HIGH ACHIEVERS: Retired principal coaches South Carleton Storm to first OFSAA girls’ basketball appearance, wants more

By Martin Cleary

Bill Arden is unique among high school basketball coaches.

Since September 2022, he has filled the head coaching role with the South Carleton Storm girls’ senior team, while being fully retired as the principal at the Richmond, ON., school.

For the three years before his retirement, he coached the Storm as the active South Carleton principal, which is rare for the top official of a high school to find the time to run practices, do the paperwork and travel to games.

This past season, Arden has also showed his longevity by extending his volunteer, high school basketball coaching streak to 42 consecutive years. His first coaching assignment was way back with the Ridgemont High School boys’ junior team, when he was a Grade 10 student. (He also is an assistant coach with the South Carleton girls’ junior team, which helps him see the future for his girls’ senior team.)

Needless to say, Arden, 56, has a true love of coaching basketball, but he also has an equal passion for developing the character of his student-athletes. And he’s motivated to do that because his players have an equal dedication and commitment to the game, whether it’s attending practices, working hard in game situations or supporting each other on and off the court.

“I still love it,” Arden said in a phone interview this week. “I have been to six OFSAA championships. I love trying to win championships and getting the kids to buy into being a team and not be individuals.”

Whether as a teacher, vice-principal or principal, Arden’s approach to coaching basketball has also been about helping the student-athletes become better people as they head towards post-secondary education challenges and their professional life.

Arden became a teacher to be connected to his students and it’s a responsibility he has proudly carried into his retirement.

“We’re coaching personalities rather than sports,” he explained. “That way they’ll have a better shot at success in life. If they can limit their excuse-making, they can go far.”

From a basketball perspective, Arden and the South Carleton girls’ basketball team went far this season, in fact it was the farthest the squad has ever travelled.

After winning its first-ever National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association girls’ senior OFSAA division championship, the Storm qualified for its first OFSAA girls’ AAA basketball championship in Brampton. (South Carleton was NCSSAA Tier 1 champions in 2014 and 2015, but didn’t elect to play in a category that allowed it to qualify for OFSAA.)

As much as the players were excited and confident heading to the GTA, their OFSAA expectations were crushed early by a higher level of competition. South Carleton needed to win its first two games to reach the quarterfinals, but instead lost two games on the opening day, dropped into the consolation round and was eliminated with a third loss on the second day.

“Our team was too much in awe of the competition,” said Arden, who admitted to not having much coaching success at his previous five OFSAA championships, although one of his Woodroffe teams captured a boys’ consolation title several years ago.

“It was somewhat disappointing, but it was a wonderful opportunity. We got our hats handed to us.”

Read More: HIGH ACHIEVERS WEEKEND WRAP: Louis-Riel leads OFSAA medal parade, gold in boys’ AA volleyball, bronze in girls’ AA basketball

As the 13th seed, South Carleton entered its first game against No. 7 Pickering, which roared into a 17-3 lead after the first quarter and a 46-16 win in the end.

Any South Carleton dreams of an OFSAA medal vanished, after the Storm lost its second match on the opening day to No. 10 Notre Dame 53-38. Notre Dame held a 24-3 advantage after the first quarter, but South Carleton held the upper hand over the last three quarters, 35-29.

South Carleton signed off its OFSAA girls’ basketball debut by dropping a more competitive 51-41 decision to No. 11 Westmount. At halftime, South Carleton trailed 28-24, but a rough third quarter saw Westmount outscore the NCSSAA rep 17-9.

The first game for South Carleton was an eyeopener against Pickering.

“They were wonderful athletes, but in your face. It was a type of game we hadn’t faced,” Arden explained. “It was a bit of a shocker. The kids weren’t ready for that pace and not ready for that intensity.

“We only found ourselves when the team took off its pressure. There were a lot of lessons learned the hard way. As old as I am, and I’ve learned a lot, but my practices need to change and we need to travel to more tournaments.

“They were doing the same things we did, but at a full pace. But we couldn’t handle their pace.”

South Carleton, however, handled the pace and performed well on the NCSSAA scene as the Storm posted a combined 9-1 league and playoff record. The Storm finished the year at 16-7, which included a win at the Nicholson tournament and second-place results at the Arnprior and Osgoode tournaments.

In the NCSSAA playoffs, South Carleton defeated Sacred Heart 51-29 in the semifinals and St. Mother Teresa 59-35 in the AAA championship.

“I was surprised how many tears there were,” Arden said about the school’s historic NCSSAA championship win. “All the emotions came out. But I think that led a bit to our flatness at OFSAA. The kids wanted it so much over the last few years.”

Every game is a learning experience and South Carleton had one of those in the first game of its NCSSAA regular season. The Storm lost its only game 30-29 to All Saints, which went on to finish first in the West 1 standings at 5-1. South Carleton had the same 5-1 record, but placed second.

“We laid an egg (in the opening game),” Arden recalled. “All Saints was legit. The first game was rough, but it helped us out. We had to outwork our opponents from that day forward. Our practices were so much better. They got feedback and the wins started coming.”

Arden was keen to coach this season and is looking forward to the 2025 season because his players are inspired by the players who have gone before them and are committed to all aspects of improving on and off the court.

“This group is doing it the right way. I believe in them. They work so hard. They’re professional. They’re disciplined,” Arden added.

“This group deserved my best effort because they put in so much effort.”

The South Carleton girls’ senior basketball roster featured: guards Ava Troughton, Senna Bains, Sarah Bujold, Emily Dempsey, Sarah Griffiths, Chelsea Hemeon, Paden Sanna and Samantha Kearney; forwards Ava Pelton, Julianna Noble and Jada Ostapyk; centres Olivia Fair and Ella Miller; and coaches Bill Arden (head) and Kevin Hemeon and Kristina Kortko (assistants).