November 18, 2005
WINDSOR'S OLIVER SET TO FACE FAMILIAR GAELS
On Saturday night in Windsor, the Queen's Golden Gaels will meet the Windsor Lancers in an OUA league game. It will be the first meeting of the two schools since Chris Oliver left the Gaels to lead the Lancers' program in May, 2005.
Coach Oliver had led a major resurgence at Queen's in the three seasons he coached there, from 2002 to 2005. Among his achievements were hosting the first playoff game at Queen's since 1970, posting the first .500 season (at 11-11) since 2000, knocking off several Top 10 teams, including three straight league wins over the York Lions, and finishing last season with the second-best defensive record in the CIS, among the 41 teams competing, behind only the Carleton Ravens, the three-time defending CIS champions. Queen's had been among the worst defensive teams in Canada before Oliver arrived.
Rob Smart is now the head coach of the Gaels, and he had served as an assistant with Oliver from 2003-2005. Oliver said that in many ways, Smart was the perfect assistant for him. "Rob's knowledge and understanding of the game is tremendous," Oliver said. "He was willing to challenge me, and made me think about the game in so many different ways. We certainly didn't always agree, but I always knew that when it came down to it, Rob cared so much about not just the outcome, but about the people he coached and coached with."
During his three years in Kingston, Oliver, who also served as an instructor in the Queen's School of Physical and Health Education, found a lot of time to develop local basketball in the Kingston area and in other areas of Ontario. Oliver explained that he loves basketball, and believes he has "a huge responsibility to give back to the grassroots levels, and to help develop the game further. Exposing potential players to next-level thinking is very important to help grow the game, and I enjoy every moment of that," Oliver said. "The Kingston basketball community was very receptive, and I feel the partnership was very positive for both sides, as we worked to develop the game." The powerhouse Frontenac Falcons' high school program, winners of the last three Kingston championships, as well as strong OFSSAA challengers, has been using the defensive system which Oliver installed with the Golden Gaels, with considerable success. Oliver also coached a Kingston Club team, and established the Chris Oliver Basketball Academy (COBA), a summer program which has been run in Orangeville.
One very interesting aspect of the upcoming game is that while the Gaels have introduced a new offense this season, they are still using the defensive system which Oliver taught at Queen's. This system has an interesting genesis, since Oliver had been an assistant with Dave Smart on the Ontario Provincial team, and, as Rob Smart explained, the Smart brothers came up with this system some eight years ago, refining it in the years since. Dave Smart has used the system very successfully to lead the Carleton Ravens to the past three straight CIS championships. Oliver looks to have put something similar in place at Windsor. So, when Oliver coaches against Queen's on Saturday, he will in effect be coaching against his own system.
Coach Oliver, at Windsor since only May, has been able to attract several transfer players to the Windsor program, and this has increased the athleticism, making the Lancers more competitive right away. Next year will mark his first true recruiting class. "The challenge is of course blending a new system with new players, and we have had many ups and downs," Oliver said.
Queen's is facing a similar situation this season, with three coaches in new roles. Smart is in his first season as a CIS head coach, and he also has a law practice to keep him busy. Duncan Cowan and Julie Roantree are Smart's assistants, and each is in their first season in that role. Several rookies, two strong transfer players, and a new offense have made for a lot of change with the Gaels, during a short time.
Oliver recruited well for Queen's, and most of the key players now with the Gaels are those whom he attracted. Those include OUA East Defensive Player of the Year, post Neal Dawson, power forwards Brendan O'Leary and Cam Eby, and guards Jordan Balaban and Kyle McCleery. Those players as a group have started several games for Queen's. Oliver remains grateful for the opportunity which Queen's gave him in 2002, his first as a CIS head coach. "I'm proud of the players and people that helped build the program while I was there," Oliver said. "I look forward to seeing the program continue to prosper under Coach Smart."
