Sting cap “Rooted in Values” season with Spring Shootout gold

When Karen Cameron and Courtney Uloho began coaching their daughters’ basketball team in 2021, they never imagined how far their team could go in just three years.

After failing to win a game in their first season and toppling just one opponent the following year, Karen and Courtney took a new approach to the U13 East Prince Sting rep team this season, calling on the True Sport principles to gain a new perspective on their purpose.

The Sting coaches signed their squad up for Sport PEI’s “Rooted in Values” program to learn about values-based sport and the True Sport principles. The team took part in workshops before and after two early-season practices in October where they established their team values, what success would look like to them, and made a plan to ensure True Sport would stay part of the entire season.

“It was actually massive for me as a coach too because it’s not something we learned (as athletes),” says Karen. “We didn’t learn values-based sport growing up. It was all about the results and the performance. So, what it did was set the tone for how the girls wanted the season to go and how to look for what they wanted in the skills and practices.”

The team discussed how treating each other fairly, having fun, making friends, playing together, and supporting each other would be the ways they would judge their success. With these in mind, some of the activities the selected for their Rooted in Values season plan included:

• Inviting high-performance athletes to speak to the team
• Pre-game handshakes with officials and opposing coaches
• Recognizing players with the best sportsmanship award every game
• Players take turns leading warm-ups and planning dynamic stretches
• Show and tell time at practice to learn more about each other
• Learning about wheelchair basketball and attending a practice (Thank you, Jr. Mustangs!)
• Helping with younger team practices

“And I always reminded myself, I look back at (our Rooted in Values plan) every day, almost, before practice looked up, you know, the things they said – ‘have fun’, ‘playing as a team’ like all those principles that they wanted to instill,” said Karen. “I had to revisit that all the time and just keep bringing that back into practice every day. 

“So it really helped me to lead in the right way.”

Players said that they felt closer to their Sting teammates than any other teams they’ve been a part of while parents remarked how well the girls worked together and how they took each other’s feelings and perspectives into consideration.

“They got along so well, they respected each other so well,” said Karen. “Then also the fact that we were going over meeting the officials before games, and meeting the other coaches before the games.

“We worked hard, but they really respected the teams, and the coaches, and the officials.”

Their dedication and teamwork paid off on the court. The team who sat at the bottom of the standings the two years prior took home a bronze medal from the Amherst A’s Invitational tournament in February – where their efforts and attitude were noted by opposing coaches – and finished their season going undefeated at the Island Ace’s Spring Shootout to win gold!

The Sting coaches, players, and parents were very appreciative of how True Sport helped them achieve success on and off the court, and all agreed the Rooted in Values program is one they hope to be a part of again. Karen and Courtney have already committed to bringing True Sport back for next season when they move up to the PEISAA level at Summerside Intermediate School. 

We want to thank Karen, Courtney, and the East Prince Sting for their commitment to their True Sport principles and for being an awesome example for other teams on the island. If you are interested in your team/group being part of the Rooted in Values program, please contact Mitch Sanderson at msanderson@sportpei.pe.ca or visit https://sportpei.pe.ca/true-sport/ to learn more about True Sport.

Sting Coaches:
Karen Cameron
Courtney Uloho 

Sting Roster:
Anna Kate Taylor
Lilli McInnis
Penelopee Uloho
Haddie Wedge
Leah Doucette
Louisa Cameron-McCann
Adalyn Dawson
Adelynn Williams
Eden Kember
Elzie Enman