FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Saskatchewan Rattlers today announced that head coach Chad Jacobson will be returning for the 2021 season. Jacobson returns for his third season with the team and his second as head coach.
Jacobson served as assistant coach of the Saskatchewan Rattlers in its inaugural title-winning season. Jacobson is currently the lead assistant coach with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and has spent eight-plus years as an assistant with the program. He will remain in this role whilst taking the helm with the Rattlers.
“I’m very happy and extremely grateful for the opportunity to be back with the Rattlers and in the CEBL for the 2021 season”, said Rattlers Head Coach Chad Jacobson. “I’m looking forward to continuing our commitment to build a winning team both on the court and in the community this summer. I’m excited to get back to work with our team this season.”
Jacobson made his professional head coaching debut for the Rattlers in the 2020 Summer Series. The Rattlers started their Summer Series campaign hot out of the blocks with a 96-79 win over the Niagara River Lions. The Rattlers went on to post a 1-5 mark in the 15-day CEBL Summer Series, a single-site league competition held in St. Catharines, Ont. last summer.
“We are excited to have Chad Jacobson returning as our head coach for the 2021 season”, said Saskatchewan General Manager Barry Rawlyk. “The limitations of Covid-19 compounded by a short tournament greatly limited what Chad was able to do with the type of team he envisioned when he was hired last year. In a short period of time, Chad created a strong culture within the locker room, and we look forward to seeing that grow and develop even further in 2021. He deserves the opportunity to have a full and what we hope will be a more typical season to lead our team. I’ve worked with Chad for several years now and I know how committed and driven he is to bring another championship back to Saskatchewan.”
Originally from Brandon, Man., Jacobson spent three years on the Minot State University men’s basketball team from 2001-04. Jacobson then returned back to Brandon where he played two years with the Brandon University Bobcats from 2005-07. In 2007, Jacobson was a member of the CIS (now U Sports) silver medal team. Upon graduating from Brandon University, Jacobson remained with the team as an assistant coach for the 2007-08 season. He went on to spend two years coaching the Junior Varsity Boys basketball team at his former high school before joining the Huskies men’s basketball team in 2013. Jacobson also served as the Head Coach of the U17 Saskatchewan Boys Provincial Team in 2018.
The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021 starting June 5, 2021 following the success of this past year’s CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ont., which saw millions of viewers across Canada and around the world tune in starting July 25 to watch 26 games played over 15 days in a single-site league competition. The CEBL became the first professional sports league in Canada to return to play after the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in mid-March shut down sports across the country. For more information on the Rattlers, visit therattlers.ca.
