UNews - Dave Adams

SpearChief-Morris embracing opportunity to affect change

trevor.kenney — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 18:59:46 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumnus Julian SpearChief-Morris (BA’13) said he was headed for law school in a 2012 video feature he shot while a member of the Pronghorns men’s basketball team.

“After I finish at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge I hope to travel for a couple of years and hopefully go into law school,” he said at the time, almost matter-of-factly.

Julian SpearChief-Morris garnered plenty of attention for his on-court talents, while he was just as adept in the classroom.

Little did we know that the distinguished graduate of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s urban and regional studies program would set his sights on the pre-eminent law school in North America – Harvard. Now in his second year at the venerable institution, SpearChief-Morris has made history as the first Indigenous student president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. The organization has been in existence for 104 years.

“It’s an incredible honour. I think it’s great whenever you see First Nations and other Indigenous people in higher education and in positions like this,” says SpearChief-Morris. “Being at Harvard is an incredible experience. It’s a big school and the campus is very impressive but overwhelmingly it’s a humbling experience. I think that’s what I’ll take away most from this, being surrounded by the most brilliant people in the world and constantly having to hold yourself up next to those people gives you some great perspective.”

The son of an African-American father from Los Angeles and Aboriginal mother (Wilma Spear Chief (BASc ’77)) from the southern Alberta Blood Tribe, SpearChief-Morris grew up in a unique household that groomed unique talents. A gifted athlete, he was a star in the Southern Alberta High School Basketball League and, after graduating from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, was recruited by national powerhouse ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria.

While he was universally respected for his ability to run a fast break and hit a three-point shot, there was a depth to SpearChief-Morris that went far beyond the hardcourt. It was apparent early on that the student aspect of student-athlete would always remain first and the sport would help facilitate much larger goals.

“That was a vision that Jules always had in his life. Basketball was great and basketball was another place for Julian to excel but he was never a hoop dreamer, he was a person who had a very clear vision and focus about what he wanted to do with his life,” says Dave Adams, current coach of the Pronghorns women’s basketball team and former coach of the men’s program that lured SpearChief-Morris back to Lethbridge in 2009.

Adams knew him well, having watched him grow up alongside his own daughter when both were enrolled at Montessori School as toddlers. The U of L lost SpearChief-Morris to Victoria out of high school but he says he was an awkward fit there, and after two years, with Adams now at the helm of the Horns, he returned.

“Think about the fortitude and the vision he had to leave a very successful program in Victoria and come to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, which hadn’t made the playoffs in seven or eight years,” says Adams, who notes SpearChief-Morris then had to sit out the 2009-2010 season because of transfer regulations. “For him to do that speaks a lot to the character of the person and to who Julian is.”

Back on the floor for the 2010-11 season, SpearChief-Morris played just eight games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He endured a full 10 months of rehabilitation before he finally returned to the starting lineup the next fall. His first year back, he managed to play only 15 minutes per game as he regained strength and confidence in his surgically-repaired knee. It wasn’t until 2012-13, his final year of eligibility, that the Pronghorns saw a completely healthy SpearChief-Morris and he responded averaging 15.1 points per game, second in both team scoring and rebounds.

“I believe that all the adversity that was put in front of Julian to play and to be the successful player that he was, he channeled into other aspects of his life,” says Adams. “He always surrounded himself with excellence and it gave him tools to put in his toolbox for success in life.”

All the while, SpearChief-Morris threw himself into his studies and he prospered in a new environment.

“I had such a good experience at the U of L, the small class sizes were something I really appreciated,” he says. “I had the opportunity to meet and get to know so many of my professors, many I still keep in contact with today.”

One of those professors was Dr. Ivan Townshend, coordinator of the Urban and Regional Studies program in the Department of Geography. He paints a picture of a student who saw his studies as a way to facilitate a meaningful impact on society.

