Today on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Megan Noonan.

She is a graduate of Fort Richmond Collegiate and played four summers with the Manitoba Provincial Team.  She was ranked in the Top 10  and was named an All-Manitoban in her grade 12 year.

She went on to have a five-year career with the University of Winnipeg Wesmen, where she was a three-time co-captain and a two-time Canada West All-Star, winning a Bronze Medal at the Canada West Final Four.  She still ranks among the all-time leaders in three-pointers made in Canada West history. 

She returned to Fort Richmond as head coach of the varsity girls' team, leading them to a divisional championship and earning MHSAA Coach of the Year honours in 2020.

She has coached at multiple levels, including head coach of the 17U Female Provincial Team in 2018, TAP South program,  U15 Evolve Girls Program and the Mini Ballers grassroots program.

She is currently an assistant coach with the University of Winnipeg Wesmen, mentor coach for the 15U girls provincial team and serves as the Director of Operations for the Winnipeg Sea Bears.

Today on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Norm Froemel.

He is a graduate of J.H. Bruns Collegiate.  He played 2  years on the Manitoba Provincial Teams, winning two Bronze Medals.

He went on to play at the University of Winnipeg for 5 years. There, he was a 3-time GPAC All-Star and a 1-time All-Canadian, averaging 23 points per game in his final season, and is the all-time leading rebounder in Wesmen history.

He represented Canada on numerous occasions at the national level in Argentina, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the United States, winning a silver medal at the World Student Games in Buffalo, New York, in 1993.

He also had a very successful professional career in Germany, where he played for seven years in the Bundesliga Division 1. 

After retiring, he returned to Winnipeg to give back as a coach and mentor. He returned to his alma mater, J.H. Bruns, as a teacher and coach.  He has also coached with the Manitoba Provincial Team for two years.

He is a member of the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

He is currently coaching grade 8 girls at Samuel Burland School and is a WMBA Board member. 

Today, on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Kelli Sinnock.

She is a Graduate of Fort Richmond Collegiate and has been coaching basketball for over 20 years. Coaching Basketball camps, community, club, Junior high, high school, and provincial team levels. 

She’s been the Varsity Girls' Basketball Coach at Sanford Collegiate since 2008 and is deeply involved in developing grassroots basketball in rural Manitoba. 

Throughout her coaching career, Kelli has been involved with a wide range of programs, such as the Jr. Bisons, junior high teams, Legion Athletic Camps, and the Manitoba Provincial Team.

She founded the Mini and Junior Sabres Programs, as well as playing a key role in the creation of the TAP South.  She was named the Basketball Manitoba AAA Coach of the Year and Grey Cup Legacy Female High School Coach of the Year for 2024.

Currently serving as an assistant coach with the Manitoba Provincial Team 17U Female program, preparing to represent the province at the 2025 Canada Games in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Today on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Marlin Kraus.

He has been involved in basketball since 1991. He is a graduate of Sisler High School, where he made it to the final four in his grade 11 year, and in his grade 12 year, he was ranked the number two player in the province. He played 3 years on the Manitoba Provincial Team program.

He then went on to play at the University of Winnipeg Wesmen for two years. After graduating, he moved into coaching.

He has coached at the Community, High school, Club, and provincial team levels, working with the Jr Bisons, Niverville, and Sturgeon Heights Collegiate, as well as the U15 and U17 Boys Provincial Team programs.

He also served on the executive board of the Jr Bisons Basketball club and was a co-developer of the JRB Elite Program.

He is the founder, current head coach, and president of the Legacy Preparatory Basketball Academy program. He is a current member of the Basketball Manitoba Board of Directors.

Today on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we are pleased to present our second Special Edition Episode, a curated collection of invaluable advice, insights, and philosophies from some of the most respected basketball minds in Manitoba’s history.

Over the years, we've had the privilege of sitting down with dozens of coaches who have helped shape the landscape of basketball in our province. In this episode, we revisit some of the most impactful moments from past interviews — all focused on one common theme: coaching excellence.

