Theresa Burns reflects on years coaching women’s basketball after her 607 career coaching wins, the second most by a coach in U Sport’s history
Theresa Burns started her coaching career immediately after her career as a student athlete. After four years of playing basketball for the University of Toronto, she began coaching for a university team.
“I was 24. I was coaching the university team. It was crazy. There were lots of moments of thinking, what am I doing? Talk about a steep learning curve,” said Burns.
She kicked off her career coaching the then Ryerson University's, now Toronto Metropolitan University, women’s basketball team, without any prior experience. She was encouraged to pursue the opportunity by her university head coach Michèle Bélanger. Burns detailed how her career began.
“Just towards the end of I think, May, I guess my last year she's like "you know, you should think about coaching," and I had never thought about it. And then, the following year when the Ryerson job came open, she's like, you should apply. And I was like, I'm not ready to do that, like, at all, like, not even close, but when your coach tells you to do something, you do it. It was good advice,” said Burns.
Burns said she went on to coach this team for four years before coming to McMaster in 1992. Still a young coach with little experience, Burns highlighted how McMaster’s then director of athletics and recreation, Therese Quigley, helped her to settle in.
“[I was] just really grateful that she took a chance on a young coach and I think right through those years, those early years, especially that the athletic department was very close and very tight knit and just really good people. As a young employee and a young coach, having that support and that feeling of support around you was really important and I'm really grateful for that,” said Burns.
As Burns began working with the Marauders, she started to learn even more and in the process she began to pick up better results than she had in her previous role. Her first two seasons saw Burns only pick up four wins in total, but this began to change in the 1994-1995 season.
That season saw Burns earn a total of seven wins. The next season was even more of an improvement, with the Marauders winning ten games and capturing the bronze medal in the league. After this, Burns started to win league games more often than not, solidifying her identity as a successful coach.
As Burns has progressed through her time with McMaster, she has continued improving herself as a coach. She has won five total Ontario University Athletics titles and two national level titles in her time with McMaster. She has totaled 607 total wins, making her the coach with the second highest number of women's basketball wins in U Sport history.
With this achievement, Burns sees it as a credit to all who have helped her along the way to make the women's basketball team into what it is today.
“I just wanna say Anne Marie, Ed Andrew Kelly Danny and all the assistant coaches that have been in this program. And many of those names I mentioned were like a decade, two decades with us. These are their victories, you know, you build a village, you have to have all those support networks in place and having those good people are what make our program special. Those coaches coached that long in our program because they were special and they believed in what we were doing,” said Burns.
I just wanna say Anne Marie, Ed Andrew Kelly Danny and all the assistant coaches that have been in this program. And many of those names I mentioned were like a decade, two decades with us. These are their victories.
Theresa Burns, head coach
McMaster Women's Basketball team
As the women’s basketball season continues, Burns will look to add more wins to her total. The team’s next game will take place on Nov. 15. against Nipissing University.
Marauders' men’s basketball sees loss in first game of the season but maintains hope for success throughout the year overall
On Friday Oct. 25th, the Marauders' men's basketball team faced the Ontario Tech University's Ridgebacks in their home season opener to kickstart their season.
The match started off fairly evenly, until halfway through the second quarter when the Marauders extended their lead to 8 points; 41-32. However, the Ridgebacks went on a 15-1 run during the second half and in the end won the game 88-78.
The Ridgebacks went on a 15-1 run during the second half and in the end won the game 88-78.
Basketball is a game of runs and this really showed in the third quarter. The Marauders didn’t go down without a fight and managed to keep the score within a one-point difference midway through the third quarter. But after this the Ridgebacks went on a 16-3 run which secured their victory.
The Ridgebacks were not an unfamiliar opponent to the Marauders. Earlier this year on Jan. 13, 2024, the Ridgebacks defeated the Marauders 85 to 72.
