By Jeff MacKinnon (as seen in the Calgary Herald)

Basketball never used to be that all consuming a passion for its most serious followers in this country.

As soon as the snow disappeared for the spring, kids who played in high school took their game outside to play informally, enjoying the absence of adults telling them not to take 20-foot fadeaway jumpers.

That’s all changed.

Now there’s programs like the Junior Dinos, where top young players can go to pursue the sport seriously in the summer months, all the while working with potential future employers, the coaching staff at the University of Calgary.

Tryouts for the Junior Dinos’ under 14/15, 16 and 17 teams are this weekend. They’re open to anyone who thinks they’ve got the game.

“We changed the focus to wanting to be the No. 1 Club Program in the province. And we feel we definitely achieved that goal,” says the programs General Manager and under-17 boys head coach Matt Skinn, who’s also the assistant for the university men’s team.

“We’re undefeated against under-17 competition the past two seasons and have beathen the Saskatchewan and Alberta provincial teams.”

It helps when you have the likes of junior national team member Tyler Fidler, a six-foot-nine center and Brennan Fule, a six-foot-two guard from Strathmore, on your team, as Skinn did last season as the Junior Dinos stretched a winning streak against under-17 opponents to its current 57-0 mark.

Both Fidler and Fule were recently paraded in front of the Calgary media as prized Dino recruits for next fall.

Skinn’s assistant coach Kol Armstrong says their program isn’t all about wins and losses.

“(The Program) gauges its success on how much our players improve. We treat games like a reward for the hard work and effort that they put forth in practices,” he says.

“Games are easy compared to practice. If people really want to understand what the Junior Dinos is about, don’t watch us play a game…come watch us practice.”

The Junior Dinos program was formed six years ago by current Dinos men’s coach Dan Vanhooren and Rob Cadden.

Armstrong’s been involved since the beginning and Skinn is in his third year. He moved to the city to work on a masters science degree after playing five years at Cape Breton University.

The under 14/15 teams will be coached by former Dino player Ian Ferguson and former Dino player and current U of C men’s apprentice coach Brendan Groat. Western Canada High School coach Randy Peron has the under 16s.

While the Junior Dinos don’t pursue players with vigour at the younger levels, some of the under 17s are courted.

“This is a feeder system of sorts for the university. We look for players both locally and provincially,” says Skinn.

“Last year, for example, we had kids from Youngstown and Grande Prairie play for us.

At the older agel level, there definitely is more recruiting taking place.”

Initial tryouts are Monday, April 2 from 4:30 to 6:30pm at the East Jack Simpson Gymnasium for the under 14/15 and Center Jack Simpson Gymnasium for under 17s. The under 16s tryout April 3 at the East Gym at the same time. To register you can email Skinn at mjskinn@ucalgary.ca with name, age, date of birth, high school, email and phone number. Or you can leave a message at 220-3453.

***The Jr. Dinos would like to congradulate the Varsity Midget Girls for winning the Basketball Alberta Youth Provincial Championship on march 23 and 24. Varsity Swept the round robin en route to the finals and capped of their rags to riches season with a win over South four 57-49. The Game was close until the second half, when varsity went on a 17 - 2 run which all but sealed the deal for Varsity. Varsity was lead by cagey point Gaurds Jessica Comfort and Kaitlyn Mcharg who keep the tempo up on the break and controled the half court. Scoring was dominated by the tri towers Jordhynn Guy, Veronica Headley, and Carly Hamilton who scored 12, 10, and 10 respectfully. And not to be forgotten Janae Ferguson, Lauren Duford, Jasmine Down, and Megan Dubar were instermental in Varsitys stifilling Defense, and much inproved press break. The Varisty Midget girls were coached by Jr. Dinos U -17 Assistant coach Köl Armstrong, and assisted by long time Varisty Coach Craig Dunbar.