THE ORIGINAL FIVE BOARD MEMBERS

So many people have taken their personal time to help build on of Winnipeg most vibrant youth leagues. Here are some of those stories.

Mike Ruta (LEAGUE FOUNDER)

Considered the “Father of the WMBA”, Mike led in the formation of the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association and became the league’s first president. His vision was to provide a structured basketball league for Winnipeg area youth, outside the school system, and open for all to participate. The league tipped off on November 29, 1997 with 40 teams, based out of 12 community centres. In its second season, it had grown to 97 teams out of 25 centres and added its first Spring League in April, 1998. The Spring League of 2008 saw a record high of 310 teams. With its Fair Play Policy, it has given many more young people an opportunity to play basketball and now includes a Rising Stars Elite division, Steve Nash Youth Basketball, a Senior Spring League, and a section of the Wesmen Classic. Furthermore, the WMBA Foundation has built outdoor basketball courts, awards scholarships to graduating players, and provides subsidies for players and community clubs in need. Mike was also named the Sport Manitoba Volunteer of the Year in 1997.

The original five board members: Mike Ruta, Larry Kabez, Lori (Black) Hiscock, Jan Mashinter Voss, Dale Gamey

Larry Kabez (1997–2001)


Larry was a board member (Publicity) of Vince Leah Rec. Centre. During a general monthly meeting, a letter passed around soliciting interest in the idea of a basketball league for youth.

At the time, he was open to an alternative to hockey as he had a young son eight years old wanting to participate in a winter sport. In discussing with friends, it became clear that there would be a large financial commitment as well as a substantial amount of free time needed with practices & games.
The letter proposed a formation of a basketball league where the financial commitment would be far lower than what would be required to participate in a full hockey season.

Larry took note of the first meeting date and attended the meeting to hear what Mike Ruta was proposing. After a few weeks, and several organizational meetings held, Mike identified those who attended regularly and asked them to help him with forming the league and electing a board.

With the formation of the WMBA Executive Board, Larry became Secretary of the league. The first few years Larry also represented Vince Leah Rec Centre as Convenor. There were several teams formed, with Larry organizing coaches and players. He was also liaison between the league and Vince Leah.

Larry attended every WMBA meeting for the 5 years of his involvement and during that time wore the hat of many necessary volunteer positions in order to build the league with his original 5 colleagues.For Vince Leah, he coached, one year, after the original coach could not continue. The young players forgave Larry for the fact that they knew more about basketball than he did.

For the WMBA Larry took all minutes of league business as Secretary. He served as a gym supervisor, scorekeeper, and planner and organizer of the WMBA HoopFest that continues to this date. He also participated in all day drives to promote the League at special events.

“It wasn’t a commitment, it was an honour” to meet & work with the Original 5,

Jan Mashinter Voss (1997–2002)


August 1997 I was the VP of Valley Gardens CC when I received a call from Mike Ruta. Mike presented his idea of Basketball for our youth which I thought was a wonderful idea more to offer kids in the winter! Now I must confess I had three boys at home who were basketball fanatics and had no where to play except junior high and high school teams, a drop-in centre or our driveway.

I attended the first meeting to hear Mike out and brought it back to the board of Valley Gardens who gave full support of the concept. As we didn’t have anyone to be a basketball convenor, I took on that responsibility. The first year was challenging as we not only had to get the word out to our communities, create teams, get gyms and referees we needed a treasurer to manage the league funds. I took on the role of treasurer for several years which required the collection of fees for all teams, ensuring all expenditures were approved before paying, ensuring the officials received their pay each month as well as working with the board to set our yearly budgets.

As the convenor for Valley Gardens, we accepted youth and coaches from those centres not ready to add the program. Once we had our registration I worked closely with Lori (Black) Hiscock who was the Gateway Convenor to build our teams to ensure we had a place for each person who wanted to play.

In our second year Lori and I recognized we needed policies and procedures so over the next several months we drafted a set we felt the league required to succeed. We then reviewed them with the founding board members to accept, edit or delete items. Once the team reviewed all presented the board adopted these policies and procedures.

When Hoopfest started Lori and I took on the roles of tabulation of scores from each team for each division to allocate the top five players and identify the player who showed the most enthusiasm. As well I took on the responsibility to purchase all the prizes required and stay within our budget!
 
