Ken Gould Tournament holds deeper meaning for STU’s basketball community

The annual Ken Gould tournament took place from Oct. 17 to Oct. 19. (Credit: STU Athletics)

A premier date of the St. Thomas University (STU) athletics calendar is the Ken Gould invitational basketball tournament.

Every year, the men’s and women’s basketball teams use the event to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Kenneth “Ken” Gould, an alumnus of the STU basketball program.

Gould played for the Tommies during the 1960s. During that time, he helped the team win three consecutive championships. Following his tenure with the Tommies, Gould began his municipal politics career as a councillor for the city of Saint John. 

STU Athletics launched the tournament in 2011. Gould was inducted into the school's wall of fame the same year and passed away in 2020.  

This year’s edition of the Ken Gould tournament took place from Oct. 17 to Oct. 19. Five teams from the Atlantic Collegiate Athletics Association (ACAA) took part in a series of exhibition matches at the Lady Beaverbrook Gym. 

STU’s men’s and women's basketball teams played three games each.

Fred Connors, coach of the women’s basketball team, has held the position for 23 years and has been a part of STU’s basketball community for 29 years.

Connors was the person who started the Ken Gould tournament 14 years ago. For him, the three-day competition is more than "just basketball” or a tournament with games. Instead, it has become a marquee event for the squad.

“It started out for the first two years as a women's tournament. Once we had a couple of years of success, the guys wanted to get involved. And we expanded into having a men's bracket,” said Connors. “I had a chance to meet Ken before he passed away and he was a very friendly and social man. So, it's nice to be able to honour him and do so in a way that's complimentary of his time at STU.” 

This year’s edition of the Ken Gould tournament was held alongside an alumni event. Gould’s family was also involved. His daughter and grandson completed the ceremonial tipoff to open the tournament.  

Connors believes that having these features included in the tournament is what makes it more “dynamic and interesting” for the players and the fans.  

“[The event] is something that's important in terms of our alumni. Ken was a player here. He's in the STU Wall of Fame. His daughter has a connection here. There's a lot of support from his family … So it's not just about basketball,” he said. “We could hold a weekend tournament and call it nothing, right? But this is about honouring Ken and the things that he was able to do here. So, it does have a bit of a special meaning.” 

Katie Vidito, fourth-year forward for the women’s team, believes the tournament helps bring the community together in the name of celebrating Gould’s life and legacy. She referred to the former player as “someone special” in the program’s history.  

“I know a lot of us are just super excited to put our best foot forward and kind of show what we've been working toward since the beginning of September.” 

Vidito said the tournament has become an event that brings a lot of good energy to the gym, both on and off the court. For some teams, it is their first time playing and competing against each other before the start of the season. 

“It's not just a basketball tournament, it's an event,” said Vidito. “And I know we have been, with all the alumni stuff, creating that environment where people want to keep coming back.” 

Alyssa Jeffrey, fifth-year guard for the women’s team, missed last year’s event due to an injury. She said she was “very excited” to take part in her last Ken Gould tournament at STU.

Even though Jeffrey never met Gould, she has heard great things about the former player. At the same time, she believes the event is a great way to prepare for what to expect from the team’s opponents this season.  

“The biggest thing is we take everything that we do in practice this weekend. It's nice to know what other teams are doing, but at the end of day, we do focus on us and it's just good practice going into the regular season.”  

Jeffrey described the atmosphere of the event as a “playoff vibe.”  

“It can get very intense, but it's good basketball. I think that's why a lot of people come. It's good basketball even though it's preseason,” she said. “And some teams are new to each other.”

John Hickey, head coach of the STU men’s basketball team, has been in the position for the past seven seasons. He thought the playing teams in the Ken Gould tournament weeks before the season opener was a “good test” for the Tommies. 

Hickey said the tournament in Gould’s honour is a great way to celebrate a prominent player who helped build a winning culture.  

“Ken was a prominent figure in the men's basketball program. His family, even after his passing, comes up for the weekend. So, it's great to see Stephanie and the kids ... here to chat basketball, chat Tommies,” said Hickey. “It's important for our players to recognize why the tournament is named what it is, and where everything came from.” 

As for his hopes for the future of the event, Hickey wants to see the event grow and become more popular within the basketball and broader STU community.

Caleb Scholten, second-year guard for the men's basketball team, said he was “pumped” to take part in such a great event.  

“We get a chance to play three games in front of our home crowd,” said Scholten. We’re hoping to pack the house and get all the other STU athletic teams out to support us.”