Concordia women’s basketball sets the standard
As Concordia’s veteran trio prepares to graduate, the team must replace more than just production
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Serena Tchida, Victoria Lawrence and Angela Batrla account for 53 per cent of the Concordia University women's basketball team's production. But their unseen work ethic and off-court leadership have had just as much of an impact on the team.
The departure of the three seniors at the end of the season will leave a significant void in a young squad still finding its footing.
"They're definitely very vocal off the court to keep us accountable," rookie Saydie Roy said. "Because at the end of the day, we want to win."
That will to win drives the team's work day in and day out.
"It's just to keep people accountable, to make sure that you're getting your shots up, that you're having your protein shakes, that you're doing the extra workouts," Roy said. "Especially Vic (Lawrence) and Serena (Tchida), because it is their last year. They have nothing to lose. This is their last chance."
Tchida, the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) conference leader in points and rebounds per game, describes the trio's dynamic as a family, each playing a distinct role.
"I'm more like the calm leader. I'm like the mom of the whole family," Tchida said. "Victoria (Lawrence) is like the energy, the fire of the team. And I think Angie (Batrla) is like a mix of both, but in a different way. She shows up when we need her to show up."
Tchida’s path to leadership was not straightforward. In her first year, five veterans graduated, propelling her into captaincy the following year. Injuries also forced her to lead from the sideline, including a brutal torn Achilles tendon in 2022-23.
"I went from being a rookie to being a captain. It was like a shock. I didn't ask for it, but I guess it found me," Tchida said. "During my injury, I learned the most about who I am and how to be a better leader."
Those leadership skills make Tchida an important influence for young players like Roy, who are making the transition to university.
"They're all very approachable,” Roy said. “If anything is happening in your personal life, basketball-wise or not, they are people I can go to and open up to very easily."
As for Lawrence—last year's RSEQ defensive player of the year and the conference’s current steals leader—she sets the tone with her defence, channelling her energy into every possession. It is not only her skill that stands out, but the example she sets in leading this team.
"I'm in the war, battling with my team," Lawrence said. "When they feed off me, it's like, ‘OK, you guys are turning up for me.’ It just feels good."
That leadership extends to pushing her teammates to match her intensity in practice, so it is then emulated in games.
“I went from being a rookie to being a captain. It was like a shock. I didn’t ask for it, but I guess it found me.” — Serena Tchida, centre, Concordia women’s basketball
“If I'm playing the way I'm playing and I see they're not matching my intensity, I'll definitely get at them like, ‘Yo, let's go,’” she said. "My defence is definitely an example of what good defence should be like."
Roy says watching Lawrence compete every day has changed how she approaches the game.
"It's just the way that they fight on the court. I find it's really inspiring," Roy said. "When I get further in my basketball career, I hope that I can be as tough and aggressive as they are on the court."
Off the court, however, the veterans’ ability to show up day in and day out for their teammates and hold a standard for themselves and others makes them integral to this squad.
In thinking about the veterans' role in her own journey, Roy hopes to honour what they have built.
"I just hope that I can do what the vets did for me and make it as easy as possible for the next rookies, and just be a leaning shoulder if needed," she said.
As for their own legacies, Lawrence wants to leave behind an attitude.
"I hope I'm leaving them with just that dog in them: throwing your body out there, knowing the play is never dead and that defence definitely wins games,” Lawrence said.
Tchida is thinking beyond Concordia. With professional aspirations, she hopes her success puts Quebec basketball on the map.
"I hope my legacy will be to show that there's talent in RSEQ, there's talent in Montreal, Quebec,” Tchida said. “I just hope that I'll continue to show the world, when I go pro, that there's talent here. Even with the lack of resources, we're still able to go far."
