Maple Ridge Secondary School’s basketball program has a long history of giving back to the community. The Ramblers and its graduating players make it a point to come back to the school and help out when they can.
Now the Ramblers are set to honour one of its past grads, who died Nov. 16, 2009.
Dean Adams was one of the most dedicated student-athletes to wear the Ramblers jersey, said current Ramblers junior boys’ coach Katie Macleod.
Now the school’s annual tournament, which hosts six teams featuring past and present players, will be called the Dean Adams Memorial Rambler Grad Tournament.
There has been a desire on behalf of Rambler Grads to do something to recognize Dean, since we lost him in 2009,” said Macleod, who also noted that many grads are highly involved in the Ramblers Basketball program.
She said it’s not uncommon for them to come back and help with the current teams at the high school, as well as the youth basketball programs. Macleod said she spoke with Adams’ sister, who permitted the Ramblers to move forward with naming the tournament in his memory.
“When we spoke, we were both deeply affected by the date of the annual tournament, and it’s falling so close to the anniversary of Dean’s death. Naming it after Dean seemed right,” said Macleod.
Adams helped lead the Ramblers the to provincial finals against crosstown rival Pitt Meadows in 1989. After being maned MRSS athlete of the year, Adams went on to play under famed Canadian basketball coach Jay Triano at Simon Fraser University, where he studied criminology. Adams joined the RCMP in 1996 and served until his death in 2009.
In addition to his work with Ramblers basketball, Adams was well respected for his work in the Squamish Aboriginal community said Macleod. Adam’s passion for dragon boating has been honoured by the Squamish First Nation’s annual National Aboriginal as they host the Dean Adams Memorial Canoe Race, which features teams from the Squamish First Nation, B.C. Ambulance, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the RCMP.