After coming away from the 2018 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) with silver ulus respectively, two Yellowknife basketball players are ready to showcase their skills at the college level.
“It's sad ... there were definitely some tears shed,” said Hayley Tait, who participated in her second AWG with the girls team. “Although knowing I could represent the NWT for one last time was a good feeling,”
Patrick Yatco, riding a high into the AWG after almost setting the Canada Summer Games record for most points scored in a game during the 2017 games, agreed the second place finish at the AWG with the boys team was a tough way to end his high performance career.
“The gold medal game was the best moment of the tournament,” said Yatco, who was also participating in his second AWG.
With their AWG careers behind them, both Tait and Yatco have shifted their focus to finding a spot on a collegiate roster.
The process of finding a place to play college basketball started while the two were juniors at St. Patrick High School. Yatco and Tait were scouted separately: Tait by Quest University in B.C and Yatco by Grand Prairie Regional College (GPRC) in Alberta.
However, their initial offers didn't last.
“Things didn't work out for me after GRPC changed their coaching staff,” said Yatco. “They really didn't have a spot for me ... the new coach said all of their athletes coming back were guards and forwards.”
For Tait, unforeseeable events led Quest to retract its offer.
“They cancelled their whole athletic program,” said Tait. “The school was too small and didn't have enough money to sustain any of their varsity programs.”
Without a place to play college hoops, yet still hungry to compete, both guards said it took a lot of willpower to try and keep their competitiveness.
“There was a time when I really didn't think I was going to get scouted again,” said Tait. “I didn't even want to play anymore, but I got encouragement from my dad and my coaches and it brought my compete level up.”
Yatco also received encouragement from his coaches, he said.
“They kept telling me 'put in the work and we will help you through it',” said Yatco. “I owe a lot to coach Aaron Wells. He really saw my potential and has pushed me to reach my goals.”
With the external help, both Tait and Yatco are looking to capitalize on the opportunity to continue their amateur basketball careers.
Tait will be a red-shirt freshman at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) for the 2018-2019 U Sports season. She attended a camp earlier this year, which ended up with her being offered a position on the team.
Tait said trying to perform in front of her new coaches was nerve-wracking.
“If I had a bad session and they didn't think I was good enough then that would have been it for me,” said Tait. “It was scary, but I got used to it.”
Yatco said he is determined to earn a spot at Lethbridge College in Alberta. He is going to compete at a tournament in Lethbridge this summer with the hope of being offered a spot on the team.
With the help of coach Wells and coach Matt Craig, Yatco said he's going to keep competing for that spot.
“Until the tournament I will be going to camps, working hard and searching for more schools,” he said. “I want to play for Lethbridge, but at this point I'll be happy red-shirting anywhere.”
Having been around the point guard for close to five years, Wells said in his opinion, Yatco has the capability of playing basketball at the next level.
“He's super-fast and has tremendous basketball smarts,” said Wells. “However, in order for him to get more opportunities he's got to put on some more muscle and he knows that.”
Wells also said during his time coaching Yatco, he has seen a change in the guard's maturity level.
“He wants to put in the work and that's the biggest difference,” said Wells. “He is working on his game and he wants to play basketball at the next level.”
Wells adds there are disadvantages for NWT players like Yatco who want to play collegiate ball, the biggest being where they come from.
The other is the growth of basketball in Canada.
“Essentially these players grow up playing in the beer leagues, playing two or three times a week ... it's competitive but it's bad basketball,” he said. “When (Patrick) went to the college camp in Grande Prairie, he had to compete with players from Philadelphia. Even smaller schools in Canada are starting to attract players from the states”
Yatco acknowledges scouts from southern colleges will look him over because of where he is from.
“We all know that no scout is going to come up here but that doesn't mean it's over,” said Yatco. “We can still contact coaches and go down south to compete. We are the ones who need to show ourselves off.”
Paul Bannister/NewsNorth
Tait agreed there is a stigma around basketball in the North, but that doesn't discourage her.
“Knowing people are doubting you makes you want to work harder and prove them wrong,” said Tait. “I'm good enough, I made it and now scouts shouldn't overlook future players from the NWT just because they don't come see us play.”
Tait said it's unfair for the players who put in the effort and want to get noticed by southern colleges.
“We definitely have good players,” said Tait. “But, I think a lot of talented players are of the mindset where they know they aren't going to be noticed ... so they don't put in the extra work to go to the next level.”
At UNB, Tait said she will be studying kinesiology. Yatco said he is hoping to pursue a career in accounting or business.
Both said they are looking forward to playing the game they love at the next level.