Home
http://www.thespec.com/Sports/article/472506
====================================
Is Silver Fox tournament getting snubbed?
The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 26, 2008)
A number of the top high school basketball teams in the province, including one from Hamilton, will not compete in the annual Silver Fox Invitational tournament.
Eastern Commerce, Pickering, West Hill, Emery and the Cathedral Gaels have opted to play in the St.Michael's/Nike 49th annual tournament in Toronto, the same weekend as the Silver Fox from Jan. 8 to 11.
The defections have put Silver Fox tournament director Jim Weatherbee on the defensive.
Weatherbee says Pickering and West Hill had coaching changes and Emery scheduling issues, while the Eastern Commerce coach cited family reasons for the school's decision not to come to Hamilton.
"I spoke with all the coaches involved and they said nothing detrimental about the Silver Fox," Weatherbee said. "I won't comment on Cathedral. As a local team, I feel it's better for them to make a statement."
Cathedral head coach Mark Daly said last year the team wasn't totally happy with the tournament.
"We didn't get full value" Daly said. "We didn't think the quality of the tournament was up to its usual standard. It was disappointing."
Ironically, both the Silver Fox and St. Mike's tournaments are sponsored by Nike.
But, last year, a communications snafu between Silver Fox and Nike resulted in an order not being fulfilled.
Weatherbee said 23 teams accepted the explanation.
"The one team upset was Cathedral," Weatherbee said. "They were also upset one of their players, Tyrone Watson, was not selected to the tournament all-star team."
In order to qualify for an all-star selection, a team has to play on championship Sunday, the tournament director said.
Cathedral didn't make it that far.
Some coaches of good GTA teams have criticized the Fox for allowing weaker host teams to compete.
"We tell them we need to have a host school in order to run the tournament," Weatherbee said. "My philosophy has been to support those teams and give them automatic entry."
Weatherbee also does not apologize for using his affiliation with Glendale and Saltfleet for their being host teams.
The third host team has been moved around from site to site to help different schools.
That also irked Cathedral.
"For the record, after being a host site (free of charge) for the Silver Fox in the tourney two years ago, we offered our gym once again in 2008 and the tournament committee declined," said Daly.
"I don't have to tell you that we have the best high school gym in Ontario."
Still, Weatherbee said the Silver Fox had 43 teams on their selection list.
"The disappointment is, for reasons beyond our control, five of the top teams we hoped would be here aren't coming," Weatherbee said. "If people want to say this is a down year, they're entitled to their opinion. We've made our selections and feel good about the selections we've made."
This year, Father Henry Carr, a multi-year winner at the St. Mike's tournament, is coming to the Fox.
A team from Vancouver has also committed to play.
If the date of the Silver Fox continues to lose top teams to St. Mike's, he says, then the committee would look at changing the dates of their tournament.
Other confirmed teams in the St. Mike's tourney include Oakwood, Mother Teresa, Vaughan, Northern, Jean Vanier, Denis Morris (St. Catharines), Pine Ridge, St. Edmund Campion, Vaughan Road and Holy Trinity (Oakville).
====================================
Is Silver Fox tournament getting snubbed?
The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 26, 2008)
A number of the top high school basketball teams in the province, including one from Hamilton, will not compete in the annual Silver Fox Invitational tournament.
Eastern Commerce, Pickering, West Hill, Emery and the Cathedral Gaels have opted to play in the St.Michael's/Nike 49th annual tournament in Toronto, the same weekend as the Silver Fox from Jan. 8 to 11.
The defections have put Silver Fox tournament director Jim Weatherbee on the defensive.
Weatherbee says Pickering and West Hill had coaching changes and Emery scheduling issues, while the Eastern Commerce coach cited family reasons for the school's decision not to come to Hamilton.
"I spoke with all the coaches involved and they said nothing detrimental about the Silver Fox," Weatherbee said. "I won't comment on Cathedral. As a local team, I feel it's better for them to make a statement."
Cathedral head coach Mark Daly said last year the team wasn't totally happy with the tournament.
"We didn't get full value" Daly said. "We didn't think the quality of the tournament was up to its usual standard. It was disappointing."
Ironically, both the Silver Fox and St. Mike's tournaments are sponsored by Nike.
But, last year, a communications snafu between Silver Fox and Nike resulted in an order not being fulfilled.
Weatherbee said 23 teams accepted the explanation.
"The one team upset was Cathedral," Weatherbee said. "They were also upset one of their players, Tyrone Watson, was not selected to the tournament all-star team."
In order to qualify for an all-star selection, a team has to play on championship Sunday, the tournament director said.
Cathedral didn't make it that far.
Some coaches of good GTA teams have criticized the Fox for allowing weaker host teams to compete.
"We tell them we need to have a host school in order to run the tournament," Weatherbee said. "My philosophy has been to support those teams and give them automatic entry."
Weatherbee also does not apologize for using his affiliation with Glendale and Saltfleet for their being host teams.
The third host team has been moved around from site to site to help different schools.
That also irked Cathedral.
"For the record, after being a host site (free of charge) for the Silver Fox in the tourney two years ago, we offered our gym once again in 2008 and the tournament committee declined," said Daly.
"I don't have to tell you that we have the best high school gym in Ontario."
Still, Weatherbee said the Silver Fox had 43 teams on their selection list.
"The disappointment is, for reasons beyond our control, five of the top teams we hoped would be here aren't coming," Weatherbee said. "If people want to say this is a down year, they're entitled to their opinion. We've made our selections and feel good about the selections we've made."
This year, Father Henry Carr, a multi-year winner at the St. Mike's tournament, is coming to the Fox.
A team from Vancouver has also committed to play.
If the date of the Silver Fox continues to lose top teams to St. Mike's, he says, then the committee would look at changing the dates of their tournament.
Other confirmed teams in the St. Mike's tourney include Oakwood, Mother Teresa, Vaughan, Northern, Jean Vanier, Denis Morris (St. Catharines), Pine Ridge, St. Edmund Campion, Vaughan Road and Holy Trinity (Oakville).
