The moment one sports season comes to an end, a ritual for coaches, players and fans alike begins. Almost immediately, the thoughts turn to "next year", with a fresh slate carrying with it the eternal optimism that comes with the fact that each and every team is tied, at that very instant, for first place in league standings.

Yet the hopefulness that normally accompanies this time of year seems just a little more tangible within the crew of the Cambrian Golden Shield women's basketball team. And for very good reason.

While the final makeup of the 2014-2015 roster is still six months away, the addition of a pair of impactful Sudbury natives is giving rise to the thoughts of a program that is perhaps starting to turn the corner.

With one year of CIS competition under her belt with the Laurentian Voyageurs, Emily Tymchuk has opted to pursue a Nursing degree at Cambrian, adding a nice combination of size with an outside shooting touch to the mix for head coach Bruce Cowtan.

Joining her will be rookie Karli Marcotte, fresh off a pair of OFSAA "AA" championship appearances with the Lasalle Lancers. The tandem provide a reasonable succession plan with the loss, to graduation, of both Trish Taylor and Kalli Watmore this year.

Very little surprise that both young ladies are chomping at the bit to get going. "I wanted to play ball at the next level, and with Bruce Cowtan as coach, my mom and him are good friends," said Marcotte.

"I've had him for a coach previously, so I thought this was a perfect fit." After graduating from Ecole Secondaire Catholique du Sacré-Coeur in June of 2012, Tymchuk played one season at Laurentian, before stepping away last September.

"Not playing this season was kind of a last-minute decision and I definitely missed it," Tymchuk said. "Once I made the decision that Cambrian was a better choice for me academically, things moved quickly about joining the team."

Tymchuk will be enrolling in the Nursing program, still with four years of OCAA eligibility remaining. While there are certainly no guarantees, it seems quite reasonable to assume that both Marcotte and Tymchuk will find themselves in the starting lineup when the 2014-15 season opens in October.

If nothing else, both young ladies have a very clear idea of where they can contribute. "Everyone can shoot, everyone can make good plays, but I think ultimately, I need to improve on my ball-handling," noted Marcotte.

"They need someone to be able to bring the ball up consistently, without giving it away, and I think that's where I need to be."

A little different story for Tymchuk, who will provide a nice influx of height to the lineup. "I hope to be more consistent from three-point range," she said.

"I've been consistently inconsistent. And, to some extent, it's always going to be fitness and endurance for me. It's something I've always struggled with, and I'm the first to admit it."

Both Marcotte and Tymchuk have taken advantage of the fact that their decisions were made so early to join with the current Cambrian crew, sliding a few on-court workouts into their schedules these past few months.

"Team sports rely on chemistry so much," said Tymchuk. "I've played with a few of them before. But I figured why not take advantage to get out with them early, get a feel for everyone and find out where I have to contribute."

With just a single win in 18 games this year, there is plenty of room for improvement for Tymchuk, Marcotte, Cowtan and company come next fall.