History of the Saskatoon Senior Men's Basketball League -05/16/2014 The Saskatoon Amateur Basketball Association was established in 1967. Jim Kammermayer was the league president who supervised a league of six mens' teams that played games each Sunday at the University gym and then at the newly opened Education Gym on the University of Saskatchewan campus. From 1969 until 1982 Ross Wilson presided over the league that attracted a lot of former university and high school players as well as providing a place to those recreational basketball enthusiasts to continue to play the game. The league grew to four divisions of eight teams each in that time period. Wilson spent fifteen years promoting the game in Saskatoon before moving on to Basketball Canada where he eventually served as president there as well. From 1982 until 1985, Kevin Grieman served as president with Bryan Salte finishing the president's chair effectively as Grieman resignedin early 1985. The Saskatoon Senior Mens' Basketball League continued to experience growth. From 1985 until 2010 Bill Gordon has served as president and administrator of the league. The league has continued to grow over the years to where there are over eighty teams in seven divisions of play. Under the leadership of Harold Shutiak, league secretary, a Masters division started play in 1998 with six teams; it expanded in 1999 to seven teams. The Master's division play Monday through Wednesday evenings at Nutana Collegiate. Many individuals have contributed to the recent growth and success of the Saskatoon Senior Mens' Basketball League. Norm McDuffie was a member of the first executive, Gary Korol, Mike McKibben, Harold Shutiak and John Courtney have each spent a number of seasons working on executives over the years. Some players have been playing in the league for more than thirty years: John Broughton, Wayne Salloum and Wayne Dyck. A number of referees have also been involved with the league for more than twenty five years: 'Butch' Steponchev, Kelly Bowers, Chris Wright and Ruben Peters. Many recent teams have left their mark on the league: the Parktown Shooters, Mediterranean Inn, the Scrunts, De Loose Mongoose and Blues Brothers have spent at least fifteen years playing in the league and have proven to be models of successful franchises. The growth of the number of teams in the league probably has its roots in the expanding high school, elementary school and minor basketball programs in the city which leave its graduating members looking for a place to continue to play. |
