News Archives: GPRC Announces New Coach for Women's Basketball
Wednesday, June 17th, 2015
GPRC Wolves Athletics is pleased to announce the appointment of Wolves Alumni, Graeme Ryder, to the position of Wolves Women’s Basketball Head Coach starting July 2015. Ryder replaces Dave Waknuk who has accepted a full time Assistant Coach position with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.
Ryder is no stranger to the Basketball program as he played for 4 years, from 2005 to 2009, with 3 years as the starting point guard & team captain. Since the 2012/13 season, Ryder has served as the Lead Assistant Coach to Waknuk and previously to that, Scout for the College program.
Alongside Ryder’s history with the Wolves College program, his involvement in the community has been extensive. Along with his involvement with Wolves Basketball Club, Minor Basketball, Summer Camps and Basketball Alberta, Ryder has also coached Team Alberta’s U 16 Girl’s Provincial team. This team won gold at the 2014 Western Canadian Championships.
Coach Dave Waknuk said of Ryder “I am looking forward to watching the next chapter of Wolves Basketball take place, with Head Coach Graeme Ryder. The program is headed in a great direction and I know that it will continue to thrive under Graeme’s leadership and vision.”
Waknuk who was with the GPRC Wolves for 10 seasons (2005-2015), including six years as Head Coach, winning the ACAC Championship in 2011 and the ACAC North Coach of the Year, says of his departure “I am very excited for this next challenge in my basketball coaching journey, but I will be forever grateful for my time with GPRC and will continue to support the Wolves and all the tremendous people that make up the program”.
In total, Waknuk coached in 250 ACAC games with the Wolves, producing many conference and national all-stars throughout his time. He was instrumental in developing the Wolves community basketball programs.
Waknuk and Ryder will continue to coach together this summer. They are working together with the Team Alberta Girls’ Basketball team that will be competing at the 2015 Western Canadian Summer Games in Wood Buffalo.
For more information, please contact:
François Fournier
Athletic Director GPRC
Phone: 780-539-2230
Email: ffournier@gprc.ab.ca
Graeme Ryder
GPRC Wolves Women’s Basketball Coach
Phone: 780-380-6264
Email: graemeryder@ymail.com