Ex-Acadia basketball player teaches next generation in Nova Scotia

A Nova Scotian basketball player who played professionally in Germany is sharing her story with a new generation of hoop dreamers this week. 

Emma Duinker played for Acadia University and since graduating in 2012 has played professionally on three teams in Germany.

She's at Sackville High School this week teaching basketball to kids in Grade 4 to Grade 8. The class has roughly 25 students, mostly girls, from all over the province. 

Along with basketball skills on the court, she's teaching leadership to the kids in the classroom. 

"It's about how to approach life, not only on the court but off the court as well, " she said. "The need to work in a team and work with other people brings up a whole lot of leadership qualities to be successful." 

From fear to fun

The camp spends the five days breaking down keywords: Focus, face, fear, follow, and fun. By understanding each of these words, the students learn about themselves and the kinds of support they can offer the team, whatever their skill level, she said.

Duinker says it transforms students. "Their focus and the way they carry themselves changes. Their basketball habits are more sound, more in control. We train that — how to play with a certain kind of power."

Duinker says basketball is good for teaching these skills because it's a team game of contact, not collisions, and it requires co-operation and discipline.

"There are a lot of things that aren't going to be called by the referees. Therefore, you have to practice your approach when that happens. How do you react? How do you ignore those problems? How do you deal with mistakes?" she said.

National champions

Duinker has worked with the U.S. company Point Guard College, which runs the program, and now will help deliver it for the first time in Nova Scotia.

Two of the province's youth teams won national titles in Winnipeg this weekend. 

"I find it extremely exciting, because I remember when I was playing provincial basketball," she said.

"At that time, the female side was a little stronger. And now it's incredible that the male side has been able sustain a back-to-back for the under-17 team, and a double gold for the under-17 and under-15 this year.

"It just goes to show the development that's going on in Nova Scotia basketball. I think it's promising for young athletes like the ones we have here at camp. They really have a chance to win at a national level." 

Duinker won't be going back to Europe as she's headed to the University of Windsor in Ontario to coach and work toward her master's of sports management. 

"I'll be coaching with Chantal Vallée, which I'm really excited about," she says. "She's a super-accomplished coach and is going to be a great mentor for me."