“One of the reasons he stood out was you could tell he had a real social conscience and a sincere willingness to help the disadvantaged,” says Townshend. “And it wasn’t so it would just look good on his resumé, he was intent on making a real difference.”

SpearChief-Morris worked for Townshend as a research assistant for a year and clearly was at the top of his class.

“From the point of view of the urban and regional studies students I’ve seen over the last 25 years, he’s certainly one of the top 1 to 2 per cent,” he says. “He was an exceptional student, mature beyond his years. He was very unique in that he was intellectually inquisitive and an exceptionally good researcher who really grasped the material on a deep level.”

SpearChief-Morris feels strongly connected to his family and his roots. He has never wavered in his desire to better the outlook for the Aboriginal community in southern Alberta.

SpearChief-Morris is keen on bringing his knowledge and experience back to southern Alberta and doing what he can to better the fortunes of the disadvantaged.

“I grew up in a household where it was an expectation that we’d attend some form of higher education and I was lucky to have had two parents who were there, who cared, who supported me, and who believed in me. That’s not something that a lot of Aboriginal kids have the privilege of and that privilege is not lost on me. I feel very fortunate to have had that upbringing and that’s part of the reason why I do what I do – to give back,” says SpearChief-Morris.

Upon graduating from the U of L, SpearChief-Morris spent a year as an educational assistant and guidance counsellor who specifically worked with Aboriginal children.

“That was a great experience. I saw a lot of success stories but I also felt frustrated a lot of the time because I always felt I was dealing with symptoms of a greater issue that I really didn’t have the power to address in that role,” he says. “That’s when I cemented my decision to go to law school.”

He admits he never expected to end up at Harvard but after excelling on his LSAT exam, it opened the door for him to apply. At the tail end of his first year in Boston, he was eligible to apply to one of the three historic honour societies at Harvard Law School and earned acceptance into the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, the oldest student-run law firm in the United States.

Thanks to a specific statute in the State of Massachusetts, the bureau is allowed to practice as students in court under the supervision of instructors but as lead attorneys and attorneys of record.

“We provide pro bono legal aid to folks in the greater Boston area who couldn’t otherwise afford those services,” says SpearChief-Morris. “The Bureau is a remarkable organization. When we take on a client, we take on responsibility for the most important thing in that client’s life, and I think that forces our students to grow up a lot. You have to answer that phone call and that email, even if it’s on Christmas morning, you have to be on time, you have to be present and you have to take it seriously because it’s real.”

He will graduate in May 2018 and in the meantime, he’ll spend his second consecutive summer working for a law firm in Washington, D.C. as part of the Native American Practice Group. They represent Native American tribes in complex litigation matters, and act as government relations and economic development consultants.

And while the big cities are honing his legal skills today, a return to his hometown is the ultimate goal – continuing the work and fulfilling the promise he began years ago.

“As a second-year student I don’t have it all figured out yet but I’ve really enjoyed the work I’ve been doing in the summer and I’d like to do that moving forward, at least in the short term,” he says. “Long term, my goal has always been to go back to southern Alberta and put the experience I hope to have gained along the way to use back home.”

Family ties lead Mazutinec to Horns women's basketball team

trevor.kenney — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 22:25:09 +0000

Heading into the semester break, head coach Dave Adams and the Pronghorns women’s basketball program are thrilled to announce its second early signing for the 2017-18 season with the commitment of Stirling, AB product Amy Mazutinec.

Named the Deep South MVP, the 6’0” combo guard led Stirling High School to a 1A Provincial title the last two seasons and is just getting her grade 12 season started.

“It’s a fantastic announcement for Horns nation to share that Amy will be joining our program next season,” says Adams. “Amy is a blue chip local recruit who can score, rebound and defend, plus she's a second generation Pronghorn. Amy has been extremely well coached and can immediately address our needs in scoring, rebounding and ball management. She brings long-term stability and talent for continued growth in our program.”

