St. Clair Region has formed a new team that will compete in the Ontario Junior Elite League (JUEL). The Ontario JUEL League features the best 18 U19 Ladies teams in Ontario.
The St Clair Regional Team is made up of players from Chatham, Windsor, Tecumseh, Sarnia, Wallaceburg and Dresden. The team will feature three students from Sarnia. (see roster below) The team is Coached by Nicole Green (Chatham) and Paul Levac (Windsor) - with Carrie Carleton (Chatham), Ken Dunbar (Windsor) and Diane Robbins (Chatham) as Assistant Coaches. Each coach has a specific function in the development and conditioning of the team.
St Clair Region applied for a franchise in the JUEL League and was granted a one year conditional franchise in the League. The franchise is conditional upon the team being competitive in the league and also being able to build a competitive franchise year after year by developing players through their affiliated club teams.
The St Clair Regional Team has been training since the end of the high school basketball season and OFSSA Championships. Working primarily out of Chatham but will move practices throughout the St Clair Region as gym availability allows. St Clair will be hosting a JUEL Competition Weekend this year at the St Clair College Wellness Centre Gym in Chatham.
St Clair plays their first scrimmage on Friday January 4th at Detroit Country Day School in Michigan. Ranked 1443 in the USA – Country Day is a regional powerhouse known throughout the state for very fast and highly skilled teams. They annually send players to major Division 1 schools throughout the USA. This will be a good first test for the St Clair girls.
Next exhibition Game will be Tuesday January 8th against the London Ramblers Juel Team. This will also will be a good test for St Clair as last year London went through the entire season undefeated until the final game of the championship where they lost to a very talented North Toronto Huskie team.
On Saturday January 12th there will be three JUEL teams in Chatham playing several exhibition games at the St Clair College Wellness Centre Gym. The St Clair Region will be hosting the Windsor Valiants and the Blessed Sacrement Foxtrotters.
The Official JUEL Exhibition Season starts January 18 – 20th in Kitchener / Cambridge – that will see St Clair play two exhibition games and one league game.
Roster
| Name |
Jersey Number |
Position |
Hometown |
High School/Grade |
PreviousClub Team |
| Amanda Milanis |
4 |
G |
Tecumseh |
St Annes Grade 11 |
Windsor Valiants JUEL |
| Laura Polowick |
5 |
G |
Chatham |
John McGregor Grade 11 |
Chatham Wildcats |
| Lindsay Elliot |
6 |
G |
Wallaceburg |
Ursuline College Grade 11 |
Windsor Valiants JUEL |
| Paige Johnston |
9 |
G |
Dresden |
Lambton Kent Grade 11 |
Chatham Wildcats |
| Anique Daley |
11 |
F |
Chatham |
John McGregor Grade 12 |
Chatham Wildcats |
| Devyn Demars |
12 |
G |
Chatham |
John McGregor Grade 11 |
Chatham Wildcats |
| Amber Bechard |
14 |
G |
Tecumseh |
St. Annes Grade 12 |
Tecumseh Saints |
| Mairead Dunn |
15 |
F |
Sarnia |
St. Christophers Grade 12 |
Sarnia St Christopher |
| Bridget Carleton |
21 |
F |
Chatham |
John McGregor Grade 10 |
Chatham Wildcats |
| Carly Steer |
22 |
G |
Windsor |
Holy Names Grade 11 |
Windsor Valiants |
| Yasmine Tayler |
23 |
G |
Sarnia |
St Christophers Grade 12 |
Sarnia St Christopher |
| Melissa Ellis |
24 |
F |
Sarnia |
Northern Grade 12 |
Sarnia Valhalla |
| Aryn Finley |
25 |
F |
Dresden |
Ursuline College Grade 12 |
Windsor Valiants JUEL |
About the Coaches
Nicole Green – Has been involved in coaching in the Chatham Area for many years . After a successful high school and college career has returned to the St Clair Region to coach the new St Clair Regional JUEL Team. Nicole has been a long time assistant to Carrie Carleton with the McGregor Panthers and has coached the successful Chatham-Kent Wildcats Midget Team . Nicole has assembled a staff of assistants and associate coaches with a wealth of experience working with players and teams at this level.
Paul Levac – For many years Paul Levac was the head coach of the successful Windsor Valients Junior and later JUEL Teams. Known for developing players to play at the next level at Canadian and US Universities - last year placed 6 of his JUEL players at CIS Schools in Ontario – 3 of which went to the two time CIS Champion University of Windsor lancers.
Carrie Carleton – Head of coach of this year’s Kent Champion John McGregor Panthers , and also coach of the Chatham-Kent Wildcat D2 Midget Team. Carrie has a lifetime of basketball experience having been a star player at John Mcgregor and then went on to a successful college career at Grand Valley State University. In 2000 she was voted into the Grand Valley State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Ken Dunbar - Former coach of the St Clair College Saints men’s basketball team. An assistant coach to Paul Levac’s JUEL teams. Ken brings years of experience in strategy and has a keen eye to using the talent on the team to it’s highest potential.
Diane Robbins - Is the strength and conditioning coach for the Team. A new position but required as the play in JUEL is very physically demanding with 40 minute games . Players must be strong and physically fit to avoid injury but also to prepare themselves physically to play at the next level
www.juel.ca
