2000: Jeff Laping
2001: Jeff Laping
2002: Jeff Laping
2003: Jeff Laping
2004: Jeff Laping
2005:Jeff Laping
2006: Jeff Laping
2007: Jeff Laping
2008: Jeff Laping, Joe Kwan
2009: Jeff Laping, Joe Kwan, Sunny Kaila, Ted Higham
2005:
2007:
2009:
First in division with a record of 20-5
In 2005 Dave Owczar received the Junior High Men's Coach of the Year award. Dave has been involved with basketball at St. Paul's since the 1980s. He managed and coached the younger teams - both the grade 9 teams and the Junior Varsity level.
Basketball taught me that success is really just the final stage of preparation. As I see it, the reason some people seem to get lucky with success is usually because they work hard, and usually in ways you don’t notice.
-Oliver Leslie
The biggest lesson basketball taught me is that life is a game of runs. Sometimes the other team gets hot. Sometimes you play perfect defense and your man hits a tough shot. Sometimes you dribble the ball off your foot. Sometimes it’s you that can’t miss. But there’s always another play, and it matters not who got the good or bad break, but who puts themselves in position to get the next one.
-Oliver Leslie
The fundamentals I learned when I was a Crusader laid the foundation for my entire basketball career. It’s amazing to look back and see how far the basketball program has come in the past decade…
-Nick Loewen
I am eternally grateful for the Basketball program at St. Paul’s. The comradery and support that the Basketball program provided allowed me to achieve goals such as becoming one of the top 10 players in the province – things that I never thought were possible when I first entered St. Paul’s. The tough love that was learned on the basketball court instilled in me the lessons of hard work, humility, and determination that I bring to my adult life on a daily basis. More importantly, the basketball community of St. Paul’s has given me a laundry list of friends whose friendships I continue to cherish long after we graduated.
-Justin Jones ‘03
Wandering through the halls of St. Paul’s at our 10 year reunion, I happened upon the picture of our ’07 Varsity Basketball team. Reflecting upon the guys in that picture, the relationships we developed, and the experience we shared together through those 4 years makes me really appreciate the unique and life-changing experience that St. Paul’s brings to those lucky enough to be part of the community. All these years later I still call many of the members of that team close friends; one has become an instrumental colleague in our business, another will be the best man at my wedding in a few months time. The lessons in leadership and perseverance, the ups and the downs that were so monumentally important at that stage of our lives, brought us together in a way that (upon reflection) is so rare in life, and for those experiences I will be forever grateful.
I consider myself so lucky to have grown up with the incredible mentors provided to me in the St. Paul’s basketball community. From Casey and Geoff (JV coaches 2003-2005) I learned grit, humility, and finding hilarity in the most difficult of tasks. I also can’t understate the impact of the Laping family in my years growing up; Bev with her constant, loving support and ferocious competitiveness; Nick with his fatherly guidance and never being afraid to tear a strip out of us from the stands; and Jeff, a steady hand, mentor, and friend. The community surrounding St. Paul’s and the basketball program in particular is second to none and there is no doubt I am a better person and a more confident leader as a result of my participation in in.
-Rick Duha
The year 2000 may be considered monumental by many as the beginning of a new century but for St. Paul's basketball, the season of 2005-06 was the start of a new era. The St. Paul's Crusaders have made the provincial tournament every year beginning with the 2005-2006 season.
This decade also saw changes in the structure of the leagues in Winnipeg. In 2002 the league went through a restructuring which saw St. Paul's join the West Winnipeg Conference. In 2006, the West Winnipeg Conference combined with the City Conference to form the Winnipeg Tier 1 League.
Finally, this decade also saw our coaches recognized on the provincial stage. Dave Owczar received the Junior High Coach of the Year in 2005.