In addition to the success she has had at Stirling, Mazutinec has made multiple appearances at Canada Basketball age-group national camps and been a starter for three years with the Alberta Provincial team.

At the U15 nationals in 2014, she averaged 12.3 points per game and the past two years at the U17 nationals she has averaged 10.4 and 9.7 points respectively.

Mazutinec has deep family ties to the Pronghorn family. Her brother is in his first season with the men’s basketball program and her sister Kylie was a member of the Pronghorns women’s team during the 2014-15 season. Her father was also a Pronghorn, playing for the men’s hockey team from 1985 to 1989.

Mazutinec was coached in Stirling by former Pronghorns standout and head coach Donna Branch.

In addition to Mazutinec, the Pronghorns recruiting class for next season now sits at two with the announcement of SAHSBL All-Star Jessica Zarowny earlier in November.

Jessica Bachynski returns to Canadian basketball, chooses Horns

trevor.kenney — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 19:44:41 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's basketball team continues to address needs, checking another of its to-do items Tuesday by announcing the commitment of former NCAA forward Jessica Bachynski for the 2016-17 season.

Bachynski, a six-foot-one inch forward from Calgary, comes to the Horns after three years away from the game and will be a welcome addition to the program's front court.

A former high school star with Calgary's Sir Winston Churchill, she earned a NCAA Division I scholarship and played two seasons at Utah Valley ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Over her two seasons with the Wolverines, Bachynski saw action in 16 games, including one start. Over her her senior season at Sir Winston Churchill, she averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds per game, and led the Bulldogs to a silver medal at the Alberta Provincials.

“Coming to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge was an easy decision for me because everything just worked out so perfectly,” says Bachynski. “In my life, I feel like there have been roadblocks that impede certain routes, but when everything just falls in to place like it has with the U of L, you know it is just meant to be. I am so excited for this year."

Horns head coach Dave Adams sees Bachynski as a great fit for where the Horns are in their development.

“Jess comes to the program from a strong pedigree of basketball excellence in her family,” he says. “Jess has the ability to stretch the floor with her outstanding three-point shooting but can also drive the lane aggressively. She will also address our need to defend on the front end plus add valuable rebounding for the program."

Raised in a true basketball family, both of her brothers played NCAA basketball. Jordan suited up for Arizona State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Dallin played at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Utah. Both brothers were also in the NBA D-League this past season, Jordan with the Westchester Knicks and Dallin was with the Grand Rapids Drive.

The Horns have added six new faces to the program in recent weeks and will open camp early this fall in preparation for the upcoming season.

Horns women's basketball team mines south for additions to recruiting class

trevor.kenney — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 20:23:24 +0000

Dave Adams continue to overhaul the roster for the Pronghorns women's basketball program, and this time, he's headed south for help.

Adams is excited to introduce two American Junior College transfer players to the Pronghorns, Katie Hankins and Jessica Norlander.

Hankins comes to the U of L from Lower Columbia College, while Norlander played at Green River College, both schools participating in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC).

A 5-foot-11 forward, Hankins helped the Lower Columbia Red Devils to a 13-1 conference record last season and averaged 14.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. She also recorded six double-doubles last season and was named a NWAC West 1st team All-Star.

“I'm so excited to be a Pronghorn,” says Hankins on her decision to sign with the U of L. “The decision to come here was made easy after taking my visit and meeting all the wonderful, supportive people at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

“I was really looking for a place where the community and school are involved with athletics and somewhere where I was going to have a good relationship with not only the team, but the coaches as well.”

Originally from Chehalis, Wa., Hankins averaged 5.5 points and 4.4 rebounds as a freshman during the 2014-15 season.

“Katie is a proven winner on and off the court,” says Adams. “Her ability to face up and attack the basket will add much needed offence for the program.

“Katie also has the skill to defend both inside and outside which helps with our team versatility.”

Norlander is a six-foot post from Athol, Idaho, and joins the Horns after two seasons in the NWAC where she averaged double digits in points in both of her seasons with the Green River Gators.

