PROVIDENCE - The air was filled with excitement and the cheers of proud parents, teachers, parishioners and schoolmates as dozens of parish and school boys' and girls' basketball teams competed at various sites March 10-11 in the annual Catholic Athletic League's diocesan basketball league semi-finals.
"It's been going off beautifully, "said Jerry Dandeneau, CAL administrator, who was spotted at the games taking place at La Salle Academy. "We're really excited about the level of competition."
According to Dandeneau, the league has witnessed significant growth in the past few years and now offers opportunities for players of all abilities to have fun, develop new skills and to grow spiritually and intellectually in a safe environment.
"Players of all skills levels are competing and winning," he said, adding that playing divisions are divided into three age groups and three levels of ability. CAL now boasts 325 parish and school teams, comprised of boys and girls in Grades 4-10.
"We are the largest league in the state," Dandeneau said, noting that there were 103 school teams (most schools having more than one team; some as many as 27) participating in the league during the current basketball season.
The league director thanked La Salle in Providence and St. Raphael in Pawtucket , and Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick, for allowing the tournament to be played in the schools' gymnasiums.
"It also showcases the high schools and gets the students interested in them," Dandeneau stated.
Robert Bell, whose son Robert Jr. plays for St. Paul School, Cranston, said that he enjoys attending the league games and watching his son play basketball.
"He's very active in the sports," the proud father acknowledged. "The coaches are great. They taught my son a lot." The coaches are Harvey Duperry and P.J. Fox.
Bell said his son's participation in the league complemented the good Catholic education he's receiving.
"I like the small classroom atmosphere," Bell said. "He's able to get one-on-one attention. He's grown as a person in a Catholic school. There's a whole rainbow of cultures," he continued. "It's a melting pot of what this country represents, and it's at St. Paul's School."
"It's good," said Robert Jr. when asked about his participation in the basketball league. "I want to win by a lot."
The young man said his team had twice beaten their Riverside rivals during the season.
"I provided the game-winning shot both times," he said proudly. "I felt like I did something good for the team."
The 13 year-old St. Paul Church parishioner said he is looking forward to attending Bishop Hendricken High School in the fall, and plans to try out for the school's basketball team.
One action-packed cliffhanger matched rivals St. Michael Parish, Providence, against Our Lady of Mercy Parish, East Greenwich, and left cheering spectators clinging to the edge of their seats. St. Michael's was victorious, 25-21.
Juan Carter, the winning team's coach, was pleased with his players' performance.
"It was a good victory," he said, smiling. "We almost lost. We played it out in the end. This will be our fourth year in the championship."
"It's been great playing," said Donald Rodrigues, a member of the team. "We are all like a family, and we connect."
He added that Our Lady of Mercy has presented a formidable challenge throughout the playing season.
"They also had a good team," he acknowledged.
Despite their loss, Our Lady of Mercy's volunteer coaches Chris Lamendola and John Ward were proud of the players' efforts.
"There is no shame in losing," Lamendola emphasized. "It's nice to have 10 kids who always show up at practice. They are committed to us and to the team."
(This article originally appeared in The Providence Visitor)
RIVERSIDE ¬ Parents, siblings and friends filled the stands of the St. Mary Academy-Bay View Wellness Center on March 10 as 14 girls' basketball teams in the Catholic Athletic League vied for the right to continue on to the finals.
Page LaBreche and Julia Gannon, both playing for St. Jude's, Lincoln, waited to take to the court, while their mothers, Pam LaBreche and Barbara Gannon, watched the final minutes of the game between St. Barnabas, Portsmouth, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Bristol.
Barbara said that St. Jude's had only lost one game all season, and she was looking forward to the match-up with St. Pius V, Providence. Both mothers said they "absolutely" have attended all of their daughters' games. Barbara's husband, Jim, is also one of the assistant coaches of the team. The other is Tony Botelho. John O'Neil is the head coach.
Both mothers praised the CAL and liked the fact that, because of the rules, all the girls play in every game, no matter what their ability level.
O'Neil has coached the team for the past six years. He said he was pleased that the girls made it to the semi-finals and that they were the number one seed at the tourney. "They are a great group of girls," he added.
O'Neil coaches because of his love of the game; and like most of his CAL counterparts, said he is willing to give of his time "for the kids." With the extensive training they have received, many of his girls in the eighth grade are ready to move up and compete at the high school level, he believes.
"I take it one game at a time," he said prior to his team's game against St. Pius V. "It should be a good competition." He watched as the game between St. Barnabas and Our Lady of Mount Carmel ended. St. Barnabas won 24-17, moving on to the finals.
The St. Pius V team, with aggressive play, closed the gap several times during the game, but the more patient, less rattled St. Jude team was victorious 38-28.
(This article originally appeared in The Providence Visitor)
