Time to rock the tie-dye and bell-bottoms you Totem fans because this coming January 8, 9 and 10, Alberni District Secondary School’s (ADSS) legendary Totem high school basketball tournament is turning 70.
Mariella Huebner says the whole weekend is going to be ‘70s themed. She is one of eight Grade 12 students vying for the Totem Spirit award.
“Even if you don’t go to the school, it’s such a big community. Everyone comes. You just feel the spirit and the love all around,” said Huebner, who is from Hesquiaht First Nation. “I have a lot of hope in our basketball teams. I think they can do it.”
What began as a four-team boy’s tournament in 1955 is now considered B.C.’s longest running high school tournament in any sport. Totem was exclusive to men until 2011 when female teams were included on the program.
Totem 70 features six girls’ teams and six boys’ teams, plus performances from the ADSS cheer and dance teams and the pep band.
Hayleigh Watts, a Grade 12 student and ADSS forward for the senior girls’ squad, will hit the Totem court for final time.
“This is my third Totem. I’m super excited for this opportunity to play for this team. I feel like we are going to have a good season,” said Watts, who is the niece of Tseshaht Chief Councillor Ken Watts.
“It’s an extra special tournament for me this year because it’s my last year playing. I’m so, so grateful to be playing. I feel like we’re going to have a really good turnout. We’ve worked really hard,” she said.
ADSS senior girls team head coach Neelam Parmar was born in 1970. He says he listens to a lot of AM radio and that the game of basketball has “totally changed” from the ‘70s playbook.
“Everything revolved around getting it to the big man at the post. The three-point game didn’t show up until a decade ago,” said Parmar. “Old school ball was your traditional pick-and-rolls and defense was able to get away with a lot more.”
When it comes to his team, he says they are a smaller squad this year with 10 players on the roster.
“Hayleigh is awesome. Softball is her main focus, but we convinced her to come play with us,” he said. “We’re just happy she’s able to finish off her basketball piece with us because she’s been with us the whole way through from Grade 8.”
ADSS girls finished second at Totem 69.
“We have a Vancouver team coming over on the girls side so that will add a little bit of spice. Pacific Christian is the defending champ and they are a basketball school. They are a smaller school, but they’re able to focus a lot,” said Parmar.
ADSS senior boys head coach Jess Black said their biggest threat are the Edward Milne Wolverines, the defending champs from Sooke, and their “giant” six-foot-eight player Malakai Hills.
“It’s been a few years since the boys won Totem. It’d be awesome if we could perform for everyone and get to that final and take it home. There are some good teams coming,” he said.
“We all have a good chance to take down Edward Milne this year. They’ve been coming for quite a few years and they got their first win last year. I know it meant a lot to them, but we are hoping to take it back from them,” said coach Black.
He was unsure as to why no Nuu-chah-nulth players tried out for the senior boys team this year, but says there are quite a few First Nations’ kids on the junior team.
Dance team member Carmen Bill says they’ve prepared a special routine to the tune ‘Le Freak’ by CHIC.
“We have a bit of a costume change, that’ll be new,” said Bill, who is from Tseshaht First Nation and has been dancing since she was three.
The Totem 70 disco ball drops on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 5 p.m. with ADSS senior boys taking on Kwalikum and at 7 p.m. with ADSS senior girls facing Dover Bay.
Admission is $5 per day for students, $10 for 18 and up and free for kids under five. A tournament pass is $25.
