The Chilliwack Basketball Association wants to be competitive and their new head coach hiring gives plenty of reason for optimism.
The association has added Chilliwack native Eric Rodgers to their coaching staff ahead of the upcoming season – one that the organization expects to be met with significant growth.
“I am excited to be coming home to Chilliwack and help grow the game of basketball,” said Rogers. “Chilliwack has historically been a hockey, baseball and soccer town but basketball has slowly built up in Chilliwack for the last 10 years.
“It’s pretty cool to see the younger players come out and start enjoying the game.”
The club is coming off a year that saw 700 youth players register, but are projecting an even better year ahead.
“It’s going to continue to grow,” said Rogers. “We had 60 players in our club team program this spring and already have over 75 registered for our summer camps.
“I expect that number to probably get to 200 by the end of the summer.”
Rogers has built himself quite the resumé in the world of basketball. Rogers played in high school for the Sardis Falcons where he helped lead the team to top 10 finishes provincially in back-to-back years.
His high-school career culminated into first-team all-star selections for the Fraser Valley region as well as provincially. He then took his talents to Trinity Western University where he played out his five-year collegiate career.
Following his playing career, Rogers felt inclined to dip his toes into the coaching pool. He began while he was still a player where he coached in camps held in Ontario as well as in remote Indigenous communities across B.C.. He then began coaching at the high school level before taking on a role with the Northern Bounce basketball club in Kamloops.
His most recent position saw him given the role of assistant coach for the Thompson Rivers men’s basketball team for the 2023-2024 season.
Rogers is returning to Chilliwack to begin his career as a lawyer, but is certainly looked at it being the perfect fit for the Chilliwack basketball scene as well.
“The biggest issue with Chilliwack is that it hasn't always been the most basketball-minded place,” said another member of the association. “So finding coaches has always been the toughest struggle we have.
“We’re trying to continue growing our coaching pool and he (Rogers) is the first big step in doing that.”
The club’s big plans for Rogers include him overseeing all levels of coaching within the organization from their youth camps, all the way up to their high school level club teams.
“I was lucky enough to have a ton of great coaches give their time and pass their knowledge on to me,” added Rogers. “I am looking forward to being able to share that experience with the next generation.
Whether it’s working with youth programs or elite players, I’m pumped to get in the gym and help the Chilliwack Basketball Association grow the game in my hometown.”
The Chilliwack Basketball Association offers year-round youth basketball opportunities for boys and girls of all ages. The club offers various programs throughout the year including spring and fall U12 club teams, summer and winter break camps, one-on-one training and various fall, winter, and spring leagues for both kids and adults. They also offer more games and active skills programs.
The club is currently in the midst of running their first summer camp with plans for at least two more before the end of the summer break. More information can be found on their social media, or directly on the website.
