Morinville News Makers and Shakers: Serge Froment

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Serge Froment – Basketball Coach

We conclude this March Break Movers and Shakers feature with three Morinville News Makers and Shakers: The Morinville Community Library, Serge Froment and Lucie Roy

By Stephen Dafoe

When the ball of credit is being dribbled and passed around, it is never about Serge Froment – at least when Froment is talking about his Morinville Road Runners. It’s always about the girls, the boys, the coaches, the league, the community that supports them, and the great opportunity the game of basketball offers youth.

After eight years of operation, the Morinville Road Runners entered this past season with 100 players and eight teams, all competing in the Edmonton Youth Basketball Association.

Road Runners founder and coach Serge Froment said earlier this year he attributes the Road Runners’ longevity and growth to a core group of players and their parents. “To this day that core group is together,” Froment said. “That core group and those parents have provided all the commitment and passion and energy needed for other groups to get excited and follow.”

Though Froment is right, the parents and coaches credit Froment’s dedication to the Road Runners as the reason behind their having won three straight provincial titles as well as three straight City championships.

Froment has said basketball offers a greater opportunity for players than baseball and soccer because it offers a longer season during which skills can build.

Working hard is a requirement of being a member of the Morinville Road Runners both for players and coaches, but the work does not end when the game or practise is done. And it is the responsibilities off the court that transcends Froment from being a mover and shaker in the Morinville sports scene to being a mover and shaker in the lives of youth in the community. Froment assigns his players with what he calls homework, duties that have nothing to do with the game but everything to do with his program.

Froment has said he started assigning homework over the years because he wanted to provide a better and better experience for the kids beyond basketball. Those homework assignments include players thanking parents for taking them to games and practices, and even thanking parents for providing meals. This past season Froment assigned players the task of complimenting somebody. “I tell the kids once they do do something like this, you might think you are helping that person because you put a smile on their face and made their day, but I guarantee these things come back and immediately feed you,” Froment said at the time. The homework component was begun the first year the Road Runners took to the court and maintains to this day, an opportunity to build better people along with building better players.

Beyond offering a little thanks and pay-it-forward respect, Froment calls on his players to be leaders in their schools and communities by not countenancing bullying and by offering to mentor those who struggle.

The Morinville Road Runners may move and shake on the basketball court, but their coach is moving and shaking what it means to be a coach working with youth, and he is passing that coaching style and enthusiasm on to those who work with him.

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1 Comment

  1. Bonjour Serge,
    As-tu un lien de parenté avec Paul et Maurice Froment, les fils de Roméo Froment ?
    Je suis impressionné par ton curriculum vitae…

    Un cousin Québécois !!!…

    Adélard

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