Yale Secondary standout Madison Draayers has officially signed on the dotted line with the UFV Cascades women’s basketball program.
The versatile wing player is no stranger to women’s team head coach Al Tuchscherer as the longtime Cascades bench boss has coached her the last four summers – three with the Junior Cascades club, and one with BC United.
“The thing that’s always stuck out to me is how much she loves to play basketball,” he said. “She’s always working on her game, and that work ethic has paid off. She’s a fantastic shooter, she can play a little bit inside, and she has a great understanding of the game.”
During her Grade 11 year, Draayers was a second team all-star at the AAA Fraser Valley tournament, helping her Lions earn a berth at the provincial championships, where they finished 11th. At season’s end, she was selected for the Fraser Valley all-star squad for the Futures game (featuring Grade 10 and 11 athletes) against the Lower Mainland, and was named the female athlete of the year at Yale.
This season, Draayers’s Yale squad has won the G.W. Graham, Yale, and Abbotsford Police tournaments. She’s also an alum of the B.C. provincial program, suiting up for the U16 squad in 2016, and she was part of a B.C. Grade 8 championship-winning team at W.A. Fraser Middle School in 2014.
“I chose the Cascades because I love what they have to offer, both academically and basketball-wise,” she said. “I also think a big point for me was, I grew up as a Junior Cascade, so I’m familiar with the team and the coaching staff. I’m excited to continue now as a Cascade.”
The Cascades also announced the signing of guard Abby Zawada from Richmond, the younger sister of current Cascade Jessica Zawada.
Zawada has excelled throughout her Grade 12 year – she’s averaging 21 points, seven rebounds and two assists per game while helping her R.A. McMath squad win 13 of its last 14 games.