Basketball coach Theresa Burns announces retirement

After 29 seasons of head coaching the McMaster women’s basketball team, Theresa Burns reflects on her long career after deciding to retire

One of McMaster’s most long-standing and successful head coaches has been Theresa Burns. She has been at the reins of the Marauders women’s basketball team since 1992. Along the way, she has won five Ontario University Athletics titles.

Burns began her career coaching at McMaster after a stint at Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly known as Ryerson University. After this, she began her journey at McMaster University.

Burns recounted her introduction to McMaster Athletics and the interpersonal relationships that kept her at McMaster for such a long duration of time.

“McMaster just felt right. I think there's a real collegiality amongst the coaches here, amongst our McMaster coaches, there's a real sense of family, when I came here. Also amongst the athletic departments, so just a really nice environment to be in,” said Burns.

Despite these positive feelings, Burns feels that the timing is now right for her to move on from coaching the women’s basketball team. She began thinking about retirement earlier this year and finally decided to go for it after the end of this year’s OUA season.

“It's just time. You know you start thinking about it and I kind of gave myself this year to think about it. And then once we hit the end of the season, I just felt like, yeah, this is probably the best time,” said Burns.

For Burns and her team, the past season has been strong. The team made it to the OUA quarter-finals, before being beaten by Carleton University. For Burns, she believes the team’s current athletes will carry the team forward after she leaves.

“So I think that leadership that they've sort of shown to the group will now be there and now the younger ones who are moving up are going to have that knowledge and experience to draw on. So I think they just left a really beautiful legacy for the athletes coming behind them and that was one of the most special parts of it,” said Burns.

Burns discussed she will be taking time to reflect on what she wants for her future and fondly acknowledges the memories she has made from her tenure as head coach.

“I'm gonna sit down over the summer and catch my breath and like I said, I've got a wealth of memories to keep me company all summer and as I sit back and reflect. And then like no firm plans for what's next yet, but I think I just need a little bit of quiet headspace to start thinking about that and so I'm gonna take that for myself this summer,” said Burns.

Who will lead the McMaster women’s basketball team after Burns is yet to be announced. Though, Burns rests assured that the skills she has left her team with will prime them for success regardless