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March 19, 2004
An education in teamwork
Talmud Torah high school basketball team wins six games this season.
KYLE BERGERREPORTER
Of all the high-quality programming often mentioned in discussions
about the Vancouver Talmud Torah high school, athletics isn't usually
one of them. Mike Sachs is doing his best to change that.
Sachs took over the school's basketball program this year and, with
the help of a determined group of players, did something the team
hadn't done in several years: win a game.
In fact, they won several games, finishing the regular season with
a 6-2 record and finishing fourth of eight teams in a recent playoff
tournament. No one was prouder of the team's achievements than Sachs.
"I've coached before, but I think this was the best team that
I have ever worked with," he said. "Talmud Torah had not
won a single game in two years and now we are a contender and a
threat to all the teams in the league."
Zach Ross, one of the team captains, said that it was a lot more
fun playing with a winning team.
"We were extremely pleased with the [6-2] record," he
said. "And in the tournament, we came so close to making it
to the championship game."
Ross credited his coach for much of the team's success.
"Working with Mike was a great experience," he said. "He
passed on his knowledge to me and the boys and led us to the best
Talmud Torah high school basketball team ever. He was an excellent
fit to the basketball team and we look forward to seeing what kind
of magic he can bring us next year."
Sachs said that he has had discussions with the school and hopes
that he can return as the team's coach next year.
"My plans are to continue a strong training plan throughout
the summer and continue focusing on each aspect of the game with
the kids," he said. "I hope that next season people will
come out and support this team. These kids represent the youth of
the Jewish community and we should do everything we can to support
them. Plus, it is some of the most entertaining basketball you could
see at an affordable price. It's free."
The league consisted of 10 teams from independent private schools
around the Lower Mainland. The Talmud Torah team concluded their
season by playing an exhibition game against a team from the Pacific
Torah Institute (PTI), which is not part of the league. The students
from PTI fought hard, but fell to the more experienced Talmud Torah
team 41-30.
Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
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