Following a challenging season and many years of staff changes, fans were left wondering what to expect in the upcoming season. However, with a new coach, Todd Warnick, the Women’s Basketball team at the Thompson Rivers University is energized with a new outlook, and are hopeful for a new era of basketball for the City and the University.
Over the past years, the losing and constant staff changes have been tremendously challenging for players, this has impacted the players on and off the court. Frequent changes have led to inconsistent performance and created uncertainty among players and fans. Nonetheless, the team is ready to come back with an optimistic approach and is ready to start the season stronger than ever with the new Head Coach. Team captain Kelsey Cruz highlights the enduring support of the Kamloops community and the opportunities for growth arising from the coaching changes. She adds, “I believe that Assistant Coach Cassie plays a key part in my growth at TRU as a basketball player as she has developed me into a multidimensional player.”
Todd Warnick brings over twenty-five years of experience in post-secondary basketball, including leading a team to a national championship and qualifying for multiple national tournaments. He emphasizes that his coaching philosophy prioritizes culture and speed, with a focus on resilience and making the first or last move in the game.
Interview with the Head Coach, Todd Warnick
In an inclusive interview, Todd Warnick shared his vision for the team, stating, “I plan to work with individual players to reach their full potential and aim to make the Women’s Basketball team competitive and attract quality recruits, with long-term goals of winning a championship”
Kelsey Cruz, the team captain, is looking forward to this season and expects this season to be a sharp learning curve for a lot of the rosters. “I think that we have a great group of girls who are hungry to get better and push each other every day. Our goals are to take a step forward as a program and to get 1% better every day.”
It seems as if the team is ready to move on from the hardships they went through and are ready for a successful season to play to their highest performing abilities. With Todd Warnick as the new head coach, the team is optimistic and believes they will have a victorious season. Make sure to keep up with them because the Wolfpack’s women’s basketball team is coming back stronger than ever!
