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While some have moved on with much more fanfare, former Sudbury Lakers
basketball product Mylaine Mageau continues her unheralded climb in the
sport. The College Notre-Dame Alouettes graduate has just completed her
second season with the York Lions and with the team fresh off a
consolation title at the Canadian championships, there is little to
regret in the route she has followed.
“I’m just so happy to be
playing here at York…our entire team is a really family and that’s very
important to me” explained Mageau shortly after her the Lions only visit
of the season to Ben Avery Gym in Sudbury. Mageau had played twenty
minutes of York’s 56-43 win over the Lady Vees and continues to grow her
role at the school which went on to claim the East Division crown.
A native of Wawa who
moved to Sudbury at an early age, Mageau did not have an initial
involvement in basketball until Grade five. Prior to that, it was
dancing, and more specifically ballet, which occupied her time. “Dancing
was just fun, not really competitive for me”, admits Mageau. “But the
flexibility I gained from dancing training and the cardio has always
helped me in sports.”
Playing a combination of
school basketball and club ball between St Dominique and Felix Ricard
and with coaches John Desormeaux and Bob Blanchard over the years,
Mageau recalls fondly the years that formed the foundation of her
current success. “It was so much fun. I played with my cousins and
friends…and just learning everything” said Mageau.
But she credits
Blanchard in helping her realize her full potential on the court while
at Notre-Dame. “With Bob, he knew I had more in me…and he always
challenged me” explained Mageau. Despite her success at the secondary
school level, which included a Franco tournament championship, Mageau
was not a sure-fire bet to play at the next level.
“I wanted to play
university ball, and I was really impressed with the coaching and
atmosphere at York, so I applied for athletic therapy”, noted the
friendly 19 year old who is now completing her second year of
Kinesiology. Despite playing against many of the province’s top
athletes while suiting up with the Lakers, Mageau noticed an immediate
jump competing in the OUA (Ontario University Athletics).
“The transition from
high-school to university was tough..it’s so much quicker, just better
ball” acknowledged the long-time resident of New Sudbury. But every
passing game offers another step along the way for Mageau as she senses
new milestones being made. “My game at U of T, I hit three
three-pointers…that was a great game for me” offered Mageau, who saw
court time throughout the Lions run to the national tournament.
And it’s just a matter
of time before court announcers across the university scene begin to
provide proper pronouciation for the name of this local product, laughs
Mageau. “I think the funniest was at one game where I was introduced as
“My-lane-knee Ma-goo”.
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