A new basketball academy program will be about so much more than basketball, according to the skills expert who will be running it.

“Athletics mirrors what you are in the rest of your life,” says Bob Loebach, the St. Anne Catholic High School teacher and coach who will oversee the Future Saints skills academy, a before school program for Grades 6-8 students enrolled in any of St. Anne’s feeder elementary schools.

“I want to continue to promote the development of basketball in our community in addition to giving the kids the skills and confidence needed to improve and challenge themselves as both students and athletes,” he said.

A graduate of St. Anne who also spent part of his teaching career at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic High School, Loebach brings 30-plus years of coaching to the Academy. He has coached both boys and girls at the high school level and has competed in numerous WECSSA, SWOSSAA and OFSAA competitions.

Besides the morning program, he will also be the teacher overseeing the day program academy for students at the high school.

Loebach said he continues to learn more about the game and stays on top of the latest trends in player development.

 “Having coached all levels, I feel I have an understanding of what skills and concepts should be taught for a player to have success,” he said.

His practice planning is very organized and detailed and he finds strength in being able to get the kids to believe in their own abilities. He wants to see his students become more confident, improve in their ability as players, and most importantly instill a belief that they can achieve success in the classroom, the community and on the court.

“There is never an ‘I can’t,’” he said, “just an ‘I haven’t done that yet.’”