Obituary of Sandra Louise Pothier

POTHIER SANDRA LOUISE (Sandy) Passed away peacefully, surrounded by love of her family at the Pothier family home, on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the age of 50. Dearly loved by her partner Mary, mother Theresa, sister Jennifer, brothers Hector and wife Louisa, David and wife Cathy and Danny. Sandra was predeceased by her father Hector (1967) and brother Michael (2011). Sadly missed by 13 nieces and nephews. Sandra was involved in sports and basketball since high school at the St. Catharines Collegiate and Governor Simcoe and played for both Dalhousie University and U. of Victoria where she won a National CIAU Championship. She also played and coached professional basketball in Germany. She was the head coach of the Ryerson Rams Womens Basketball Team for the past twenty years and involved in Provincial and National Team Basketball. Sandy attended the St. Catharine†™s Collegiate for four years. She played basketball, field hockey, volleyball and ran track. In 1977 she was on the city championship team in field hockey and the team also won the Southern Ontario Secondary School Association SOSSA. In 1978 Sandy attended Governor Simcoe where the basketball team she played on won the City Championships and SOSSA in Basketball. The team played in the OFSA all Ontario finals in basketball where they came in second. From 1979 to 1981 she attended Dalhousie University taking Physical Education and played varsity basketball for the Dalhousie Tigers. In 1982 she lived in Edmonton with Hector and Louisa where she worked as a clerk in the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Alex Hospital. 1983 Sandy was staying home with her grandmother and coaching the Grantham Jr. Girls Basketball team as an assistant coach. In September of 1983 she attended the University of Victoria to continue her Physical Education degree and to play basketball for the Victoria Vikettes. In 1984-85 she was the starting guard on the team which went on to win the CIAU National Championship. In 1985-86 they were runner-ups to the National Champions U of Toronto. She moved to Vancouver after the school year ended and worked at the Provincial Law Courts as a Court Clerk. She played Senior Women†™s basketball there for the next two years. She moved to Germany for two years and played professional basketball for Weilhein in Bavaria just south of Munich. She returned home to Ontario for one year before returning to Wolfenbuttel, Germany in 1991 to play and coach in Germany. In 1991 she became the Head Coach of the University of Ryerson Rams. She coached at Ryerson for 18 years before taking a leave of absence in the spring of 2010 when she was diagnosed with 4th stage lung and bone cancer. Professional Coaching Experience 1991 †" Present Head Coach Ryerson University 1990 †" 1991 Head Coach TSV Weilheim Division III, Germany Southern Bavarian Champions 1990 †" 1991 Assistant Coach TSV Weiheim, Professional Volunteer and Related Coaching Experience Canada Basketball 2005 †" Head Coach, Nike All Canada Camp 2004 †" Guest Coach, Nike All Canada Camp 2003 †" Guest Coach, Nike All Canada Camp 2001 †" Guest Coach, Mega Camp for the Student and Senior teams, †" Guest Coach, Jr. National Training Camp †" Fitness Testing for Senior Team, 2000 †" Scout Coach for the Sydney Olympics †" National Team Identification Coach †" Guest Coach, Mega Camp 1999 †" National Talent Identification Coach †" Guest Coach, Mega Camp 1998 †" National Talent Identification Coach †" Guest Coach, Mega Camp 1997 †" Apprentice Coach Women†™s Senior National Team Basketball Ontario 2002 †" 2005 †" Head Coach, Ontario Centre for Performance 1997 †" Guest Coach Provincial Team Try-out Camp 1996 †" Head Coach JDP Central East - Gold Medal †" Guest Coach MDP Camp 1995 †" Head Coach JDP Central East Coach - Gold Medal †" Guest Coach MDP Camp 1994 †" Head Coach JDP Central East Coach - Gold Medal †" Guest Coach MDP Camp International 2005 †" IOC Coaching Clinic - Toronto 1998 †" IOC Coaching Clinic †" Germany 1998 †" Scouted teams participating in World Championships with National Team Head Coach Other 2009 †" Head Coach, Rams Club § Community Program for inner-city girls 10 †" 13 1994 †" Present †" Guest Coach, Various Camps/Clinics § Monarch Basketball Camp n Port A Hoop Coaching Clinic § Raptor Basketball Camp n O.W.I.A.A. Clinic § Trent Basketball Camp n Northern Arctic Games § Brock Basketball Camp n Provincial Team - Jr. National Champions Coaching Certification NCCP Level III complete NCCP Level IV in progress: Attended NCI in 1997 NCCP Course Conductor Technical Level I and II 2009 †" German National over 40 Basketball Championships †" Bronze medal 2008 †" German National over 40 Basketball Championships 2005 †" Word Master games 1997,1995 †" OBA Sr. Women†™s League, Champions 1991 †" Wolfenbuttal Professional Women†™s Team Germany, 2nd in German Cup Championships 1989 †" 1990 TSV Weilheim Professional Women†™s Team, Germany 1990 †" Basketball BC. Select Team, William Jones Cup, Taiwan 1988 †" Canadian Western Game Champions, Basketball BC. Select Team 1988 †" Basketball BC Select Team, William Jones Cup, Taiwan 1987 †" Canadian Sr. Women†™s Champions, Team British Columbia 1983-1996 †" University of Victoria †" Canada West Champions †" C.I.A.U. Silver Medal †" C.I.A.U. Gold Medal 1980-1982 Dalhousie University (ranked 4th in Canada for both years) Sandy was an effective communicator who made sure her assistant coaches and players clearly new her coaching philosophy, expectations both on and off the court and what she saw as their role on the team. She was also responsible for various departmental responsibilities including coordination of the Ryerson Athletic Banquet and organizing the travel and accommodations for varsity teams. Sandy had very strong leadership skills and her forte was in her excellent team building abilities. She had a wonderful ability to identify talent, and teach and take players to the next level of performance. Sandy believed that good character was necessary for the team chemistry so necessary for excellence. She was also a taskmaster when it came to assisting her players attend classes, get assistance and maintain academic excellence. She was extremely proud that her players won the Team Award for Top Academic Excellence at Ryerson in 2010. Sandy instituted a leadership program for her team captains and conduct team and individual goal setting meetings at the start of each season. She also met with the team and individuals on a monthly basis to review goals, performance, attitude and academics. This was a key foundation of her program and why so many of her students have so strongly stayed connected with her over the years. A memorial Service to celebrate Sandy's life will be held at Our Lady of Scapular Church, 6557 Thorold Stone Rd, Niagara Falls, on Wednesday at 5 pm. with a reception to follow. On Thursday January 26th there will be 2 hours of visiting from4 - 6 pm at Ryerson University Gymnasium Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, with a memorial service starting at 6 pm, followed by a reception. For on line donations: go to RyersonRams.ca and find Online Giving. If Sandy link not up yet please make note by Attention: Sandy Pothier Ryerson Women's Leadership Scholarship. To mail cheque or money order send to Director of Athletics, Dept of Athletics with the same address Ryerson University 350 Victoria Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K326 For further assistance please call the funeral home at 905-937-4444