Prairie short grasses, rolling foothills, the Rocky Mountains, and the Chinook winds. These words, spoken to a Southern Albertan whether they still live here or not, evoke a myriad of memories, each unique to the individual, yet all rooted in the concept of home.

Family names like Tollestrup, Hicken, Gibb, McMurray, Molcak, Rice, Karren, West, Bourne, Heggie, Stevenson Rollingson, Mirkovich, and many others evoke another set of memories of “home”. Home on the basketball court.

The mere mention of teams like the “Cougars” or “Shooting Stars”, the “Zeniths” or ‘‘Rockets”, the “Comets”, the “Hell Cats” or the “Union Jacks”, the “Rams” or “Broders”, the “Lakers” or “Globetrotters”, the “Saints” or “Rebels”, then add “Kodiaks”, “Pronghorns” or “Doug’s” and to decades of Southern Albertans, you evoke a very different and specific set or memories and will for decades to come. These names, whether familial or team-based, hold the power to transport us back to moments.

There are dozens of other names, be they family names or team names and names will, not might or could, but WILL evoke a plethora of memories to many Southern Albertans whether they still call Southern Alberta home or whether they just have memories of living here. The memories will vary but the topic is the same for everyone. 

Whether you are from Stirling, Raymond, Magrath or Cardston, Foremost, New Dayton or Milk River, Taber or Barnwell, Lethbridge, or virtually any other Southern Alberta town, basketball either has or continues to unite or polarize the town but at the end of the day, we all cheer for our home team.

Basketball has woven itself into the fabric of our communities. It is more than a sport; it is a unifying force that transcends generations and boundaries. Yet, it is not without its controversies and debates. In some towns simple questions like which was the best version of the team or who was the best player can easily ramp up from a simple discussion to a very heated debate, sometimes verging on a physical altercation.

In the coming months, we embark on a journey through Southern Alberta Basketball to stir memories and spark conversations. Even for those who may not have firsthand recollections, the shared stories and images will surely resonate with them. Moreover, there is the potential for new insights and perspectives to emerge, enriching our appreciation for the game.

Feel free to come along with the Galt Museum & Archives and myself in perhaps discovering some new Southern Alberta Basketball memories. If you enjoy these retro glimpses of the game we love to watch, play, coach, or officiate, let me announce now that we will be launching a multi-book series on Southern Alberta Basketball that with any luck will be available at the Galt Museum & Archives Gift Shop and a few other Southern Alberta locations in the fall of 2024.