In the shadow of a beautiful game, a Canadian is finding opportunity across the pond on the hard courts of England.Andrew MacKay, a former Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School Lakers basketball player, has found great opportunity playing basketball in Manchester, England — a city better known for its Manchester United soccer team than the Manchester Magic, a semi-professional team in the English Basketball League.
Encouraged by his high school coach Doug Ball, MacKay took a chance on playing in England two years ago, heading over on a plane and staying a week with family friends. He made the calls to coaches in search of open tryouts and landed a spot in his first tryout with the Magic.
“My dream as a kid was first to be a hockey player, as it is for almost any Canadian kid. In my early teens my dream was to become a professional golfer and by the end of high school Doug Ball had me inspired to play basketball at the university level,” said MacKay. “My coach at Wilfrid Laurier, Peter Campbell, made me believe it was possible to continue playing after school and the work I did with him and (personal trainer) Andrew Urban helped me realize that dream.”
The six-foot-seven Magic player said Manchester is similar to Canada except there is rain instead of snow and the soccer culture here “belittles our hockey culture.” His club responsibilities don’t just start and end with play on the court.
“Life here is great. I work for the club, organizing a primary school league and coaching both at the club and in local schools. The guys on the team are great — we all get along on and off the court, which makes life much more pleasant. I’ve also played a bit of golf, and I’m anxiously anticipating my golf trip to Scotland.”
His salary does not come from playing, but from coaching and helping with the primary school program while his vehicle and accommodations are taken care of by the club.
The fan support for the team, though small, is a “fairly tight-knit community as we often enjoy a drink in the pub with them after the game.”
MacKay said this is likely his last season with the club, though.
“It has been a great experience, but I feel it’s time to move on to another challenge. I’m returning to Bracebridge for the summer to work as an assistant (golf) pro at Muskoka Highlands Golf Course, then I’ll be moving back to Waterloo University to pursue my CA (chartered accountant) designation and start as an assistant coach at my alma mater, Wilfrid Laurier University,” MacKay said in an e-mail.
The team is together from late-September until mid-April and plays approximately 30 games, including league, playoffs, national cup and the national trophy.
With a 13-1 record, Manchester Magic is close to the end of the season and the team is just ahead of second-place Worthing Thunder by two points.
The Magic has already captured its first National Cup in 2007 and defended this title in January 2008.