Marauders' men's basketball center Brendan Amoyaw, who was injured for the majority of last season, returned to the starting line-up tonight. “I felt like I had a good rhythm going in the first half, but one thing that I could work on is staying out of foul trouble. Overall though, it was a good first game back for me ... Another big personal goal of mine is to stay healthy. I know the numbers will come with solid minutes,” said Amoyaw.
The team seemed to have some trouble executing offensive plays, with the defense from the Ridgebacks forcing many turnovers throughout the game. “We could’ve been better at running the offensive plays,” said Amoyaw.
We could’ve been better at running the offensive plays.
Brendan Amoyaw, player
McMaster Men's Basketball
Although the Marauders lost this, there were many positives to take away from it as the Marauders are setting their sights on reaching the finals this season and bringing home the championship.
For example, the Marauders had 41 rebounds to the Ridgeback's 35 , which led to many second chance points. Amoyaw spoke about his thoughts on the team's chances of success throughout the rest of the year. "I think we definitely have the capacity to win OUAs and U Sports this year. We just need to be more consistent," said Amoyaw.
As the men’s basketball team goes on with their season, the Marauders will need to improve upon what they have learned from their game against the Ridgeback if they do want to win U Sports. If the men's basketball team does win U Sports this year, this would be their first time doing so.
Following the Marauders basketball team’s 74-67 win against the TMU Bold, they gear up for their next challenge against the Queen’s Gaels
As the McMaster University Marauders continue their Ontario University Athletics playoffs, the air is thick with anticipation.
Coming off a vigorous win against the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold, the team is riding a wave of confidence while maintaining a realistic outlook of the challenges ahead.
The Marauders’ recent victory over TMU began with a rocky start as they fell behind in the early stages of the game. The Bold's aggressive opening led to them securing the first quarter 20-12. However, the resilient mindset within the squad picked up as the game carried on.
Sparked by Nathan Charles' steal and reverse layup, McMaster clawed back, gradually overturning the score through strategic plays and sheer determination.
This win was particularly sweet given the team's journey so far. Facing the departure of some veteran players, the injuries of key players like Ares Culley-Bremner and Brendan Amoyaw and integrating fresh talent have been formidable challenges this year.
"At the beginning of the season, people thought that we weren’t going to win thatt much. We lost a lot of our players [and] our veterans… We really just have to go out there and do what we know we can do," stated Charles.
As attention turns to the upcoming game against Queen's University on Feb. 24, the Marauders know what faces them ahead. Previous encounters have tested their abilities, with the last matchup ending in a 76-67 win for the Gaels. The Gaels’ physicality and focus on dominating the paint present significant obstacles the team will look forward to.
"We know we’re going to have to play physical. Queen’s is one of the better teams. . .I’m going to try and set the tone early so we can hopefully go up in the first and second quarter and keep on building from there," said Charles.
As the team prepares to take on Queen’s, who come into the playoffs with an 11 game winning streak, their strategy aims to match physicality with tenacity, focus on teamwork and maintain the momentum. The playoffs are not just a test of skill but a testament to the Marauders' spirit and resilience.
With their eyes on the prize, the team is ready to give it their all, setting an inspiring example of what it means to compete with heart and hustle.
After a winter's time off, the Marauders basketball teams have opened the season in great form
Kicking off their season on Nov. 1., both the McMaster University men and women’s basketball teams began their Ontario University Athletics seasons on the right foot against Laurier University. The women’s basketball team was able to pick up a win against the Golden Hawks with a score of 80-75 while the men’s team finished 75-72.
Both teams proceeded to post mixed results with their record throughout the months of November and December. The women picked up a record of five wins and five losses and the men turned in five wins and four losses.
Having very similar records going into the break, both teams likely looked to improve in the second half of the season. With the month of December away from OUA games, the rosters sought to come back stronger after their rest and time away from competitive play.
Having very similar records going into the break, both teams likely looked to improve in the second half of the season.
The teams resumed their season on Jan. 6., facing York University at home in Hamilton. It would seem as though the break did the Marauders well, with both teams chalking up a victory against the opposing Lions.
It would seem as though the break did the Marauders well, with both teams chalking up a victory against the opposing Lions.
