard in class and on the court and above all they are wonderful role models for their peers in our community.”
“I want to thank their coaches Pete Saik and Kolt Bell who have dedicated tremendous effort and time to support the growth of the basketball program and player development in our school and wider community,” she added.
Another exciting announcement for the team is that in 2025, H.J. Cody will host the 3A Girls Senior Basketball Provincial Tournament.
“We are thrilled to have been selected to host the 2025 3A Girls Senior Basketball Provincial Tournament. This will be an excellent opportunity to bring the community together and to showcase our fantastic school and our beautiful town of Sylvan Lake,” Lambert said.
