The Ottawa Blackjacks’ inaugural season in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) did not go as anyone could have expected. The league was forced to turn the season into a tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the team has now lost their general manager.
The Blackjacks were still able to advance to the semi-finals of the tournament, before they would lose to eventual champions, the Edmonton Stingers. The organization is littered with past and present Carleton Ravens.
However, one face Ravens’ fans are familiar with will no longer be with the team. That would be former long-time coach of the Ravens, Dave Smart, who was the Blackjacks’ general manager. Smart is stepping down from the position after one season with the club.
A major factor in this decision was spending more time with his family and wanting to be around to see his kids grow up, Smart said. He added he felt it was important to focus his time at Carleton due to the pandemic.
“I’ve got my main job at Carleton, and I feel like especially during a pandemic I need to put a lot of time and energy into it because there’s a lot of tough decisions to be made throughout athletics,” Smart said.
Being such an active figure in the Ottawa sports community as well as a father doesn’t leave Smart enough time to also manage the Blackjacks. He also works in an advisory role for the Ottawa Senators and is involved in grassroots basketball in the city.
Smart, along with other Carleton alumni, is currently forming a group to help combat racism and help minority youth in the Ottawa community. Smart said one of the biggest factors in this decision was wanting to give this new project the attention he felt it deserves.
“It’s really turning into something special, and I think it can really help minority children in the community going forward,” Smart said.
It will be a strange sight for the many Ravens who now play for the Blackjacks not seeing Smart involved with the team. Lloyd Pandi, who still plays for the Ravens men’s basketball team and was called up to join the Blackjacks during the tournament, is one of the players who will have to adjust.
Pandi said playing for someone like Smart is a great experience and that he doesn’t ask anything from his players besides performing to the best of their abilities. He also said it’s unknown as to how Smart’s departure will affect the Blackjacks’ ability to recruit Ravens players in the future.
“There’s a high chance it could have an impact, but since we still have Osvaldo [Jeanty] as the head coach who’s a Ravens alumni, I don’t know how that will go in the future,” Pandi said. “But for right now, I definitely think that there will probably be a change.”
It remains unclear who will replace Smart as general manager of the Blackjacks going forward. However, Smart and current players said they believe the team is in good hands and has a bright future in Ottawa.
“Long-term, I think this is a team the city can get behind,” Smart said.
Featured graphic from file.
