The women’s basketball team is well on its way to repeating history as OCAA champions for the fifth year in a row.
Other than a road loss to rival St. Lawrence on Saturday, Jan. 17, the Thunder have been undefeated, and not by small margins. They’ve outscored their opponents by an average of 34.6 points and lead the league in average points-per-game.
Their biggest blowout win being against Fleming College by a whopping 83 points in a 104-21 game.
If there’s one thing that’s evident about this team, it’s their sturdy structure. From dedicated coaches to skillful players, they have what it takes to win.
How do they stay dominant? According to coach Laura Bond, they rely strongly on their preparation.
“We’re very prepared for every game. We go through our scouting report with the team in advance, we watch film in advance and that allows us to set the standard for what we want in order to be successful,” she said.
Bond stated that the coaches are the ones who dedicate the most time to game-film. Analyzing and pointing out key aspects to the players. This allows for more time to practice and prepare for the next game.
They get ready for each team individually, making sure that nobody is underestimated. With equal focus on every team, Bond is confident that her squad will stay consistent.
“We allot a certain amount of time to each team that we’re playing, it allows us to be prepared,” she said.
The Algonquin Thunder practice three days each week, while most other college teams practice up to five. This means that every moment is crucial and great organization is needed to achieve success.
It can be demanding, but assistant coach Milan Colic is satisfied with the way the team handles it.
“We push them, they respond good, they play good, that’s all,” he said.