McMaster planning a Hoops Extravaganza around the Nationals

Hamilton, Ont - Now only three weeks out from having the country’s best university women’s basketball teams in the Steel City, McMaster University is gearing up for what
promises to be an outstanding event for basketball fans in the greater Hamilton community and for those coming in from across Canada.

With Hamilton already well established as a hoops hotbed through fantastic success at the club and high school levels, McMaster Athletics will be holding several exciting
events in conjunction with the CIS Women’s Basketball Championship being hosted March 12-14, 2010. The goal is to focus a big spotlight on McMaster for those three days to create a true Championship Weekend.

“It’s just not enough to hold an event without making an effort to involve the community as much as possible,” expressed McMaster Director of Athletics and Recreation, Jeff Giles. “Hamilton loves basketball and rather than just asking people to buy a ticket, we want to make this year’s championship something to remember.”

In cooperation with Ontario Basketball, McMaster Athletics will host Mega Hoops Mania, one of the most popular one-day clinics in Ontario, on Saturday, March 13 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM. Held in the McMaster Sport Hall, the clinic will provide 180 kids, age five to 14, with the opportunity to have fun, make new friends and win tons of prizes. Participants must register in advance online at www.basketball.on.ca/events .

Championship Weekend will also offer National Coaching Certification Program clinics for coaches looking to get NCCP training and certification. Introductory and technical
training sessions will be available March 12, 13, and 14.
A view of the future of Canadian basketball will also be on display during Championship Weekend, as Ontario Basketball will bring up to 60 of the top high school age players to
McMaster on Sunday, March 14 for a Centre for Performance training session. Integral to the development of future provincial and national team players, this training session
will be open to the public to watch the next generation of Canadian players poised to make an impact on the Canadian basketball scene.

Ontario Basketball Executive Director Michele O’Keefe believes the CIS Championship is a great opportunity to showcase the sport. “We are proud to be working with McMaster Athletics to provide the CIS Women's Championship with some added fun grassroots programming, learning opportunities for coaches and high performance interaction," commented Michele O'Keefe. "This is a great opportunity to showcase our great sport and form valuable relationships within the basketball community."

For more information on the 2010 CIS Women’s Basketball Championship or to purchase tickets, visit www.marauders.ca

Source:

Robert Hilson
Manager, Marketing & Media Relations
Department of Athletics & Recreation
McMaster University