Basketball Manitoba is pleased to announce that the 2025 Rural Targeted Athlete Program (TAP) will return for the 2025 season, serving female athletes in Manitoba's West, East, and South regions. The training program is designed to meet the needs of each region, creating the best training experience for all athletes. This program aims to provide females in the West, East, and South regions of Manitoba the opportunity to train at a high-performance level (see below, Sport Manitoba's defined map).
Each training group will comprise approximately 20 female athletes. East Rural Tap will hold training sessions on Saturdays from September to November. The South and West Rural TAP program will train 2 times per week from October to December. The program fee will be $350.00 per athlete. Costs include training costs, gym rental, player gear package, coach expenses and accident and liability insurance.
PROGRAM SUMMARY:
- Who: Manitoba Females
- West region: born in 2008-2013 (ages 12-17)
- South region: born in 2008-2013 (ages 12-17)
- *Any interested athletes born in 2007, please contact the head coach of each region for information for that age group
- South: email Coach Kelli at tapsouth@basketballmanitoba.ca
- West: email Coach Matt at tapwest@basketballmanitoba.ca
- East Region: born in 2010-2013 (ages 12-15)
- What: Rural Targeted Athlete Program (TAP)
- When: Fall 2025
- Each region will have a different practice schedule. The head coaches of each region will notify the athletes.
- Where: South (Sanford & surrounding areas), East (Stonewall/Beausejour/Selkirk and surrounding areas) and West (Brandon and Shilo and surrounding areas) Regions (as defined by Sport Manitoba).
PROGRAM FEES:
- A $35.00 tryout fee will be charged when you register online.
- Those selected for the program will pay a $350 program fee
OPEN TRYOUTS:
Open tryouts for this fall's Female Rural TAP will occur with the following age groups.
- EAST REGION
- Location: Selkirk Community Church, St Andrews, MB
- Saturday, August 23, 1pm-3pm
- Sunday, August 24, 1pm-3pm
- SOUTH REGION
- Location: Sanford Collegiate, Sanford, MB
- Date and times TBA
- WEST REGION
- Location: Henry Champ Gym, Brandon
- Date and times TBA
REGIONAL DEFINITIONS:
Basketball Manitoba will adhere to the current regional boundary definitions established by Sport Manitoba. The regional map details the different parts of Manitoba and the areas that fall into the East, South, and West regions. An athlete trying out for the program must reside in the region where they are trying out. What school the athlete attends is not a factor. If an athlete resides at more than one location in two different regions, the region where they spend most of their time will be used. EAST
SOUTH
WEST
IMPORTANT TRYOUT NOTES:
- Players are to pre-register using the form below and complete payment within 24 hours.
- Players are required to bring their own basketball to use during the tryouts. Personal basketballs should be marked with the player's name on them to aid in identifying the equipment.
- Each player will receive a Basketball Manitoba t-shirt at the tryouts
MEET THE COACHES:
The TAP program is led by a group of excellent coaches who help develop young talent in the program. The head coaches for the female TAP program are:
- TAP East - Head Coach Christy Steeves
- TAP South- Head Coach Kelli Sinnock
- TAP West - Head Coach Matt McLeod
CHRISTY STEEVES - TAP EAST HEAD COACH
In 2009, she was inducted into the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame for being a member of the Warren Wildcats basketball team. She has level 1 and 2 NCCP Basketball certifications and is currently working on her Train to Compete Basketball Certification. She has coached teams that have been finalists at Provincial Championships and a few that finished in the top 4. Christy has coached basketball and track at the Legion Athletic camps and offered up camps for athletes in the Interlake. In 2018 she was selected as the Girls AAA Coach of the Year at the Basketball Manitoba Awards.
Christy enjoys participating in coaching clinics and is constantly trying to improve her coaching
repertoire. As she is always looking to help find a way for kids to develop their basketball skills, she is looking forward to being the TAP East head coach.
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KELLI SINNOCK - TAP SOUTH HEAD COACH
She is an active member of the basketball community and Zone IV athletics. She has led the Sabres to multiple AAA Zone Championships and AAA Provincial appearances, including Provincial Finalists in 2009, Bronze Medalists in 2010, and other notable performances throughout the year.
Through many years of competition, Coach Sinnock recognizes this region's abundant talent. She is dedicated to giving the athletes of this region the opportunities to grow and learn and maximize their potential as basketball players and athletes.
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MATT McLEOD - TAP WEST HEAD COACH
Coach Matt McLeod brings a variety of coaching experiences to the West region. He has been involved in various levels of the game of basketball for over 17 years. He has coached at the club and high school levels and was selected as the head coach of the girl's basketball team at the 2024 Manitoba Summer Games. The West Team finished with a silver medal at the Manitoba Games. He is an assistant coach to the Brandon University Women's Basketball Team. Matt has been a firefighter/paramedic with the City of Brandon since 2008 and has coached at Crocus Plains and, for the last seven seasons, the varsity girls' program at Neelin High School. He was part of the coaching staff that led the Neelin varsity girls' team in 2018 to an undefeated AAA season that ended in a provincial championship.
Matt also received the Jim Bulloch Coaching Award in 2021, presented to him by Basketball Manitoba.
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QUESTIONS:
Questions on the program, registration and payments can go to Tiara Licsi at tiara@basketballmanitoba.ca
REGISTRATION:
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