In my final year on the board, I took on the district program for our area which required getting posters out to the schools for try outs, finding the coaches, and booking school gyms! This also required collecting funds from each player that made the team, get District Uniforms out to the coaches and get the coaches contact information to the league so the schedules could be sent out.

After leaving the board I was still active with the WMBA as this program grew so did my time in the gym. My three sons loved basketball,my youngest played the first year and my oldest coached that team and when the league added more age groups my middle son also joined the league. At one point all three were on the same team one coached the two younger ones were playing. In 2003 I became a spectator again this time for my daughter, she played for 10 years with the WMBA and for one season I coached a girls team in the winter and then a boy’s team in spring.

2021-2022 my oldest son is coaching again 25 years after he first coached his brother, he is now coaching his nine year old daughter, I hope to see her in the gym soon once it opens back up for family. Back to WMBA participation again a call from Mike to see if I would like to be involved with the 25th Anniversary Committee. I think I need to stop talking calls from Mike!
 

Dale Gamey (1997–)

 

Dale was an instrumental part to the founding of the Association back in 1997 where her served as its first Vice-President along side Mike Ruta. Dale started the community club basketball program out of Waverley Heights Community Centre (now South Winnipeg Community Centre) and led the league to offer its first spring league in 1999. He brought his outstanding technology skills to the table in developing different scheduling systems that are still used to this day by the league.

Basketball Manitoba and the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association were saddened to announce the passing of one of the founding members of the WMBA, Dale Gamey in February of 2018. He was a passionate volunteer who always focused on what was best for the children of the league and will be greatly missed by the basketball community.

Lori (Black) Hiscock (1997–2003)


In 1997 the Gateway Community Centre was contacted by Mike Ruta asking for their support and involvement in creating a basketball league for youth. I was at this time a Gateway Community Centre board member (Baseball Convenor) and immediately wanted the club to participate. I had spent my Junior and Senior school years living in the suburbs of Montreal and played basketball in a league such as what I thought Mike Ruta was proposing. I recognized that this could open the door to entry level basketball to many children. Children that perhaps were unable due to costs or lack of interest in other winter sports such as hockey could then have an additional option in winter. The way I saw Basketball was that it was low cost and inclusive, entry level for all ages - just bring some runners and you are on your way to play!

Gateway at this time was a fast and growing Community Club and volunteers were being spread thin. It was due to having played myself in such a league that Mike’s idea was easy to visualize, I was all in and was able to convince the Gateway Community Club board to participate especially since I agreed to be the basketball convenor for Gateway. This entailed taking care not only getting the word out- advertising, but registration for all ages, ordering and distributing the uniforms. I was fortunate to be able to team up with Jan (Mashinter) Voss, the Valley Gardens Convenor and also a WMBA board member by getting the coaches, gyms and referees lined up for each of the teams. It was by working together that we were able to ensure that all children that registered had a team and a place to play.
 
By the second year it was evident that the league needed policies and procedures for this fast-expanding league. Jan and I worked diligently over many months to draft what we thought was required. Once the draft policies and procedures were completed, they were presented to the rest of the board for editing and approval. With these policies and procedures, the WMBA ensured that a Fair Play philosophy was upheld and that the core values of the organization were represented.
 
One of the successes that I feel is worth highlighting was that at the beginning the WMBA league recognized it was a challenge to provide and promote basketball to youth girls. The WMBA board realized that there was a disproportionate gap in girls enrolment and participation compared to boys and was committed to trying to improving it. I was able to take the lead on developing an advertising campaign that would focus on improving girls participation with the emphasis targeting girls at risk. The campaign was named “Girl, She’s Got Game!” and was a huge success over the years and continues to this day.
 
My participation in the annual Hoopfest was a given. Hoopfest was one of the most successful and fun events of the season for players, this annual event was meant for all players to show off their skills and have some fun doing it! Another huge success for WMBA.
 
Throughout the time I spent on the WMBA board I worked in several capacities; Vice-President of Administration; Chairperson of the Discipline Committee including the WMBA designate on the Board of Basketball Manitoba for several years. It would be remiss of me if I didn’t say how grateful I am to Mike Ruta for his vision and that I am honoured and proud to have been one of the founding members of the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association. To have worked along side such dedicated, committed people like Mike, Jan (Mashinter) Voss, Larry Kabez, Dale Gamey and Adam Wedlake was a privilege.
 
Thank you to all the board members, coaches, convenors, parents, players, referees and volunteers over the last 25 years and congratulations WMBA on your 25th year anniversary!