The women’s team was able to finish the game off with a score of 82-74. Leading the game in points, fifth-year Jenna Button put together a stellar night, helping the Marauders win while putting up 30 points. Third-year guard Delaney Bourget also chipped in with her relentless work on the defensive end, grabbing down six rebounds to finish the game.
The men’s team beat York with a score of 93-77. Mike Demangus capped off a great team performance, finishing the game with 27 points and keeping in top form as he has been this season. Third-year Elijah Bethune cleaned up defensively with 15 rebounds against the Lions.
As each team heads into the second half of the season, they will look to keep in the form they’ve hit to start the year.
Playing at the Burridge Gymnasium, the Marauders grabbed their second OUA win against the University of Toronto after a challenging preseason
The McMaster University men's basketball team started their preseason back in September with three games against teams outside of the Ontario University Athletics league. The Marauders played against the Mohawk College, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Concordia University.
The results from these games showed some inconsistencies in the team, as they finished with a record of one win and two losses. A notable defeat during the team's preseason was against the Concordia Stingers, as in years past the Marauders have consistently been able to beat the Stingers.
The results that came from these games showed some inconsistencies in the team, as they finished with a record of one win and two losses.
The team's up and down form did not stop after these games as the team continued their preseason at the University of Manitoba Bison's tournament where the Marauders suffered three losses and picked up only one win.
Before the OUA season opened, the Marauders suffered another unsuccessful game against Mercyhurst University but they did manage to pick up a win against the visiting University of Calgary.
The Marauders began their OUA campaign against Laurier University, where they played the Golden Hawks on Nov. 1. and picked up a win with a score of 75-72.
In their first OUA home game, the Marauders hosted the University of Toronto and they began a winning streak, beating the Varsity Blues with a score of 78-80.
A few of the Marauder players especially shined in their first game of the season at Burridge. Fifth-year Daniel Graham and fourth-year Moody Qasim tied as scoring leaders, with both players putting down career highs of 16 points. Defensively, fourth-year Nathan Charles cleaned up with three rebounds.
Fifth-year Daniel Graham and fourth-year Moody Qasim tied as scoring leaders, with both players putting down career highs of 16 points.
This is a promising start of for the Maurauders, following their unsteady preseason, and hopefully they are able to keep up their current form as the season continues.
Take a look through basketball rosters at almost every level - house league, university, and international. They all feature someone titled “team manager” or some variety of the term.
There is no real information in those four syllables, though. Team managers are ubiquitous and necessary in basketball circles, but the job description varies from team to team. In a game where positions like centre and small forward are beginning to veer away from their traditional sense, the team manager is on the opposite end – there has never really been a tradition.
Ask Anne Marie Thuss, - team manager for Canada Basketball’s Senior Women’s National Team, starting with the national sport organization in 2000, and assistant coach with the McMaster women’s basketball program – what her job entails and she echoes the above sentiments.
“My role can best be defined by doing anything that’s required, quietly, so that the coaches and support staff can maximize their energy to do their job and athletes can minimize distractions,” said Thuss.
That is a humble description for a job that can be incredibly stressful. Thuss tells stories about taking back roads in China with a bellhop to a house in order to access the Internet and communicate with Canada Basketball officials that the team has arrived safely and everything is okay. She boasts that she can get water, ice and laundry done in five different languages. Thuss would give a kiss to a transportation officer in the Dominican Republic to ensure that her team would have priority in the organizational hell that was the D.R.’s bus terminal.
Really, as a team manager with Canada Basketball, she has to be the feet on the ground to make things happen and to solve a problem. You could not train someone to do this job in a classroom – they would have to go out and experience it.
Those hardly capture what she has done as the behind-the-scenes maestro. Colleagues at Canada Basketball always say the same things about her, unsolicited; “Anne Marie is so calm. I don’t know how she does.”
Bottom-line: Thuss gets shit done.
“As a manager, you have to be a calm in a storm. You’ve got to have enhanced emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills,” said Thuss.