Whether you're a seasoned veteran on the sidelines, a new coach just starting your journey, or simply a fan of the game, this episode offers a wide range of perspectives on what it takes to succeed as a leader in basketball. You'll hear about:

• Building a strong team culture
• Motivating young athletes
• Overcoming adversity
• Long-term player development
• The evolution of coaching philosophies over time
• And the importance of mentorship and continuous learning

These segments are pulled from interviews with many of Manitoba's most successful and influential coaches — individuals who have not only found success on the scoreboard but have also made a lasting impact on the lives of their players and communities.

Tune in, take notes, and be inspired. This is a celebration of the coaches who continue to elevate the game in Manitoba and beyond.

Today on the Basketball Manitoba podcast, we have Jeff Laping.

A graduate of St. Paul’s High School, he has been involved with the school’s basketball program since 1995 and has coached the varsity boys since 2000.

He has led the Crusaders to five conference championships, 12 final four appearances, and four provincial championships. 

Under his leadership, St. Paul’s has produced 25 Canadian college or USports level players.

He has served as an assistant coach with the University of Manitoba Bisons and has coached multiple provincial teams and with Canada Basketball’s Centre for Performance. 

He is the former president of the Manitoba Basketball Coaches Association and has received numerous accolades, including AAAA Boys Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2014, and the Peter Dyck Award for Coaching Excellence in 2010.

Today on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Joel Themmen. 

He has been a staple in the Basketball Community for over 30 years.  He is a graduate of Kildonan East Collegiate and then went on to play basketball at the University of Manitoba for 3 years. 

He coached high school for 11 years at Kildonan East, Sisler, Miles Mac and Fort Richmond.  He coached the Manitoba Provincial Team as an assistant coach 6 times and a head coach once.

He’s been an assistant coach with the University of Manitoba Bisons Men’s and Women’s teams for 6 seasons and was an assistant at Red River College for 6 years.  He was on the coaching staff with the Winnipeg Cyclone for 1 year.  

Currently, he is an Assistant Coach with Scott Martin at Canadian Mennonite University, a role he’s held for 6 years.  He was also a Basketball Manitoba board member for 2 years. 

Today, on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Martha Bradbury.

She has been an official in Manitoba for over 25 years at all levels of the game.  She graduated from Nelson High School in Burlington, Ontario, where she was named athlete of the year.

She played basketball and volleyball and competed in track and field, where she held an Ontario record for the high jump for 10 years.  She went on to graduate from the University of Manitoba.  

She was a U SPORTS / CIS official for over 22 years and officiated the U SPORTS Nationals four times.  She officiated at the Canada Basketball National Championships five times and was a Referee Coach at nationals 8 times.  She is currently the Manitoba Provincial Supervisor and Board Member for the Manitoba Association of Basketball Officials (MABO).  

She is currently one of MABO’s lead clinicians and evaluators and represented the Canadian Basketball Officials Commission on the Jr. NBA Canadian Leadership Council.

Today, on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Earl Roberts. 

He played high school basketball at Humberside Collegiate and Runnymede Collegiate in Toronto. He then went on to play at Brandon University. 

There, he was a 5-year starter and helped Brandon go to the National Tournament 3 times, securing two bronze medals and a silver in 1984

He is a two-time GPAC All-Star and is a Brandon University Dick and Verda McDonald Sports Wall of Fame member.  He’s a Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame member, Class of 2005 

Beyond his playing days, he has dedicated over 30 years to officiating basketball at various levels, including local, provincial, and U SPORTS national competitions, 3 times, and has been an official of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

Most recently, he has been a member of the Pathway to Excellence committee, whose mission is to develop up-and-coming officials to become U SPORTS and International officials.

Today, on the Basketball Manitoba Podcast, we have Ilarion Bonhomme, the current head coach of the Brandon Bobcats women’s program.

He played high school basketball at Cardozo High School in Washington, DC.

He played at Brandon University for three years and was named Canada West Rookie of the Year. He transferred to play his last two years with the University of Manitoba Bisons and helped the program return to excellence, earning their first trip to nationals in 30 years after securing a silver medal in the Canada West playoffs in 2018

He then played internationally in Norway, Australia, Sweden, Ukraine, Spain, and the United Kingdom for six seasons.

In 2024, he retired from playing and was named the Head Coach of the Brandon University Women’s Basketball Team.