“I'm so excited for the next three years at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” she says. “Lethbridge has really embraced me as a person and my playing style.

“I can already tell the coaches and team are an amazing group, I can't wait to work my hardest.”

As a freshman, Norlander averaged 12 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. She produced an even more productive season as a sophomore, averaging a double-double with 14.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. She was also named a NWAC West 1st team All-Star this past season.

“Jessica brings the background of averaging a double-double last season in the highly competitive western division of the NWAC and has a natural talent for rebounding, which will immediately address our issues in this area from last season,” says Adams. “She is comfortable playing both back to the basket and face-up away from the hoop, creating defensive challenges for opponents.”

With the addition of Hankins and Norlander, the 2016-17 recruiting class now sits at five, but Adams is looking to add a couple more new faces in the coming weeks as he continues to reshape his roster.

Horns welcome Bosch back to Canada and into lineup

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 May 2016 20:34:24 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s basketball program has added one of the most talented guards to come out of southern Alberta in years, announcing today that local product Kacie Bosch is returning to Canada and will join the Pronghorns for the 2016-17 season.

Highly recruited out of high school, Bosch returns home after two seasons with the Gonzaga ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Bulldogs (NCAA). Bosch will take advantage of the CIS repatriation rule and be eligible to compete immediately.

“Kacie brings a swift cultural infusion of change into our program as she has won at every program that she has been a part of,” says Horns head coach Dave Adams. “Kacie will be able to play her natural position at point guard and add immediate leadership in the backcourt. She is an outstanding athlete who has worked tirelessly at her craft to continue to improve.”

As a freshman, Bosch saw action in 16 games for the Bulldogs and played in another 18 games this past season.

“I am so happy to be coming home to play with a team that's on the up and coming,” says Bosch. “The girls, coaches and people surrounding this program are wonderful and I can't wait to be a part of it.”

Prior to heading to Spokane, Wa., Bosch starred for Chinook High School, winning the Southern Alberta High School Basketball League (SAHSBL) most valuable player award in both her grade 11 and grade 12 years. She led the Coyotes in scoring all three years she played for Chinook, averaging 19.7 points in grad 10 and 23.3 and 22.3 points per game in Grades 11 and 12 respectively.

In her Grade 12 year, she also led the Coyotes to a 12-1 record and a regular season tie with Raymond. The Coyotes went on to win the 4A Zone tournament and a provincial silver medal after a loss to Raymond in the final.

Bosch and the Coyotes finished fourth at provincials in 2013 under current Pronghorns men’s head coach Mike Hansen.

She comes to the program with a wealth of provincial team experience, playing two summers with each of the U15 and 17 teams. In 2013, Bosch led the Alberta U17 team to a fourth-place finish at the Canada Games.

The women’s basketball program will round out its 2016-17 recruiting class in the coming weeks and will open camp in early fall. Canada West will announce the 2016-17 conference schedule in early June.

Horns add another Miller to the mix

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 21:27:25 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns are adding another Miller to the fold after women’s basketball team head coach Dave Adams announced the signing of Southern Alberta High School Basketball League (SAHSBL) MVP Mylanda Miller from Catholic Central High School.

Miller joins her sister, Mariah, on the Horns, while their father Darren played for the U of L from 1993 to 1995.

“Mylanda is an important player for the program as she connects the past, through former Horn Darren Miller, the present, through current team captain and sister Mariah Miller, and the future, as Mylanda develops at the CIS level,” says Adams. “Mylanda contributes on both ends of the floor and can contribute outstanding shooting.”

As a senior in high school, Miller led Catholic Central Cougars to a 9-4 record and topped the SAHBL in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game.

At the 4A Zone tournament, the five-foot-10 inch guard hit a game-tying three-point shot in the dying seconds of the final to force overtime with LCI, a game which the Cougars won 80-76.

