Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association 25th anniversary

LEAGUE BUILDERS

Here are a few of the individuals that have contributed in various areas to make the league a success over the years.

If you know of someone we should profile pass along their name.

Mike Ruta (LEAGUE FOUNDER)

Considered the “Father of the WMBA”, Mike led in the formation of the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association and became the league’s first president. His vision was to provide a structured basketball league for Winnipeg area youth, outside the school system, and open for all to participate. The league tipped off on November 29, 1997 with 40 teams, based out of 12 community centres. In its second season, it had grown to 97 teams out of 25 centres and added its first Spring League in April, 1998. The Spring League of 2008 saw a record high of 310 teams. With its Fair Play Policy, it has given many more young people an opportunity to play basketball and now includes a Rising Stars Elite division, Steve Nash Youth Basketball, a Senior Spring League, and a section of the Wesmen Classic. Furthermore, the WMBA Foundation has built outdoor basketball courts, awards scholarships to graduating players, and provides subsidies for players and community clubs in need. Mike was also named the Sport Manitoba Volunteer of the Year in 1997.

Reid Kenyon (HEAD REFEREE ASSIGNOR)

I started with the WMBA right out of the gate 25 years ago. Rod Peppler suggested that I would be a good fit to fill the role as assignor for this league! I was “green” but eager and have enjoyed every minute of my time involved with the WMBA and the great people around the league. The growth of the league over the first number of years was outstanding however very challenging to keep up with servicing of the league.

I have been very fortunate in my referee career to work games locally, nationally, and internationally. Very early in my career, I was given several very good opportunities at every level to stretch and grow. This allowed me to begin my journey and experience many great experiences in the game. From the local courts in high school around East Kildonan all the way to South America and Europe on the world stage with many stops in between. Probably my biggest highlight as a referee was officiating The Dream Team in Madison Square Gardens. Today, I am still very active at the University level and travelling to my 15th national tournament this April to represent Canada West in the Men’s Usport National Championship! As my referee career is closer to the end than the start, I really cherish every moment I am involved. These experiences at every level have really shaped who I am as a referee and as a WMBA Referee Supervisor. I am very proud of the program we have in place that address’s grassroots officiating! The WMBA didn’t just grow basketball for players but has had a tremendous impact on our referee fraternity!

Over the past 25 years I have sat on the WMBA board and the “last one” standing from the inception of the league! My involvement is really focused on officiating in the league. In addition to that, I also sit on our provincial referee board – Manitoba Association of Basketball Officials representing the WMBA. Over the years I have organized many referee development camps locally in Winnipeg and attended many camps across Western Canada as a Clinician over the years. I was very fortunate especially in the early days of the WMBA to have the leadership of Rod Peppler who really was passionate about new officials and their development. Under his tutelage, the Junior Development of Referee’s Clinic/Mentorship program was developed. This program still is a backbone of young officials who start in the WMBA. I owe so much to Rod for the work he did and allowed me to be apart of. The WMBA officials group is really a reflection of his great work!

I have been fortunate to work 14 national championships in Canada and receive the Gold Medal game in 4 of them! Hopefully a fifth is in the books this year! My international career representing Canada allowed me to travel numerous times all over the world that I so fortunate to be at the right place at the right time. I have been nominated for the Manitoba Official of the Year 3 times winning it in 2015!

The WMBA has impacted basketball over the last 25 years and really allowed us as officials to structure a training protocol because of it! I am very proud that I have watched this league from a Mike Ruta vision to where it is today! Currently I would say more than half of the officials in Manitoba got started in the WMBA! Many of our best today where new to officiating and started right here in our great league! The WMBA has been instrumental in what officiating in Manitoba is today!

POSTHUMUS FAMILY (PARENT, CONVENOR, COACH)

Charles Posthumus started coaching and volunteering with the WMB.A in the late 1990’s. He began coaching at Gateway and quickly realized that there were many East Saint Paul players on the rosters and embarked on creating a WMBA Program through East Saint Paul Community Club. Charles has been the basketball director at East Saint Paul for the past 21 years and Convenor for the WMBA for 21 years as well. Diana has put up with uniforms and basketball equipment in our home for the entire time! Charles has coached well over 50 teams during his tenure with the WMBA and mentored many parent coaches throughout his time as well.

