When you tally up all the games, the practices, the trips whether to Japan or Chilliwack, Doug Woodward feels they add up to something grand.
In pursuit of wins and banners wasn’t something the retiring dean of New Westminster Secondary pushed to the very extreme – but he trained his players to yearn for it.
Following Saturday’s 91-23 victory over North Peace, the girls Hyacks exited the senior girls 3-A basketball championship tournament with some redemption.
But most of all, the team, which includes eight of 10 seniors, can leave the game knowing they gave Woody one last win, and memories over the past season with an experience that all will carry on to the next stage of life.
“It’s a good time to go. We talked about it before,” said Woodward, who announced at the start of the hoop season his intention to retire. “I’m trying to digest it now, what I have to do now, clean up, do this, do that. … My (first provincials) were back in the ’80s. We use to coach Grade 8, 9 and 10, then senior. It was a rotation and every five years you’d be in it twice. No one wanted to coach after that so I started doing the junior and seniors together.”
This season he focused on the seniors, knowing that with a strong graduation class they had a shot at making the B.C.s.
Along the way they rolled up a record of 30-6, earning the final berth to the provincials by beating McMath.
The provincials have no easy games, so dropping their first three contests to Semiahmoo, Oak Bay and Heritage Woods by a combined score of 220-173 demonstrated how rough the competition was.
By beating North Peace, New West finished 15th in the 16-team tourney. Not something worth celebrating? Guess again.
“Getting to the B.C.s was the No.-1 goal,” he said. “You get to the provincials and while we’d love to be in the final, it’s always nice to win your last game to get that taste. This one was a little different because so many are not coming back.”
Third-year players like Sarah Forgie and Milanna Obrovac were playing in their second provincials, having skipped juniors to play with their older sisters on Woodward’s team.
Forgie said its emotional, playing that final game, but there is a reward in some ways.
“We all just wanted to win for Woody, it’s his last year and last game. We were just honoured to be able to retire with him, I think that was the best part of it,” she said. “The seeding and bracket wasn’t our best, it was very hard.”
Forgie scored 23 points, while teammate Kanon Imachi, one of the two eligible to return, contributed 14.
Woodward admitted his routine for the final day was a little upset by preplanning what to say.
“I got up super early, about six a.m. I was thinking what I’d say to the team before. I said my last speech at the beginning of the game. It’s too hard to talk after. It went all good. It’s tough, though. I’ve dealt with a lot of players, and I’ll miss it.”
All the games run into another, the season braided by laughter and great lessons, kids finding a way to work within Woodward’s system – and he could be a stickler.
“He is tough but he made us better. He works us hard and ‘no excuses’ is his motto. I think that was a great one. He makes us really think about what basketball really is and he adds life lessons,” said Forgie.
The next step includes a few months more of teaching – the profession he headed to after a pro career in football seemed unlikely.
“I was a wide receiver in (university). When I signed with the Lions (in ’72) it was to be a punter and defensive back. Wide receiver was (future Hall of Famer) Jim Young at that time, and (another hall of famer) Larry Highbaugh was there. I covered (Highbaugh) in pre-camp and I couldn’t come close.”
Teaching was the wise decision. Now he starts planning a future away from the gym, with a potential run for New West school board a possibility.
He will miss the occasional calls from his players who’s dedication required him to unlock the gym on New Year’s Eve, even Christmas Eve, so they could work on their shooting.
“I just have to get in this new focus in my life. I guess it’ll take time, but it’s time.”