In her first trip to the Provincial tournament, Miller poured in 37 points in a semifinal loss to St. Francis from Calgary, but rebounded to help the Cougars claim a bronze medal with a win over Western.

Over the past two summers, Miller has been a member of the Jr. Horns PEBL program and has provincial team experience playing for the U15 Alberta team.

Coach Adams and the women’s basketball program is still in the midst of recruiting for next season and hopes to have further additions to the 2016 recruiting class in the near future.

Adams returns to take over women's basketball program

trevor.kenney — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:28:52 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics is excited to announce the return of a familiar face as Dave Adams has been named the new head coach of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s basketball program. Adams becomes the 11th head coach in the program’s history.

Dave Adams returns to Pronghorn Athletics, reviving his long history with Horns basketball.

“Dave brings a real energy to the program,” says Ken McInnes, Interim Executive Director of Sport and Recreation Services. “He will provide the stability and community engagement the women’s program needs to succeed. I know everyone is looking forward to having Dave on campus as soon as his obligations are fulfilled with his current employer.”

Adams spent three seasons at the helm of the men’s basketball program from 2009 to 2013 and also served in an interim capacity with the men’s program for the 2001-02 season.

Adams finished his second tenure with the men’s program in 2013, compiling a 46-60 win-loss record, the second best winning percentage of any Pronghorns men’s basketball coach. His teams made three trips to the Canada West playoffs.

He tendered his resignation following the 2013 season after leading the Pronghorns to a 12-win campaign, the most the program had achieved since the 1999-2000 season, accepting a position as Principal/Superintendent for Alruwad International Schools in Muscat, Oman. Adams ultimately returned to southern Alberta a year later.

"It is with great respect and enthusiasm that the stewardship of Pronghorns women's basketball is handed to me from (former) coach Erin McAleenan,” says Adams. “Our program looks forward to working in collaboration with Horns both past and present, the outstanding feeder systems in southern Alberta high schools, the CCAA silver medalists at Lethbridge College, the good people at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the supportive community of southern Alberta.”

Adams began his coaching career at Catholic Central High School immediately following the end of his playing career. In 1984, he took over the Lethbridge College Kodiaks men's program and in four seasons, compiled a record of 104-28, including three ACAC medals (one silver and two bronze).

A Lethbridge resident for nearly 40 years, Adams also has extensive experience with provincial and national organizations, coaching with the Alberta Provincial program from 1993-97 and with the Basketball Canada Centre for Performance from 2004 to 2006.

As the head coach of the provincial program, Adams led Team Alberta to a silver medal at the Western Canada Games in 1993. He was also at the helm for silver and bronze medals for Team Alberta at the national championships.

As a player, Adams suited up for 76 games for the Blue and Gold from 1976-81, having his best season during the 1980-81 season when he averaged 11.9 points per game.

Hansen named Horns men's head coach

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:45:05 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns Athletic Department announced that Mike Hansen (BA '96, BEd '99, MA '09) has been named the new head coach of the Pronghorn men's basketball program Friday, becoming the 10th head coach in the program's history.

Hansen replaces Dave Adams, who resigned Feb. 25 after his fourth season with the program to pursue an international teaching opportunity.

"We are excited to welcome Mike back to the program," says Executive Director of Sport and Recreation, Sandy Slavin. "His track record at the college level speaks for itself and his connection to the basketball community in southern Alberta is equally important."

Hansen returns to the 'Horns program after suiting up for the blue and gold during the 1990s. He played in 74 games for the Pronghorns over four seasons under the program's all-time winningest coach, Dave Crook, and graduated after the 1994 season.

"It is such an honour to be able to lead the Horns program," says Hansen. "Dave Crook and Dave Adams have been two of the most influential mentors in my life. I have a huge sense of responsibility to live up to the standards they have set for this program, and I hope I can have the same impact on my players that they've had on me."

