Handsworth Senior Girls Basketball: A Talented Group with a Strong Work Ethic

"We might have talent but we pride ourselves on being the hardest working team in the Province. Hard work is what has made us successful!" – Ramin Sadaghiani, assistant coach, Handsworth Royals

Located in North Vancouver, Handsworth Secondary School is home to British Columbia’s #1 senior girls basketball team. You might be thinking, “How did the the team earn that ranking? Well, it definitely took a lot of sweat and tears, says assistant coach Ramin Sadaghiani. “They’ve made a lot of personal sacrifices. A lot [of the girls] play in the off-season. It’s a lot of hours in the gym.” Being thrust into the spotlight hasn’t been easy on the team either. ”There’s a lot of pressure on us. We’ve been ranked #1 all year. There’s a lot of media attention.” Star player Diana Lee chips in with her thoughts about the chances of winning the Provincials: “I’m confident but also cautious about it, because like our coach says, we have a target on our backs, and everyone wants to beat us. Everyone focuses on us considering we are number one.”

It isn’t just the senior girls basketball team that’s laudable. The basketball program offered at Handsworth Secondary also has proved to be very successful, especially over the last five years, with the senior boys winning the championship in 2005/2006 and the senior girls winning last year. One of the contributing factors that has led to its success is its ability to foster star athletes by having admirable star athletes in the program who motivate younger players to reach for their own dreams. “The overall success of the program [has been due to] just having great role models at the top.” says Sadaghiani.

And indeed, Diana Lee and Angela White are just two admirable examples of the aforementioned “role models” in the program. These two girls are nothing short of ambitious and amazing: Diana will be playing Division 1 basketball at Boise State next year. She had always been thirsty for success, and worked industriously to achieve her dream to play at the next level. “I knew from a young age that if I was going to devote myself to it, I wanted to play at highest level possible”. Her teammate, Angela, dreams that she will one day play on a university’s basketball team, a perfectly attainable goal for this shining young star.

Of course, these girls understand that dreams don’t come easily; they aren’t just handed down to you on a shining silver platter. Throughout the year, the team’s motto has been “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work.”

They know that achieving success not only takes hours of practice, but it also takes a considerable amount of perseverance. Over the past few months, the senior girls have been training hard every chance they have in order to mentally and physically prepare themselves for the upcoming game. “We spend a lot of time at practice worrying about our execution, what we do on the floor [and] our different rotations on defence,” says Diana. This team’s ability to succeed also hinges on the unconditional support that ties the team together, and that’s an enviable trait that this team is in no short supply of.

“We all love each other. It’s one of the best teams I’ve ever been on, and everyone gets along so well,” expresses Assistant Coach Sadaghiani. “We’re like a family, and we just strive to make everyone better.”

For now, it’s safe to say that the girls feel ready to defend their title. In fact, it’s hard to ignore the quiet confidence that Diana and Angela display. With a timid smile, Diana expresses, “We’ve been working really hard, and we’re ready.” Her teammate, Angela says, “I feel like we’re peaking right now.” If they do win, it would mean that all their efforts had finally paid off, but that’s not the most important outcome in their minds.

Whatever happens, the girls know that they have already won a much more valuable prize: it’s the everlasting bonds that the girls share with each other. It’s something that even the assistant coach has noticed throughout his many practices with the girls. He smiles, and states “We’ll try to win, but regardless, we’ll have friendships and bonds forever. It won’t be measured by the championship.” It's that perspective that makes this team so memorable and special.

To follow the Lady Royals on their journey to a second Provincial title in as many years, and to watch the amazing talent this year's senior girls bring to the court, check out the AAA Senior Girls Provincial Championships from March 3rd to 6th, 2010 at Capilano College.