It’s a tight-knit family.
And when the Daley clan gets together, basketball is always going to be served on the conversation table.
Why not?
But just who gets bragging rights when the sisters all get together?
Tough call.
Let’s explore a remarkable family from Fredericton that has left its mark on the game in the Maritimes and certainly in the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association.
Many of you know Kevin Daley has a long history in basketball, head coach of multiple Scholastic Sport New Brunswick girls’ AAA Fredericton High Black Kats for decades.
He would eventually make his off-season interscholastic way to the MWBA, grabbing the reins of the Fredericton Freeze for three seasons, earning a trio of New Brunswick Division regular season titles along the way.
Coach Daley had two familiar names on his roster including sisters Robbi and Katie, longtime Freeze teammates. Daughter Kelsey McLaughlin, however, was always wearing opposition apparel, a key member of the MWBA’s Moncton Mystics. Mom Holly Daley also played a role with the Freeze off court.
Think there was some chirping when Fredericton and Moncton played?
Absolutely.
What’s cool about the Daley troika is just how close they are when it comes to all-time MWBA production.
All three sisters played at the Atlantic University Sport level, carving out successful careers.
Kelsey played with the Saint Mary’s University Huskies, an AUS rookie all-star, AUS all-star and the owner of 1,066 career points over 97 games. She was a workhorse for Saint Mary’s, averaging 34.8 minutes per game.
Robbi played with the Huskies and Dalhousie University Tigers of Halifax, an AUS all-rookie team member, conference community player of the year – no surprise there, whatsoever! – and appeared in 98 career games, scoring780 points.
Katie was a member of the University of New Brunswick Reds, playing two seasons and appearing in 38 games, coming back after a series of devastating knee injuries. She earned AUS rookie all-star status and was UNB’s rookie of the year, a remarkable story of perseverance, dedication and love of game. She finished with 209 career points in UNB colours.
In the MWBA, success would follow for the siblings.
Kelsey and Katie are actually tied for scoring, both amassing 248 career points. Kelsey, the mom of four children and the competitive drive of six people, has appeared in 30 career games with Moncton, one more game than Katie during her Freeze career.
Robbi played four seasons with the Freeze before stepping aside when announcing her pregnancy last spring. She has appeared in 26 career games with Fredericton and has 217 points in 38 games, 26th overall.
That’s how close they are in points separation.
What does 2027 hold in store?
McLaughlin lives in Moncton, Katie has moved to Halifax and Robbi’s fitness dedication means she could return to the Freeze lineup.
The league could use a Daley reunion, truly one of the MWBA’s most remarkable stories of family and love of basketball.
Time, as always, will tell the future.
- Statistical data provided by Allan April