However, don't believe that either Smart or Oliver have anything else on their minds besides winning on Saturday. "Hey, we want to win some games," Smart said. Oliver said he would be cheering for Queen's in most of their games, but of course not in this one.
<(Source: Frank Dixon, Queen’s University)
Coach Oliver had led a major resurgence at Queen's in the three seasons he coached there, from 2002 to 2005. Among his achievements were hosting the first playoff game at Queen's since 1970, posting the first .500 season (at 11-11) since 2000, knocking off several Top 10 teams, including three straight league wins over the York Lions, and finishing last season with the second-best defensive record in the CIS, among the 41 teams competing, behind only the Carleton Ravens, the three-time defending CIS champions. Queen's had been among the worst defensive teams in Canada before Oliver arrived.
Rob Smart is now the head coach of the Gaels, and he had served as an assistant with Oliver from 2003-2005. Oliver said that in many ways, Smart was the perfect assistant for him. "Rob's knowledge and understanding of the game is tremendous," Oliver said. "He was willing to challenge me, and made me think about the game in so many different ways. We certainly didn't always agree, but I always knew that when it came down to it, Rob cared so much about not just the outcome, but about the people he coached and coached with."
During his three years in Kingston, Oliver, who also served as an instructor in the Queen's School of Physical and Health Education, found a lot of time to develop local basketball in the Kingston area and in other areas of Ontario. Oliver explained that he loves basketball, and believes he has "a huge responsibility to give back to the grassroots levels, and to help develop the game further. Exposing potential players to next-level thinking is very important to help grow the game, and I enjoy every moment of that," Oliver said. "The Kingston basketball community was very receptive, and I feel the partnership was very positive for both sides, as we worked to develop the game." The powerhouse Frontenac Falcons' high school program, winners of the last three Kingston championships, as well as strong OFSSAA challengers, has been using the defensive system which Oliver installed with the Golden Gaels, with considerable success. Oliver also coached a Kingston Club team, and established the Chris Oliver Basketball Academy (COBA), a summer program which has been run in Orangeville.
One very interesting aspect of the upcoming game is that while the Gaels have introduced a new offense this season, they are still using the defensive system which Oliver taught at Queen's. This system has an interesting genesis, since Oliver had been an assistant with Dave Smart on the Ontario Provincial team, and, as Rob Smart explained, the Smart brothers came up with this system some eight years ago, refining it in the years since. Dave Smart has used the system very successfully to lead the Carleton Ravens to the past three straight CIS championships. Oliver looks to have put something similar in place at Windsor. So, when Oliver coaches against Queen's on Saturday, he will in effect be coaching against his own system.
Coach Oliver, at Windsor since only May, has been able to attract several transfer players to the Windsor program, and this has increased the athleticism, making the Lancers more competitive right away. Next year will mark his first true recruiting class. "The challenge is of course blending a new system with new players, and we have had many ups and downs," Oliver said.
Queen's is facing a similar situation this season, with three coaches in new roles. Smart is in his first season as a CIS head coach, and he also has a law practice to keep him busy. Duncan Cowan and Julie Roantree are Smart's assistants, and each is in their first season in that role. Several rookies, two strong transfer players, and a new offense have made for a lot of change with the Gaels, during a short time.
Oliver recruited well for Queen's, and most of the key players now with the Gaels are those whom he attracted. Those include OUA East Defensive Player of the Year, post Neal Dawson, power forwards Brendan O'Leary and Cam Eby, and guards Jordan Balaban and Kyle McCleery. Those players as a group have started several games for Queen's. Oliver remains grateful for the opportunity which Queen's gave him in 2002, his first as a CIS head coach. "I'm proud of the players and people that helped build the program while I was there," Oliver said. "I look forward to seeing the program continue to prosper under Coach Smart."
However, don't believe that either Smart or Oliver have anything else on their minds besides winning on Saturday. "Hey, we want to win some games," Smart said. Oliver said he would be cheering for Queen's in most of their games, but of course not in this one.
<(Source: Frank Dixon, Queen’s University)
