What great teamwork and sportsmanship should be

It is an honour every time I rise in the Alberta Legislature on behalf of the great people of Chestermere – Rocky View. I had the privilege this week of celebrating some of the successes in our community and tipping my cap to the Chestermere High School basketball program. The teams had unprecedented success this year. I was able to brag to my colleagues in the Legislature about the astronomical caliber of the terrific kids and coaches who get onto the court, every practice and every game, and set an example for what great teamwork and sportsmanship should be.
This has been a remarkable year of accomplishments. It really has. All four of these teams went into the zone finals tournament ranked number 1 or number 2, the top of the heap. After all was said and done, the junior girls won the zone tournament. There are no provincials for them. If there were, I’m sure they would chase that title down. The junior boys did lose a heartbreaker in the first game of their tournament, but they went on to rebound and win the consolation bracket.
The senior girls and senior boys both played in the zone finals; the boys taking gold, the girls taking silver. Both of these teams, as I write this, are off to provincial championships. The boys in Fort McMurray, the girls in Taber.
Now, the senior boys’ team has been undefeated all year. In fact, this streak extends back to November of 2013, made all the more impressive by the fact that two of their star players were hurt for a third of the season, and they still succeeded.
All of these teams have demonstrated the tradition of success at Chestermere high school. Excellence is an expectation at this school. By setting the bar high and putting in their best effort, these four teams continue the tradition of success at Chestermere High.
I applaud their athletic director, Brian Utley, along with their coaches. There are four of them: Rob Wilson, Erhayat Ozcan, Dan Isbister, and Howie Leong. They have done a tremendous job with this group of players.
Talent and sportsmanship like that is worth its weight in gold. You brought your “A” game, and you’ve made your school and your community proud. Congratulations on a terrific season.