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Coaches guide SAIT to excellent season

With two national medals and three provincial championships, SAIT athletics celebrates one of its best years in recent history. The success comes not only from the players but also the coaches who directed their way.

For the men’s basketball team, coach Mike Stevens produced 16 wins this year after only nine combined in the previous two years.

“The reason I hired him was because I believed he was a hard working coach,” said athletics director Ken Babey. “To become a coach you have to pay your dues, just like the players. When you start at the bottom and build it up it makes you appreciate it that much more. That way you build your program from a foundation, not just talent. “He had a good team on the court, in the classroom and good citizens.”

On the women’s side, coach Donovan Martin led the Trojans to their first provincial title since 2001 and collected his eighth individually.

“Nobody kept the records back far enough but he might be the coach with the most wins in Canadian college women’s basketball,” said Babey, who earned that same distinction in men’s hockey. “He’s a proven winner and in his time here he’s taken on the challenge of trying to recruit basketball players to come here. Now more and more women are coming to our school which will only help SAIT sports.”

The other national medalists came from men’s volleyball. Head coach Ryan Marsden, who won the Volleyball Canada coach of the year in 2005. He came to SAIT three years ago and has improved team every season.

“He had a lot of depth this year and he brought in the right people,” said Babey. “You have to have passion and the players see it. He’s now set a standard to help him recruit because SAIT’s no longer a contender but a champion.”

For the men’s hockey program, four consecutive titles didn’t come by accident. Babey brought in former five-year player, and his son, TJ in as an assistant.

The younger Babey’s role was to observe the Trojans from the other side of the rink, up high in the press box, to offer a different perspective.

“I’ve really enjoyed taking this opportunity. I could see myself going further in coaching,” said TJ Babey.

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