The Orillia Lakers U15 boys team began their season in the Ontario Basketball League's top division on Saturday morning with a 63-49 loss to Cooksville.
The impressive Lakers squad is coming off an undefeated championship season in the Hoop City Basketball League. Head coach Galen Plett has been working with the core group of Orillia's highest-level basketball team for six years.
"We've always been pushing hard," he explained. "A lot of Lakers teams practise once or twice a week, and we were practising three or four times a week."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the high-ranked Lakers team was practising outside when it was deemed safe to do so.
"We've been playing in summer leagues and are always challenging ourselves against the highest competition," Plett said.
The team is made up of five players from Orillia, three from Barrie, two from Innisfil, and one from Angus.
"We've had guys come to join us because we are the best team in the region," Plett said. "We've been a desired destination for other players."
Plett, 48, says the overall goal for him is to develop local players to be able to play at the highest level.
"Most of these kids, once they reach this level, have to go south," he said. "We want to find guys the best development opportunity closer to home."
The Orillia Lakers start youth in basketball at seven years old. Plett hopes that having a high-level team in town will give youth something to strive for.
"There are young kids here already coming out to watch," he said. "It's really cool."
The players on the Orillia Lakers U15 boys team play between 80 to 90 games a year between Lakers ball, high school programs, and other leagues.
"During the high school season our practices are pretty laid back because of all the work we put in," Plett said. "It's a lot of skill work and then when the high school season ends, we turn it up and get more intense with it."
William Lepage, 15, has been playing with the Lakers squad since he was in Grade 3. He says the longevity of the group has helped them become a strong force on the provincial basketball landscape.
"We've been practising and playing together for six years now," he explained. "Our coach has put us in different leagues, and it's helped us get a lot better."
Lepage, a Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School student, says Plett is always looking for opportunities for the Lakers to play against the top competition.
"He's always putting us in different leagues and putting us against the best competition," he said. "We work really hard in practice and are always doing what we can to get better."
Caden McFee, 14, has been playing with the Lakers since he was in Grade 4. He says playing at the highest level in his hometown is a dream come true.
"It's really nice to be able to play at this level on a home court," he said. "It's nice being able to have friends and family come to watch."
McFee, a Twin Lakes Secondary School student, says the key to the success of his team has been their work ethic.
"It's how hard we push and train," he said. "Everyone pushes each other to be better."
Having players from other centres wanting to pay with the team in Orillia is "really neat," McFee says.
"Usually, Orillia players have to go to other teams if they want to play at this level," he said. "The fact that players are coming here to play shows that we can compete and are driven to get better."
The Orillia Lakers play their second game of the day today at 6 p.m. The community is invited to attend the game at Orillia Secondary School; there is no admission charge.
