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Vytis overcome slow start to win provincial hoops title By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR 45 · Friday, April 27, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Slow starts never discouraged the Oakville Vytis #1 major bantam girls this season. Coming off a second-place finish at the Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) provincial championships last year, and a third-place showing the year before, the Vytis won just five of their first nine games this season before going 25-5 the rest of the way. So, even after starting this year's Tier 1 provincials with a 39-30 loss to the Caledon Cougars, the Vytis wasn't about to pack it in. "I think they like coming from behind. It's their personality," said Oakville head coach Gina Steinauer. "Our biggest thing was being under water and having to fight our way out. The amount of heart these girls showed was amazing. You can't teach competitiveness or the desire to win, and all 11 girls on our team have that." The Vytis bounced back from that opening-game loss to win their next four games by six points or more and capture the all-Ontario championship. Oakville defeated Brantford CYO 45-38 in the final, avenging a heartbreaking last-second loss to Brantford in last year's goldmedal game. Resiliency aside, Steinauer said the biggest thing that made the Vytis provincial champions was their unselfishness. "Our motto was: Some of us are better than others of us, but none of us are better than all of us," said Steinauer, who starred as a post player at Western Washington University and spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the school. "That's what took us through the year. We had to rely on one another, distributing the ball and finding the open player. That's tough at that age, 13- and 14-year-old girls. Often times, everyone wants to be the star. They didn't have that mentality. It was all about working together." Steinauer added that skill development -- something she and husband Orlondo Steinauer, a former Toronto Argos player who is now an assistant coach with the CFL club, emphasize -- was also a factor in the team's success. "Orlondo and I have it in our blood to want to win. We're very competitive," she said. "But the biggest focus, the one thing we didn't waver from, was skill development. Over time, if you work hard, the results will show for themselves." Oakville's other wins at provincials came over the Kitchener-Waterloo Lightning (47-21), Barrie Royals (51-45) and Hamilton Transway (52-45). Earlier in the season, Oakville won gold at the Brantford, Hamilton Transway, VICTORIOUS VYTIS: The Oakville major bantam Vytis beat Brantford CYO 45-38 to win the Ontario Basketball Association Division 1 championship. Team members are Alexia Rhooms, Olivia Wilson, Megann Fletcher, Melody Wyslobicky, Tasja Rhooms, Kiana Steinauer, Brianna Iannazzo, Stephanie Findlay, Caroline Hrabinski, Sammy Baumgartner and Jaidyn Anderson. The coaches are Gina Steinauer, Orlondo Steinauer and Jim Findlay and the team's manager is Suzie Findlay. Kingston and Blessed Sacrament tournament. The Vytis has posted an overall record of 103-18 the last three seasons, good for an .851 winning percentage. Members of the team are Alexia Rhooms, Olivia Wilson, Megann Fletcher, Melody Wyslobicky, Tasja Rhooms, Kiana Steinauer, Brianna Iannazzo, Stephanie Findlay, Caroline Hrabinski, Sammy Baumgartner and Jaidyn Anderson. Jim Findlay also coaches the Vytis and Suzie Findlay is the manager. --Follow Jon Kuiperij on Twitter, @BeaverSports STAMPEDER TRYOUTS! E N E I H L T R BU CATCH EN M M N E T O I XC GT O O F INOR T! L L A B T ANNUAL 5TH STAMPEDER TRYOUTS START MAY 13, 2012! Charity Golf Classic Friday June 22nd Foursome - $799 inc. Golf, Cart, Lunch & Dinner Oakville Civitan Mainway Auditorium Mainway Arena May 2, 2012 Wednesday 7:00 p.m. FALL HOUSE LEAGUE (for ages 6-14) FALL STAMPEDERS (rep for ages 9-14) 1:30pm Shot Gun Start at Pipers Health Golf Club Foursome and Hole Sponsor Package - $999 In support of the Oakville Hospital Foundation's CAPIS Unit All equipment is included in the registration fee, all you need to buy is cleats. football programs with great coaching since 1966 for boys and girls ages 6-22 with or without experience. lingto r u b . www nm otba inorfo ll.ca www.oakvillecivitan.ca Email: Chris.Smith@td.com