ABA announces 2026 provincial team coaches
Alberta Basketball Association (ABA) has announced the coaching staffs for its 2026 15U and 17U men’s and women’s provincial teams.
Head coaches Cole Wijeyaratnam (15U men), Sarah Besselink (15U women), Jhonny Verrone (17U men) and Megan Wickstrom (17U women) will guide their respective team in a competition at the Canada Basketball National Championships next summer. Each has experience coaching on multiple medal-winning teams at past National Championships.
Rounding out the staffs are assistant coaches from some of the province’s top post-secondary, high school and club basketball programs.
Alberta’s 15U and 17U men’s and women’s teams have all medalled in national competition each of the last two summers. In 2024, all four ABA provincial teams won bronze at the l National Championships. In 2025, ABA’s 17U teams won gold at the Canada Summer Games, while its 15U teams captured bronze at the National Championships.
15U men’s
- Head Coach: Cole Wijeyaratnam
- Assistant Coach: Adrian Tomlinson
- Assistant Coach: Ismail Khedri
- Apprentice Coach: Keaton Taylor
15U women’s
- Head Coach: Sarah Besselink
- Assistant Coach: Haley Fedick
- Assistant Coach: Kyle Palmer
17U men’s
- Head Coach: Jhony Verrone
- Assistant Coach: Michael Shelast
- Assistant Coach: Zane Sweeney
- Apprentice Coach: Brett Jakubec
17U women’s
- Head Coach: Megan Wickstrom
- Assistant Coach: Marissa Lindquist
- Assistant Coach: Kiera Lyons
