While the likes of Lisa Furchner and Katie Goggins have now progressed through to secondary school and club basketball ranks, looking forward to joining the Laurentian Lady Vees in September, Sirena Jonik represents the other end of the spectrum.

A Grade 8 student at MacLeod Public School, Jonik first started playing competitive basketball in Grade 6 and now enters her second season with the Sudbury Lakers. “I saw my sister playing and it looked like a lot of fun”, Sirena noted, referring to both her start on the hardcourt as well as to older sister Caroline, also a member of the Lakers family.

Suiting up primarily at point guard or two guard, the talkative 13 year-old cites her ball handling ability as her biggest asset, adding she doesn’t mind taking the open shot when given the opportunity. “I have to work on being a little more aggressive at both ends of the court” says Jonik of her current focus of improvement.

While MacLeod recently captured a tournament at Northeastern, Jonik states that teams from Churchill Public and Jessie Hamilton continue to present the toughest challenge. But it’s in the club basketball environment where Jonik and similarly talented teens really push their limits against some of the best the province has to offer.

“Playing against different teams is great – I often will pick up defensive skills just from watching other players” explained Jonik. As for the legacy that Furchner, Goggins and many more have provided for the next generation of sharp-shooting young ladies. “I think that it helps all of us to know that if we try as hard as we can, then maybe we can make it just as far.”
 

Sirena Jonik, MacLeod Public School
 

“I have to work on being a little more aggressive at both ends of
the court”