Meadows head-coaching debut comes against her former team
It’s an interesting coincidence, to be sure, but Claire Meadows isn’t making it out to be any more than just that.
With head coach Lisa Thomaidis away with Canada’s national team at an Olympic qualifying tournament over in Belgium, Meadows is making her debut as acting head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball squad this weekend.
And it just so happens to be against her former University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat squad.
“It’s just how the schedule worked out,” said Meadows, downplaying her role in the matchup.
“I think the focus of the weekend is on us. We’re getting down to the latter part of our season and we need to be playing good basketball going into the playoffs, so that’s the focus of the weekend and the focus isn’t on anything else but that.”
Meadows spent three seasons as head coach of the Ubc-okanagan
women’s squad in Kelowna, B.C. She also has experience with Canada’s national program as head coach of the national under-18 team.
“I know they’ve brought in a bunch of new players (to the Heat), but there’s definitely a couple of them left over from when I was there,” said Meadows.
“I know some of their tendencies and it’s nice to see them again, for sure.
“But I’m coaching for the Huskies now and that’s my focus. What I want to prove — what we want to prove as a team — is just how hard we can play and that we’re getting better every weekend.
On Friday, the Huskies were good enough for a convincing 10139 victory over the Heat.
The same two teams meet again Saturday, at 5 p.m., at the PAC.
“UBC-O plays a pretty quick game,” said Meadows. “They’re athletic and their guards are pretty big. First and foremost, we have to be able to transition defensively and then we have to be able to defend them one-and-one, contain penetration and not give them any good looks at the basket.”
Saskatchewan is battling with the No. 2-ranked Calgary Dinos — those teams split a two-game set last weekend in Saskatoon — for first place overall in the Canada West conference.
The final standings will be decided by teams’ RPI rating.
“We’ll have a better gauge potentially after this weekend,” said Meadows. “RPI just depends on so many different moving parts that we’re kind of not even looking at that, just trying to get the job done at our end.”
Meadows admits she still has aspirations of returning to a head coaching job at the U Sports level.
“I love coaching,” she said. “My heart’s in coaching.”
It was by coincidence, also, that a position opened up at the U of S and Meadows was available.
“Lisa and I had some conversations, I guess, a year and a half ago, and we were just talking about potential opportunities and, coincidentally, there was a vacancy in the lead assistant position,” recalled Meadows. “We talked about what that may look like. There’s no better opportunity than to work in this program and work beside Lisa. For that, I’m pretty grateful.”
OLYMPIC QUALIFIER
Thomaidis left Thursday to join Canada’s national team.
Canada is hoping to lock down a spot in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, under her guidance. The Olympic qualifying tournament — which includes Canada, Belgium, Japan and Sweden — takes place in Ostend, Belgium from Feb. 6-9.
“A lot of time, energy and focus have been directed on that goal (of getting to the Olympics),” says Thomaidis. “But at the same time, our Huskies team has been doing really well. I’m splitting time and definitely devoting lots to the national team, but, at the same time, still making sure I’m around for this team here as well.”