Coaching at both the college and high school level in Alberta, Hansen comes to the 'Horns with a wealth of experience. Over five seasons in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) with Lethbridge College and NAIT, Hansen compiled a 68-30 conference record and a 114-47 overall record. Hansen reached the playoffs in all five seasons in the ACAC, including bronze medal finishes in 2009 and 2012 and a silver medal at the 2011 ACAC Final Four Championship.

After leading Lethbridge College to a 17-1 record and a CCAA silver medal, he moved on to NAIT for one season and finished with a 16-4 record. He resigned from NAIT after one season due to the inability to relocate his family to Edmonton.

In addition to his college experience, Hansen spent 10 years as a local high school coach, winning three league titles, four zone championships and attending the provincial championships six times, including this past year when he led the Chinook High School Senior Girls team to its first 4A Zone championship and a fourth place finish at provincials. He has also been involved in Alberta's provincial program, serving as an assistant coach and winning a bronze medal at the 2001 Canada Games.

Hansen will have instant familiarity with the current 'Horns roster, having coached a number of the current 'Horns at Lethbridge College.

Legacy of leaders will live on with Horns' culture

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:26:23 +0000

Athletic programs often talk about creating a culture and a unique identity that defines the ideals and goals of the organization. In many instances, that's all it is – talk. For the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's basketball team, fifth-year seniors Derek Waldner and Julian Spear Chief-Morris embody Horns' culture.

"They have been cornerstones of transformational change in our program," says head coach Dave Adams. "We went from pretenders to contenders in the time that they were here, and I cannot say enough about the sacrifices that both of them made to push the program to where it is now. Anything that's happened in the program in the last few years has been built on the backs of these guys."

While each of them took different paths to the Horns' program, and each battled through his own adversity, it was fitting to see them walk off the court together in triumph, checking out of their final Canada West game to a standing ovation from the home crowd, a victory well in hand.

"It's really nice in life, because you don't see it all the time, when people will put in the work and then get rewarded for it and that's happened for both guys," says Adams.

Derek Waldner, left, won the majority of these position battles over the course of his five-year career with the Pronghorns. Photo by Paula Gorman

Neither of the two had an easy road to success.

Waldner, an Okotoks product, admits that the U of L was really the only Canadian Interuniversity Sport program to recruit him out of high school and that he had no promises or expectations about what his role would be when he arrived on campus.

Spear Chief-Morris began his career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria. A local high school star at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, he chose to head west to play for the nationally-renowned Vikes, but after two seasons in Victoria and an invitation from Adams to come back to Lethbridge in hand, he returned to his roots.

He subsequently had to sit out a transfer season and then early into his first year with the Horns, suffered a devastating knee injury. A year later he was back on the court but it really wasn't until the last few months of his senior season that Spear Chief-Morris was able to play to his abilities.

"I didn't really have basketball in mind when I was recovering, I just wanted to be a healthy person again because I spent a whole summer not being able to run, not being able to jump, having to learn how to walk again," he says. "I just decided I'd worry about getting healthy first and in the end I decided I wanted to play again."

All the while, Waldner was emerging from obscurity to become one of the best rebounders in the country and one of Canada West's top post threats. A double-double machine (double figures in both points and rebounds), he would eventually set the all-time rebounding record at the U of L and lead the CIS in rebounding his senior season.

"It was the goal for me when I came out of high school," says Waldner. "My coach, Sam Aiello, when I graduated he told me to go get that record, because Nick Baldwin, who had the record before me, was his product as well."

The Horns flourished with both Waldner and Spear Chief-Morris in the lineup, but it wasn't only court success that defined their time in blue and gold. Waldner, a biochemistry major, is a four-time Academic All-Canadian, while Spear Chief-Morris, studying urban and regional studies, has achieved All-Canadian status three times.

"I'm a competitive person and anything I do I want to be the best at, so walking into the classroom is the same thing. Why not try and be the best at what you do?" asks Spear Chief-Morris. "That's why I push myself in the classroom, if I'm going to do something I'm going to do it well."

