Steinbach's growing Filipino diaspora created their own basketball league, then opened it to all

Alex Thiessenwas used to watchingSteinbach's only basketball league from the sidelines.

It was the next best thing to actually playing in the competitive recreational league with many of his buddies. He was good enough to play, he knew, butcould never quite crack aroster.

Alex asked "countless times," he said, smiling at the memory,but "I couldn't convince anybody."

He knew his requests were futile. He wasn't eligible because this was abasketball league for Filipinos, by Filipinos.

Alex admiredwhat the league represented: it gave a community to the Filipino diasporathat fuelled much of Steinbach's growth(1,500 people in a city of nearly 18,000 residents, according to Statistics Canada) and a welcomechance to play a sport they loved. The league had as many as 160 players before the pandemic.

Making the league inclusive

But off the court,Abram Razon and the executive ofthe South EastManFilipino Association basketball league were planning to open up their gamestonon-Filipinos such asAlex.

"TheFilipinos, ever since we moved here, we've been welcomed with open arms bypeople who are from here locally, and we want to give back. We don't want to be exclusive; we want to be inclusive," Razon said.

"Itwas just a matter of time before weopen it up to everybody else, but we knew this is what we wanted."

Alex signed up as soon astherebranded Prairie Basketball League accepted Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike for the first time this winter.

He had previously beenmaking regular trips into Winnipeg to play in a competitive league. The local Filipino basketball community changed that.

"There'salmost no chance that there would be men's league at all [in Steinbach]if it wasn't for them."

Alex's wife, July Thiessen, attended many of the league's games as a fan. She'shappy she can cheer for her husband, too.

"As a Filipino, I always wanted to see othercultures play basketball and in thesoutheast they're always big on basketball as well," July said.

Raymond Kelly once played on a Ste. Anne, Man., high school team that nearly went undefeated in his Grade 12 year. He joined Providence University College afterwards, but injuries derailed his basketball career.

"Abskybrought me out of retirement, actually," Kelly said, referring to Razon, the league commissioner,by hisnickname.

Kelly joined ateam last yearwith some of the region's best playersand has since transitioned into the winter league. Now living in Winnipeg, he happily travels to Steinbach to hit the hardcourt with old teammates and rivals.

"We have the infrastructure around here, we have the gyms, we have a lot of people who are interested in basketball, so it was shocking that this didn't exist before," he said.

He calls Razon a pioneer for establishing a basketball league in the region.

Jordan Stoesz, who joined the open division, said the new Prairie Basketball Leagueis an extension of what basketball islike for him. The games he'dplay in Steinbachgyms, churches and outdoor courts aremulticultural games.

"We've all been playing together for so long but it wasjust pick-up basketball," he said. "Now we were able tohave each player put together a teamwith their clique and just see who can go at it the best."

Championship weekend

The growing league, which went from a high of 12 teams to 21 teams this past winter, ended its season on Saturday with championship games in each of the four divisions, two of which are Filipino-only divisions.

The gym at Clearspring Middle School was boisterous, especially for the final game in the opendivision for players of Filipino descent.

Jessica Pineda was among the loudest fans in the stands, even though she said fans for her team were outnumbered.

"Eventhough I only have a tiny voice, I wanna show them that my support goes out for them," she said, smiling.

Her team, which is named after a vehicle dealership, lost by just one point.

Razon, who played on that same team, said the first winter leaguehas been an unparalleled success, and they're set on growing from here.

They'llrun a new spring league, with moredivisions including one for women,for the first time.

And they're planning tosend five teams, rather than just one, to a North American-wide Filipino basketball tournament later this year.

In the meantime, Razon has somerivals he's keen on beating. He also played in the elite division open to everyone this winter.

"Sadly Filipinos, we coulduse a little bit of height so we lost in the quarter-finals," Razonsaid, chuckling.

"We'll be joining in the spring league again with the same team, we'll be running it back and hopefully we could get some more wins and go deeper into the playoffs."

Filipinos organizers expand their Steinbach basketball league to everyone

2 years ago

Duration 2:53

A basketball league exclusively for Steinbach's growing Filipino diaspora has opened up so that everyone in the area has a chance to play in a competitive recreational league.