Players for ages five to 18 were invited to participate and were grouped according to age. Small Ball Junior NBA is a co-ed team for players ages five to seven, while players eight and up are divided into separate boys and girl’s teams. The club began with just 28 players in 2001 and grew to nearly 175 during its peak in 2010, with 12 teams playing in the regular fall/winter season. One of the highlights in the early years of the WMBA was the opportunity to run District Basketball programs for the elite players. This maintained a community feel for Northeast Winnipeg and gave those players a chance to play with like minded players. Charles was fortunate to coach District for 3 years and believed it was a great program that was highly competitive and affordable to all players.

In addition to Charles other Posthumus family have been involved with the WMBA from the outset. Chad, Christina, and Jessie played in the fall season and the spring seasons from the age of 5 until 15. The WMBA played a major role in the success of the Posthumus family children. Both Chad and Christina went on to compete for Team Manitoba from grade 8 to 12 and then both went on to compete at the University level.

Christina was recruited by over 15 Universities and Colleges in Canada; she chose to play in Manitoba at the University of Manitoba. She had a very successful career. Since completing her career in basketball she has moved on to coaching, she has coached at the Junior High and High School level. Christina led her Kodiak team to a final four performance in the 2019 high school basketball season.

Chad’s journey with basketball has been very successful. Chad was recruited by well over 25 Universities and ultimately choose to play at the University of British Columbia for his first 2 years. He wanted an opportunity to play in Division 1 in the USA, starting his career with Howard College and then moving onto Morehead University in Texas. Since his graduation from Morehead State, he has been playing professionally. He has had opportunities with NBA summer league, has played Professionally in Japan, Argentina, China, and Canada (NBL and CEBL). He is currently playing in the CEBL, the BCL America’s Team and is part of the Team Canada program. Chad has received many accolades for his performance at all levels of play.

DOUG COATES (PARENT, BOARD MEMBER, CONVENOR, COACH)

As a parent his first year of involvement with the WMBA was in the fall of 1997 when he signed up two of his sons to play in the 14+ boys division. He agreed to coach their team playing out of Fort Garry Community Club that first season and won their division that year. The second year of the league he joined the WMBA board and filled various positions over the following 12 years.

During this time the continued coaching all three of his sons in the league as well as the assistant coach for the Charleswood Junior High boys’ teams from 2000-2003. Until recently coaching the Friday Nite Basketball program for Athletes in Action.

With a career in graphic design he was asked to design the fledgling league’s logo. In addition to the designing the logo he designed most of the league’s ads, posters in the early years as well as of other logos such as the Todd McCullough youth league, District league and the Rising Stars program logos. The WMBA 25th anniversary logo is his contribution to the silver anniversary of the league as well as designing and building this website.

Curt Lother (CONVENOR, PARENT)

It’s hard to believe it has been 25 years. I don’t remember where I first heard about the WMBA but in that first year there were only a few community clubs on board. I registered my 8 year old son Nick to play at the closest club, Fort Garry, on a team coached by Andy Swar. I helped with practices, coaching and scorekeeping.

The following year I became the convener at Dakota and all three of our boys played for the next several years. That first year at Dakota we had to buy basketballs and uniforms, run the registration and create teams, and find coaches and gyms to practice in. It was a lot of work but I realized that the same thing was happening at many clubs across the city.

Our three boys, Sylvain, Dan, and Nick continued with the WMBA until they got into the high school programs. The experiences they had with WMBA gave them a real head start when it came to their high school years and beyond.

Twenty five years later all three boys have successful careers. Sylvain is a doctor. Dan is a phys-ed teacher, volleyball coach and is starting a term as vice-principal. Nick continued his basketball career playing five years with the University of Winnipeg and another year in the Canadian Basketball League. Besides his job as a phys-ed teacher he is now running an elite basketball program called Evolve Basketball Development and the Central Canada Prep program.

My wife and I now have four grandchildren who are quickly approaching an age at which they can become a second generation of players involved in the WMBA.

CONTACT US ABOUT HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.