Julian Spear Chief-Morris was a mentor both on and off the court to the next generation of Pronghorns. Photo by Paula Gorman

While he doesn't tout himself as a role model for First Nations teens, he recognizes that his success both on and off the court can serve as a positive motivating factor for the Aboriginal community.

"I don't think I've ever looked at myself as a role model but now that I'm getting older, I've been put in situations where I've been confronted with that," he says. " I think I definitely do serve as a role model in some respects to some of the kids out there on the Reserve. I'm really just trying to live my life the right way, so if people look up to me, that's great."

For Waldner, combining the rigors of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with athletics was never a question, it's always been a focus.

"It just takes a little discipline, it takes staying in and studying instead of going out with your buddies some times," he says. "Time management is the biggest aspect, and having basketball and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ at the same time has really taught me that life skill where time management will never be an issue for me."

Both Spear Chief-Morris and Waldner have plans to pursue graduate studies, and even may look at professional basketball opportunities should it fit in with their academic ambitions. More than anything though, the two are not content to revel in their glory days as Horns basketball players, knowing this is just a stage in their life plan.

"I'm just excited for what's next," says Spear Chief-Morris. "My time here was wonderful but all things pass and I'm looking ahead."

It's that attitude that Adams says will live on well past their time in uniform.

"What a blessing in a program when you have two guys that not only come into practice and set the work ethic example on the court, but then they back it up by what they do in the classroom as well," says Adams. "Imagine how blessed we are to have a locker room where that is the voice of leadership. It's a fabulous culture that those guys will leave as a legacy in that locker room."

GET THE FACTS

· Both players had their parents in attendance for their final CIS game

· Waldner had 252 rebounds this season to set a new Horns' single-season record and lead all CIS players. His career total of 874 rebounds is also a Horns' record and the fifth highest total in Canada West history

· Both players credited Horns alumni for truly representing Horns culture. "I know that I've played for two universities now and the support, not just from the community but from the alumni is not comparable," says Spear Chief-Morris. "It really is a blessing to have a group of people who honestly care about who you are and your success."

This story first appeared in the March 2013 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Adams resigns as Horns' head coach

trevor.kenney — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:50:33 +0000

Following a 12-win season, the most the program has achieved since the 1999-2000 season, Dave Adams has resigned as the head coach of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's basketball program to pursue an international opportunity outside of coaching.

Hired April 17, 2009, Adams finishes his second tenure with the program with a 46-60 career won-loss record, the second best winning percentage of any Pronghorn men's basketball coach. He also guided the Horns to three post-season appearances. His first stint with the 'Horns was as interim head coach for the 2001-02 season, following the departure of Dave Crook.

"One door is closing and another door is opening both in Horns' Nation, and in my personal life," says Adams. "My journey has been greatly enriched by the wonderful experiences as a player, assistant coach and then head coach at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, but both my family and I are excited about this new endeavour and exciting opportunity overseas."

Head coach Dave Adams, seen here during a timeout, leaves the Horns after one of the team's most successful seasons.

Also an alumnus of the men's basketball program, Adams suited up for 76 games for the Blue and Gold from 1976-81, having his best season during the 1980-81 season when he averaged 11.9 points per game.

Adams has accepted a position as Principal/ Superintendent for the Alruwad International Schools in Muscat, Oman. There are four new schools set to open under the Alruwad International schools umbrella that will be offering Canadian curricula education in addition to sports academies. Two of those areas are close to Adams's heart - basketball and triathlon.

"I'm happy for Dave, I can't imagine a job that would be more perfect for him," says Executive Director of Sport and Recreation, Sandy Slavin. "He has done a great job for us these past four years, he's moved the program forward and is leaving it in great shape for the next coach. We will all miss the enthusiasm and excitement that Dave brings to Pronghorn Athletics."

Pronghorn Athletics will begin the process of searching for a new coach immediately.

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