By Mitch Bach

Closing the curtain; Rattlers Ralko eyeing down CCAA gold

Oct 4, 2017 | 5:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Just over two weeks remain until the MHC Rattlers men’s basketball team opens a new regular season.

Collin Ralko doesn’t want it to end.

“It’s bittersweet,” said the five-year Rattler, who helped his squad to an impressive 21-3 record last season. “I wish I could play five more, it’s a passion in me that’s never going to burn out.

Ralko is setting sail on his final campaign for the Black and Gold.

“I’m just trying to take it each game, it’s a blessing how it is,” he said. “Just going to give it my all the whole way, and I’ve got no regrets to that.”

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Ralko and the rest of his men’s team are coming off one of the most impressive campaigns in school history. Two of the team’s three losses were by forfeit. The third coming in the dying seconds of overtime to the Red Deer Kings.

But the success turned to heartbreak in the playoffs, falling to the Lethbridge College Kodiaks in the semi-finals of the ACAC Provincial Championship. The Rattlers rebounded and won bronze, but it barely numbs the sting of missing out on gold, along with a trip to the CCAA National Championship.

Five players graduated from that star studded lineup last season, bringing a wealth of new talent to the Rattlers program this year. Most of the new recruits come from western Canada, with several more from the deep south of the United States.

But Ralko says the new guys are gelling well with the Rattlers systems, and that has him raising the bar even higher this season.

“If you’re not trying to increase the bar and chase that perfection level, there’s no point in wanting to be here,” said the guard. “You’ve got to go for gold, go the whole way, or you’re wasting your time being here.”

That’s the message Ralko lived by through the off-season as well. Too many times to count, he called up coach Rich Humphrey to help him train and prepare for his final shot at gold.

“He was on the phone with me everyday this summer asking me to work him out,” said Humphrey, entering his second year as head coach. “He was there everyday. He was in a flop sweat right off the hop, so his game has actually improved tremendously.”

“I actually explained to (coach Rich) one time, when I came back from visiting home at the end of June I was at 200 pounds,” added Ralko. “It was a good 200, it wasn’t a fat 200. I did two simple hour workouts with (Rich) and I lost seven pounds right off the bat.”

Ralko says conditioning, ball handling and shooting drills helped trim his stature, creating a leaner, faster player loaded with leadership for the Rattlers.

Coach Humphrey says Ralko’s veteran presence is already helping the new players fit the mold.

“Our leadership with Collin and (fourth year) Steven Jones, those guys have set the tone early as to what’s expected of them,” added Humphrey. “We don’t have rules, we have standards, so it’s easier to enforce those things.”

The Rattlers open the regular season on October 20, hosting the St. Mary’s Lightning at the Snake Pit — the first step toward’s Ralko’s main goal come next March.

“I want nationals in my fifth year,” he said with a smile. “A nice ring to end it off would be a beautiful thing.”