Pacer Girls Gaining Strength With Each Game
The Parkland Composite Pacers senior girl's basketball team seems to be getting stronger as the season progresses. The Pacers lost out at the Hinton Invitational Tournament Jan. 15 and 16 to 10th ranked Ardrossan but managed to beat Beaverlodge and Grande Prairie, two of the tougher clubs in the province, quite handily. Edson beat Beaverlodge by 28 points and Grande Prairie by 30, losing to Ardrossan by only 14. "Jen Hunter (Pacers post player) probably played her best game ever," said coach Rhonda Bartel, who also singled out Kendra Tippe for shooting fifty percent and Anna Kirillo for adept play.
Cuban excursion pays off for Pacer Girls (Jan 18/99)
The Parkland Composite High School Pacers senior girl's basketball team is back from Cuba and their play against Cuban elite teams may have paid off, if their performance in Stettler is any indication. The Pacers finished third at the Stettler Invitational Tournament Jan. 8 and 9. "This is the best we've ever done at this tournament," said coach Rhonda Bartel. After losing out to the host squad, the Pacers beat Prairie Bible College of Olds and Queen Elizabeth of Calgary.
Pacer Girls Go Head-To-Head With Cuba's Jr. Nationals (Jan 4/99)
If you invite a member of the Parkland Composite High School Pacer girl's basketball team over for dinner some time soon, do them a favor, don't serve chicken. The girl's got their fill of fowl during their trip to Cuba Dec.13 to 23. "We had chicken dishes every day," said Pacers coach Rhonda Bartel. Team members also recieved their share of brown rice, a staple of the Caribbean Island, as well as plenty of fresh fruit. While in Cuba, the Pacers went head-to-head with the Junior National Team as well as two high school clubs. They lost all their games, but they had an opportunity to experience top-calibre basketball. The Pacer girls also had a chance to play and inter-squad game with the Junior National team. The Pacers found out the Cuban girls passing and shooting skills were far superior, but there's no secret to why they're so good. Members of the Cuban Junior National side practice 18 hours a week. The Cuban girls are often hungrier than their Canadian counterparts, for a reason. "That may be their only way out of poverty," said Bartel, adding team members saw, first-hand the poverty conditions on the island.
"Not many Cubans own motor-vehicles," said Bartel. The majority of the population either ride bicycles or hitchhike to get to their destinations. If they do own a vehicle, it's more likely an older model. The club had it's own tour guide and bus driver for the trip, and they stayed together, so the chances of experiencing crime were slim. However, they were warned by their Cuban hosts, said Bartel. "People warned us to keep our bags closed and watch for pickpockets." It was an educational opportunity, as well as a reality check for the Pacers. "They learned a lot about communism and socialism, and a lot about Cuban every day life," Bartel said. "It was very eye-opening. They learned a lot about life." The coach is convinced the trip will also help her club during high school regular season play. "Basketball-wise if forced them to create options and openings for themselves. It forced them to think about what they could do one-on-one." Prior to coming home, team members loaded up on souvenirs including rum, cigars and local crafts. There are no fast food outlets in Cuba, so Toronto International Airport was a welcome stopping place for the Pacers. "When we got to Toronto the girls pigged out on fast food." Bartel added she's thinking of some time revisiting the island.
Pacers Boys And Girls Take Tournament (Dec 14/98)
It was a win-win situation for both Parkland Composite High School basketball clubs at the Barrhead Invitational Tournament. The Pacers girl's club of coach Rhonda Bartel made it two tournament wins in a row by beating Hinton 66 to 46 in the championship final. The Pacers' had won the Hinton tournament a week previous and will now try out the basketball waters in Cuba. They left for the Caribbean nation on Dec. 13.
Pacers warmed up for basketball season (Nov 30/98)
The high school basketball season is officially underway, as the Parkland Composite High School Pacers girls team was in Hinton for tournament action this past weekend. Both boys and girls clubs will be in Barrhead this weekend for a tournament. The high school is looking for coaches possible community coaches to guide junior teams this year. They have the players, but if they don't get the coaches there will be no season. So, if you can step up to the plate, or, as they say in basketball, the executive office, not would be a perfect time. The girls senior team is off to Cuba in early December. This weekend is the last domestic action for the Pacers girl's side. Hopefully they will arrange to get their immunization booster shots for Cuba. After all, you never know what's lurking in a foreign country, disease-wise.
Pacers put out junior and senior basketball squads (Nov 30/98)
The high school basketball season started last weekend for the Parkland Composite Pacers girls basketball team in Hinton. This weekend the Pacers will be in Barrhead for tournament play, their final domestic action before they wing their way to Cuba on Dec. 13. Thirty-two girls came out to camp this year, enough players for junior and senior squads. "We're trying to find a coach for the junior team," said Bartel, who's entering her fifth year coaching the senior women's squad.
Pacer Girls Head To Cuba To Shoot Hoops (Oct 19/98)
The high school basketball season really doesn't get into the swing of things until next month, but Parkland Pacers women basketball players are already gearing up for an early-season venture. Coach Rhonda Bartel's charges will be shooting hoops in Cuba Dec. 13 to 22. While there, they'll be playing against various private school teams. Pacers players decided they'd like to go to Cuba after they viewed a series of Cuban pamphlets. Past Pacers clubs have gone on sojourns to Hawaii and California. The past couple of months have been spent in pre-trip planning, tasks such as attaining passports and visas, and taking part in various rundraising ventures. "It's (Cuba) very sports-oriented so we should learn a lot when we're there," said Bartel. The Pacers should be a strong club this year with 11 returning veterans. Training camp begins the first week of November. Bartel said she should have enough Grade 10 players to form a junior Pacers squad.
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