Tyler Slipp doesn’t think small scale.
Uh-uh.
Big scale or go home is the mantra.
Slipp will bring that reputation with him as he joins the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association as the league coordinator.
His duties are numerous, but in a nutshell, Slipp will be the eyes and ears for Commissioner Tasia McKenna, her executive and those involved in running franchises.
It’s a varied role, one that suits Slipp, whose regular job is director of operations with Basketball New Brunswick.
The Fredericton native is ready for the first MWBA jump ball.
‘I knew about the idea behind the MWBA early on and thought it was an interesting endeavour, but once you started to see who was involved and how it is all coming together, I got pretty fired up, actually,’ said Slipp. ‘If you have quality people involved, so many other details come together. This is going to be a work in progress to get to year one, but we all have to start somewhere. The MWBA is going to stand for so many great equality pursuits.’
Slipp is absolutely no stranger to basketball.
It is a well-known story in New Brunswick he was days old when he took in his first game.
His mother, Canadian Olympic Hall of Famer and former national team captain, was coaching a senior women’s team in New Brunswick with her husband, Dick.
Tyler was days old when Fredericton hosted those nationals and he was on the sideline while his mom coached.
That’s how the game got into his blood.
His love of basketball took him across the country and allowed him numerous roles. He spent nine seasons as head coach with University of Waterloo Warriors women’s team in the Ontario University Athletics conference. He was an assistant with University of New Brunswick for three seasons, was a full-time assistant coach with Simon Fraser University’s women’s team and was also an apprentice coach with Canada Basketball’s Hamilton-based National Elite Development Academy.
He returned home to New Brunswick and arrived at BNB when its executive director Carolyn Peppin – a former Dalhousie University Tigers’ sharpshooter – went on maternity leave.
As acting executive director, Slipp engineered remarkably successful Canada Basketball age class championships in 2018 and 2019.
Upon Peppin’s return to the executive director role, Slipp was hired to remain with the organization and continues to play a key role in provincial basketball development on and off the court.
‘I enjoy being involved in projects such as the MWBA and looking to be a voice that can help generate even more interest in the league,’ Slipp said. ‘Organization is something I thrive on and the MWBA wants to generate a professional demeanour. It’s going to be a good fit.’
The MWBA will open play in April, 2022, featuring six teams.
There are three teams in New Brunswick including Moncton, Fredericton Freeze and Port City Fog of Saint John. Halifax, Halifax Thunder and Windsor Edge represent the Bluenose Province.