She started out with Allison McNeill, who was coaching the junior women’s program. Canada Basketball wanted someone who could relate to that 16-17 year-old group, and Thuss worked in high schools. She had seven years of assistant coaching experience at York University with Bill Pangos and his women’s team, so Thuss fit the bill. Doing stats and acting as a “sounding board” as Thuss puts it, a role was carved out for her in the Canada Basketball sphere. Shortly after, McNeill was moved up to coach the senior women’s program and asked Thuss to join her on the bench for the premier Canadian women’s team.
And the experience was, in a word, awesome. Thuss speaks glowingly about working with McNeill and now McMaster alumnus Lisa Thomaidis, referring to both as world-class coaches and giving credit to them for her growth as a leader.
But Thuss goes beyond someone who is an expert problem-solver – during games she is tasked with analyzing offensive production and making recommendations in game. A Math major, Thuss says this is the biggest strength she brings to the bench, as she is able to quickly turn around a piece of work.
And do not underestimate the importance of a calming presence on the bench. With McMaster, Thuss is typically the first person a post player will come talk to after picking up a critical foul in a game. She can mellow a player out and help them make adjustments on either end through a quick chat on the bench, and this was key in Mac’s success this season.
In 2013, the Canadian Senior Women’s National Team held training camp in the Burridge Gym and Thuss brought in some of the younger Marauder players to watch the practices. She describes it as a positive experience for them, to see how Canada’s top athletes bring a certain extreme intensity to every single possession.
But you would not know any of this stuff about Anne-Marie Thuss unless you asked. Towards the end of the interview, she asked for this story to “not be a big deal.” She did not want the attention - a modest request from someone who is integral to success.
In a season that’s been filled with triumph, the McMaster Marauders can add another accolade to the long list. Former Mac basketball player Lisa Thomaidis has been named the new head coach of Canada Basketball’s Senior Women’s National Team.
Currently, Thomaidis is the head coach for the University of Sasketchewan Huskies, where she earned CIS Coach of the Year honours in 2009 and 2011. Thomaidis was an assistant coach with the Senior Women’s National Team.
Wayne Parrish, Canada Basketball’s President and CEO, is more than confident in the transition.
“We are very excited to announce Lisa Thomaidis as our next Canadian Senior Women’s National Team head coach. Lisa has played an integral role in the development of our nation’s basketball players” said Parrish.
“Having worked under the tutelage of successful former national team coaches Bev Smith and Allison McNeill, Lisa is ready to put her stamp on the program and continue its momentum.”
After earning three OUA All-Star nods in term time with the Maroon and Grey, Thomaidis earned a professional contract in the Greek 1st division. The league is one of the toughest in the European basketball circuit. Her experience has paid dividends throughout her coaching career, as she knows what it takes to be among the best.
Canada Basketball is on the rise, and Thomaidis points to the 2012 Olympics as an example of that.
“At the London Olympics, the team showed the world that we are a basketball nation to be reckoned with. I’m motivated and driven to make sure that we continue on this path of success and strive for even greater results on the international stage,” said Thomaidis.
Canada finished with a 2-3 record in the qualifying rounds for the tournament, but they were more than capable of hanging with some of the tournament’s best. Their group had the two teams who met in the bronze medal game – Australia and Russia. In group play, Canada lost to Russia in the final minute 58-53. Australia would handle the Red and White with a nine-point victory, but Canada did not look outmatched.
London marked the beginning of Canada’s journey to being a women’s basketball powerhouse, as their Junior Women’s National Team is already showing promise. The group of 19-and-under players finished fourth at the 2012 FIBA Americas tournament and qualified for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championships. Canada has also produced players who have had an impact at major NCAA schools like UCLA and Syracuse.
Thomaidis is optimistic about the future and eager to start the climb to the top of the podium.
“I am very excited to be given the opportunity to take the reins of the Senior Women’s National Team. What the team has accomplished in the past quadrennial is nothing less than tremendous, and I’m looking forward to seeing what heights we can reach,” Thomaidis said.
