JUEL of Ontario is a platform that provides young women with the ability to use the sport of basketball as their vehicle to get a great education and good start in life.
We are JUEL
JUEL of Ontario is an independent basketball league providing opportunities for female athletes from grade 8 to 12 to play their way to the next level.
Regular practices (aimed at being no farther than an hour’s drive for each player) with and against the best players in both their region and the province have proven to be a recipe for success. JUEL’s relationship with the NCAA, USport and CCAA has provided our players with the best exposure and opportunities for basketball and academic choices.
Success, on and off the court.
Our graduates aren’t just succeeding on the court, but off the court as well. Every year, our players submit applications for the Athletica Elite Community Service and Molten All-Academic Awards, where we honour all of their hard work at school and within their communities during the season. Our focus on keeping players within an hour’s playing time of home also allows them increased time to focus on their education as well as personal life away from basketball.
We believe that displacing young women at a young age will have negative impacts on their personal growth and add financial burdens on families, including funds that could be put towards the player’s college or university education. Our model and its successes have now become the foundation of other upstart leagues throughout Canada.
Inclusivity
JUEL is inclusive of all players because we provide opportunities for everyone, exclusive of their financial status. We want the best players to play in our league, not just a select few who can afford it. With this in mind, JUEL Prep was created in 2014 to provide opportunities for players to develop and transition into JUEL.
Relationship with the OUA and OCAA
There are 18 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and 19 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Schools competing in women’s basketball, with 444 roster spots available annually. This makes a strong relationship with both organizations a priority; not only does this give our players an opportunity to play college or university basketball, they can receive a great education in preparation for their lives after the sport.
Coaching
OCAA and OUA Coaches act as mentors to some of our teams during the season and assist in team selection during tryouts. JUEL has always provided direct access to all of our players so that they and their families can make the best decision in selecting a school that will give them the greatest opportunity for education and basketball success. Players also want strong coaching to develop their game so they’re ready to step into a role at the next level.
JUEL has provided this since our first game on December 11, 2010. In addition, Therapists have been on site for injury prevention and treatment since our inception. This is a service that all of our Players must have access to every game.
Live Statistics
Our live stats have met with extremely positive feedback since we instituted them in 2019. Coaches can request stats at halftime and at the end of each of their games. Box scores and statistical leaders will be posted on the JUEL site after each weekend’s slate of games.
CANADIAN BASKETBALL ALLIANCE (CBA)
The Canadian Basketball Alliance (CBA) is a non-for-profit Corporation that began managing JUEL on September 14, 2018, providing JUEL with over 35 years of basketball specific experience.
The Organization provides extensive knowledge and resources for Event, League and Game operations. Resources include:
Equipment – shot clocks, speakers, stats programs, Video Services and Equipment
Staff – Game Day, Athletic Therapists, Video, Stats, Site Directors, Minor Officials, Personal Basketball specific development
Products – Athletic Supplies, uniforms, basketballs, logo design, promotional merchandise
Training – practices, camps, game strategies, playbooks
Board Members
Fergy Neves - Founder
Fergy began coaching basketball at the age of 19 and is one of the founding members of the Mississauga Monarchs. Coached boys for 17 years then made the transition to the girl’s game in the late 90’s.
In 2001 he started his own club named Sultan Prospects and was fortunate to work with many exceptional basketball Players, some who represented Canada on the Women’s Senior Nationals team. That same year Fergy became the Canadian Ambassador for YBOA (Youth Basketball of America) where he built relationships with international groups.
In 2004 The Sultan Prospects began running “the Battle for Breast Cancer”, an annual tournament that was praised for its organization, Celebrity Game and awareness.
In late 2009 Fergy began working on the idea of JUEL; with the support of the most influential Organizations and Coaches in the Province the idea came to life with the first game the following year.
Over the years people have come and gone, but Fergy has remained and is excited over the possibilities for JUEL with the support of key people.
Alex (Kwiecinska) Kay - Director
Alex Kay has been with JUEL since the beginning, contributing to the success of the longest run competitive League in Ontario. She brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and perspective as a Player, Coach and Event Organizer.
Alex completed her undergraduate degree in Sport Management while playing under Karl Smesko at Florida Gulf Coast University. Upon her graduation, her passion stayed with basketball, which led to her coaching career at the College and Rep levels prior to JUEL.
She shares a passion for providing young athletes with the best opportunities, optimal exposure and allowing them to grow into the next level of their careers whether it be on or off the court.
Sabrina Brathwaite – Director
Originally from Brampton, Ontario, Sabrina is an Athletic Therapist and owner of Athletica Elite. A mobile sports rehab clinic providing medical coverage for sporting events and for all JUEL league games/events.
Sabrina grew up playing basketball starting with the Brampton Blue Devils and CIA Bounce. She took her athletic career into the post-secondary level, playing for the University of Waterloo and Sheridan College and is now an alumnus of both programs. She has worked on the medical side of sports for the past 10 years with a wide variety of sports, such as football, soccer, rugby, hockey, badminton, volleyball, and track & field, but her main focus was always basketball.
Sabrina is an experienced Certified Athletic Therapist having worked in the amateur, professional and international sporting levels. Her work experience includes working with the University of Waterloo, Ryerson University, Team Ontario Girls Basketball, Umbro Soccer, Nike Crown Basketball, Raptors 905, Dominican Republic Basketball SMNT and ACE-Team Canada. Sabrina is joining our team as a member on our Board of Directors and the league’s Medical Director. Should you have any questions or concerns about the Athletic Therapists on-site, referrals to sports med clinics in your area, medical documentation, or any inquiries about medical supplies (such as custom or generic braces, sleeves, biofreeze, tensor wraps, foam rollers, etc.), please feel free to reach out to Sabrina at athleticaelite@gmail.com.
League Staff
Medical Director – Sabrina Brathwaite
Website Manager – Nikki Cvoro
Social Media Manager – Hana Kupina
Gameday Manager – Michelle Ye
Video Coordinator – Diego San Agustin
Stats Coordinator – Samarah Mohenu
Administrator/Treasurer – Chanelle Smith