Stratford Summer Leagues is fun for everyone
- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
By: Michael Willoughby
It was another exciting year at the Stratford Summer Leagues. Held at the Stratford Rotary Complex and the Agriplex, the summer-long sports competitions included hockey and, for the first time this year, basketball, with hockey run by Nick McCabe and basketball by Dirk Sybersma.
Players, both men and women aged 18 to 25 from Stratford and nearby areas, many with Junior Hockey and varsity basketball backgrounds, took part in the three-month season from May 20 to Aug. 18.
The Stratford Summer Leagues are unique because they allow anyone to join, stay active and connect with others, regardless of skill level.
McCabe, founder and commissioner of the Stratford Summer Leagues, described to the Times how the leagues came to be.
“After I came home from school in the summers, there wasn’t a hockey or basketball league for me to play in, and I’ve always loved playing, and I wanted to continue to play, especially with my friends,” McCabe said.
“So, when there weren't any leagues to play in, I kind of decided to look into building my own league so others could also play, get exercise and play with their friends.”
This season, McCabe secured sponsorships from Dairy Queen, Dunny’s Source for Sports, Recovery Hub and Windsor Hospitality Group.
The Stratford Basketball Summer League featured four teams – Dairy Queen, Alley Oopsies, Fast Breakers and Brick Layers.
Basketball League head Sybersma expresses the joy of playing basketball with friends and the league's sense of community. The focus for future seasons is to increase participation and make new friends.
“It's great. A lot of the guys playing have gone to high school together. Maybe some of them are a little bit older, a little bit younger. A lot of these guys you've seen around,” Sybersma said.
“You may not know them, or they may be your friends, but it's great. It gets everyone out. It's a weekly thing, something to look forward to, and get to be active, burn some calories and have some fun doing it.”
Evan Heinbuch, part of the 2024 22U Provincials-winning Stratford Nationals team, participated in the inaugural basketball season. Heinbuch valued the league mainly for its social opportunities, exercise and the chance to compete in basketball once more and reacquaint with familiar faces.
“Well, it's been an enjoyable experience to this point. To be quite honest, it's been a great time to come after work and get to see some faces that I haven't seen in a long time. And yeah, it's good to get out and get some exercise and keep everything going,” Heinbuch said.
“There was a lot of interest from a lot of mutual people that I know, and it was just a good way to get back into the competitive spirit of things and keep playing basketball. I grew up playing a lot of competitive basketball, and it was just a fun time to get back out there.”
Bo Anderson, member of the Stratford Warriors equipment staff, decided to give basketball a try despite having no prior experience. Reflecting on the season, Anderson now has a great interest in the sport.
“I really like it here, and also the atmosphere is good, and all the friends are really nice,” Anderson said. “I really like it. I've never played basketball in my life, but I know now how to play it.”
This year’s summer hockey league had six teams with equally memorable names. The teams were known as Bach Tuahs, Mid Ice Crisis, Butter Stick Bandits, Ice Holes, Meat Missiles and Dunny’s Source for Sports.
Current member of the Stratford Warriors, Colin Slattery, and former Warrior Carter Petrie, now a member of the OJHL’s Cobourg Cougars, both agree the league is a fun opportunity for friends to play hockey, especially for those who haven't played in a while.
“I think it's just a great opportunity for some guys to get out with their friends, play some hockey. You know, a bunch of guys out here haven't played in a while, so it's just a good time to have some fun with some friends,” Slattery said.
“It's awesome to play with some buddies that you haven't played with in a long time that you don't get to play with during the season. So it's always fun to play with the players that you miss playing with,” Petrie said.
The last two weeks showcased the top-tier competition and enthusiasm of the Stratford Summer Leagues.
In the hockey semifinals on Aug. 11, third-seed Mid Ice Crisis beat second-seed Butter Stick Bandits 4-3, while fourth-seed Ice Holes beat top-ranked Bach Tuahs 5-4. On the hardwood, the winless Dairy Queen edged Alley Oopsies in a 67-64 semifinal win, while Fast Breakers beat Brick Layers 64-55 in the other semifinal game.
In the hockey final on Aug. 18, the first-year Mid Ice Crisis defeated Ice Holes 5-4 in overtime. Malcolm McLeod earned the finals’ Most Valuable Player award. In the basketball championship final, Dairy Queen completed the Cinderella story of the year, defeating Fast Breakers. Peyton Lobb won Finals MVP honours for his performance.
Looking ahead, McCabe and Sybersma want to see more participants and broader reach to the local sports scene.
“Future years ahead, it would just be looking to keep getting kids out. You know, bring your friends. If you don't have anyone you know that wants to sign up with you, sign up. We'll get you on a team, and it's a great opportunity to make some new friends,” Sybersma said.
“But again, just trying to get more people playing, more people out, so we can expand the league, have more teams and just come out and compete.”
McCabe and Anderson offered encouraging advice to the future Stratford Summer League players.
“It’s a great place to come meet people, get some exercise in. It’s only once a week. It’s not a huge time commitment. But it’s definitely a fun time getting out there, getting back on skates or playing basketball,” McCabe said.
“Be brave, be loyal and just keep shooting,” Anderson said.
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