As the basketball season ends, some athletes hang up the uniform for the last time as not only the season comes to an end, but they celebrate the end of an era.
For graduating Lethbridge College Kodiaks men basketball co-captain Cory Richardson, the ending is bittersweet.
After playing basketball in Bunbury, Australia for many years and completing a short stint with the Keyano College Huskies, Richardson joined the Kodiaks two years ago.
With the end of the school year in sight and the season officially over, he sets his sights on finishing his final classes and putting college in his rear-view mirror.
As a proven leader both on and off the court, Richardson says one of the hardest things about leaving is saying good-bye. He has developed meaningful relationships with other members of the team and a fistful of memories he’ll never forget.
“I’m going to miss just being around the guys. They are a great bunch of people and it was unreal to make some unbelievable friendships that I will cherish forever,” said Richardson.
Joining the squad this year as a rookie, Jett Stef got the opportunity to soak up some of Richardson’s experience. He says that although it’s hard knowing next season the shoes that step on the court will be those of someone new, he looks forward to the future.
“It’ll be sad because I love Cory, he is amazing, but everyone has something new to teach, so it’ll be good to learn from someone else as well.”
The eager newbie also says the addition of new players will be vital in the teams amplified evolution both on the court and in life.
“I learned a lot from the veteran players this season and so I’m just excited to keep building, progressing myself and making new memories. We’ll have some new brothers coming to join the team and I can’t wait,” said Stef.
Richardson knows although the faces on the roster may be shifting as a new batch sport the Kodiaks jerseys, the foundational teachings of the team will remain intact.
“I’m interested to see what happens next year with the team. There is going to be a lot of hard-work and a lot of running. If I know coach Heggie that won’t be changing anytime soon,” said Richardson.
The Kodiaks have been coached for the past seven years by Ryan Heggie.
As a former Kodiaks player, Heggie received all-Canadian recognition in the 1984-1985 season as he and his team claimed a second-place national rank.
The decorated player and college alumnus reignited his Kodiaks flame in August 2011 when he was named head coach of the men’s basketball team.
Since that time Heggie has developed countless players, brought his teams to provincials or higher every year and delivered the Kodiaks community seven consecutive squads of brothers that are proud to call the halls of Lethbridge College home.
Heggie is joined on the bench by three former Kodiaks players who help round out the coaching roster. Former players, Taylor Jetten, Tyson Pushor and Robert Myles III have a unique view on the game and what it means to be a Kodiak.
Richardson says the people leading the crew are not only the driving force behind the team’s success, but also the glue that holds everyone together.
“The coaches here at the college are great. Ryan Heggie is one of the best coaches I’ve had. He’s a great guy off the court and even better on the court. The whole coaching staff is an incredible support system.”
As s first-year, Stef knows the wisdom that was bestowed upon him by both the coaching staff and the senior players is what made the season a victory. He says despite an early end to their pursuit of a championship, he’s proud of the team’s accomplishments.
“We had a lot of success. Obviously we had a few lows and it didn’t end the way we had hoped, but there were definitely more highs throughout the year. I loved every minute of it,” said Stef.
The Kodiaks clawed their way into the fourth spot at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference south division with a regular season record of 13-8, securing their spot at conference championships.
The tournament, hosted by Lethbridge College took place March 1-3 and saw the top eight teams in Alberta battle for top honours and a ticket to nationals in Quebec later this month.
Despite the home-court advantage, the Kodiaks suffered A 96-80 loss to the top-ranked Concordia Thunder in the quarterfinal, ending the team’s medal hopes and nationals dreams.
Following the loss, the Kodiaks shifted into the consolation bracket, where they claimed their sole weekend victory from southern Alberta rivals, the Medicine Hat Rattlers.
The win gave the Kodiaks the opportunity to step foot on the court one more time in the consolation finals where they were dealt a heartbreaking 96-93 loss, by Richardson’s ex-clan, the Keyano College Huskies.
This defeat marked the end of their season and handed them a sixth-place ranking on the season.
As the final buzzer rang out, Richardson’s mind flooded with years of memories, unbreakable friendships and the incredible experiences he’d collected since first stepping on the hardwood.
Although he says his years on the court were remarkable, the Australian native says his focus must now shift from college basketball to building a successful future wherever life takes him.
“There are some things down the pipeline that we will wait and find out if they take shape. Hopefully, they work out in my favour, we’ll just wait and see. For now, I will just cherish the times I had playing and the time I had with the boys every day,” said Richardson.
The loss of key players such as Richardson will be hard for returning members of the squad, but they find comfort knowing there will be new branches added to the Kodiaks family tree.
“We are family and one of the hardest parts of the season ending is that we are leaving each other. Some guys are moving on some are graduating and we’re being broken up, but we’ll build a new brotherhood next year and always be thankful for the memories,” said Stef.
In addition to Richardson, the Kodiaks bid farewell to their other captain Pierce Van Gaalen, powerhouse Colten Murray and dominating forward Cole Crick who have all maxed out their five-year post-secondary athletics eligibility.
The team will rebuild next year and set their sights squarely on a national title.
