Full-court press: Sask. students protest possible Hoopla cancellation

Student-athletes are crying foul with the news that Hoopla — the Saskatchewan high school basketball championship tournament — is up in the air.

Students across the province held protests Monday after it was announced the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation would be pulling extracurriculars for Thursday and Friday this week — a move that could affect Hoopla.

The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association said Monday that if a deal wasn’t reached by Wednesday at 3 p.m., it would cancel Hoopla.

Around 50 students from high schools in Moose Jaw — where Hoopla is set to be hosted — held signs and chanted “We want Hoopla” as vehicles drove by honking in support of the pressure being put on by the students.

“It’s been hard. Everyone feels like we’re like pawns in the whole negotiation and that it shouldn’t be affecting us as much as it is,” said Lucy McLean, a Grade 11 student at Central Collegiate.

“Hoopla is a huge thing. It’s more than just a tournament and it’s been super-heartbreaking and disappointing seeing all of our Grade 12s losing the biggest thing of basketball that there is this year.

“I know our teachers are doing as much as they can to fight for everything they have said with not having enough help and smaller classrooms. We are supporting them and we understand they are going through struggles and everything too, but we want as much for us students too and for everything to get better for us. We want to help them but we want our sports to stay and everything to stay for us.”

One of those Grade 12 students who might not get a chance to play in this year’s tournament is A.E. Peacock Collegiate’s Luke Andrews.

“It feels amazing to me and the other seniors. It’s really nice because we really want to play this because this could be our final basketball games if we don’t take it to another level,” said Andrews. “I really want to win it this year since we lost the last one.”

While it was the students making the most noise, a few supportive parents were also nearby.

Corryn Zimmerman’s daughter Rylee Miskiman is in Grade 12 at Central.

“It’s devastating because the kids are the ones caught in between everything,” Zimmerman said. “It’s not just a tournament – it’s a big deal for the entire province and so much planning goes into it and so much work from the kids.

“These kids were stripped of so much during COVID. My daughter, for example, didn’t have a Grade 8 grad. Now to end a Grade 12 year like this with the biggest tournament and biggest provincials – we have three qualifying girls teams in our city — it’s devastating.”

McLean is hopeful the messages from the students don’t fall upon deaf ears.

“We hope that the government and everyone who’s stopping all the sports and cancelling Hoopla hears that we understand where they are coming from,” she said. “The teachers, we get it and we support you guys, but it would mean a lot to have one last go for provincials for all of us.

This lies squarely at the feet of @PremierScottMoe and @jeremycockrill.

Teachers are burning out. Government refuses to discuss critical issues while openly disrespecting teachers and the profession. We offered a way out of the impasse; they rejected it. It's on them now. https://t.co/eIvKWdnK95

— Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (@SaskTeachersFed) March 18, 2024

Similar protests in Saskatoon and Regina

About 100 students from a variety of public and private schools in and outside of Saskatoon rallied Monday, including teens from Walter Murray, Holy Cross, Asquith, St. Brieux and Legacy Christian Academy.

The students first walked to MLA Don Morgan’s office and then to the STF offices as drivers honked their horns in support.

Cassidy Pederson from Lord Asquith School, about 20 minutes west of Saskatoon, said she cried after hearing that Hoopla could be cancelled.

“We’ve worked so hard to be able to get here all season. We went 23-1 … All that feels pointless if we don’t get to go to Hoopla,” she said.

“All (of) us 1A (and) 2A schools, that’s our chance to be scouted. We’re from small towns. Small towns don’t get quite the same opportunities big schools do, and Hoopla is the way to get our names out there, and they’re taking that away from us.”

Pederson said both the province and the STF are at fault for not coming to an agreement sooner, threatening large provincial school events.

“(The) STF is treating us the same way government treats them. They are acting like our feelings mean nothing,” she said.

Holy Cross team captain Jack Gray said taking part in Hoopla was something he’d looked forward to since he was a child.

“That’s your one goal; you’re looking up to that. You want to go to Hoopla,” he said. “The end goal of every season is to place at Hoopla, so getting that taken away (is difficult). This is some kids’ only chance they’ll ever get to play there.”

Ali Gillespie-Kraft said her daughter is a senior who has played on the Holy Cross team for years. She says if the event is cancelled, many will lose out on scholarship opportunities.

“This could be the end for some of these kids … We’ve got seven Grade 12s on our team who we’ll likely never see play basketball again and you’re taking that away from them, for something they didn’t do,” she said.

Gillespie-Kraft said she supports teachers and understands they’re under stress, but asked that the STF hold off on sanctions until next week, while also asking the province to negotiate in good faith.

“Think of the kids and don’t use them as your bargaining chip,” she said.

In Regina, players from seven teams were at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building to make their thoughts known.

“We’re here to protest on behalf of all high school athletes, but more specifically the schools that are going to Hoopla – or are supposed to be going to Hoopla this next weekend,” said Tyleon Ocaya, a Grade 12 player with the Riffel senior boys team.

“The government doesn’t want to come back to the table with the teachers, the STF, so we’re just here to try to speed up the process, put some pressure on them and hopefully Hoopla can be a go-ahead.”

Another Grade 12 Royals player, Ebenezer Deekor, said the possible cancellation of the tournament would rob the players of another chance to hit the court.

“Since it’s our senior year, it hurts us because we don’t get an opportunity to play the sport we love and really, we just want to change that,” he said.

Ocaya said the Royals had eight games cancelled due to the strike this season, and the loss of Hoopla could cost players a shot at potential scholarships.

“(With a) shortened season, its less opportunity to compete and show what you have to coaches at the next level,” he said.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Roman Hayter and 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff