A Grade 7 Boy’s Basketball team was started at Lady Grey Elementary School (LGES) this year. This is the first year the school has ever had a basketball team. The Head coach, Nicholas Tan, observed that there was a need for a team as there were many boys at LGES who were passionate for the game. Thus with the support of the school’s principal, Mr. Broderick, a team was created to provide further opportunities for these boys.
Our LGES team practiced diligently 4 hours a week starting in December with a focus on skills, fun and player development where the initial goal was to get ready for competitive basketball in Grade 8. However, it soon became apparent that our boys were not only skilled and talented but more importantly wholeheartedly committed to the game.
This became evident after our team handily defeated Invermere’s J.A Laird Elementary School in their two exhibition games. As a result, our team was recently invited to an end of the season tournament at Laurie Middle School in Cranbrook, BC.
Eight teams from the East Kootenay region participated at the Laurie Middle School touranment which in de facto was the regional year end tournament for the valley. The eight teams came from Fernie Academy, Fernie Secondary School, Kootenay Christian Academy, Laurie Middle School, Parkland Middle School, McKim Middle School, and Lady Grey Elementary School.
In the first game, our LGES boys played Fernie Secondary School, whom we outpaced in an uptempo run and gun game with a final score of 70-28. The second game was a much tighter game against the home team from Laurie Middle School. Our boys trailed early on in the first quarter but rallied to tie it up in the 2nd quarter. From then on, they never looked back as they played with steady composure to secure an emotional 66-59 victory over a team that had been undefeated all year. The final championship game was against a tall and athletic team from Kimberley’s McKim Middle School. Our boys came out strong and took an early 18-5 lead in the first quarter. Cheered on by our Grade 8 Golden Secondary School’s Boy’s Basketball team, our team extended the lead. Using skills and strategies honed at practices, our boys found good open looks at the basket while stymieing McKim’s offence, to come out victorious with a final score of 54-34!
There was so much excitement in the gymnasium when the final buzzer went with our boys celebrating their victory! It was also such a sight to see the Grade 8 GSS boys, who cheered us on, relish the moment vicariously! The elation on these boys’ faces was priceless!
It is a real pleasure to see our boys rewarded for the commitment and hard work they have put in this season. Their basketball skills have definitely improved. But more importantly, through these practices and games, they have all grown and learned many valuable life skills such as concentration, responsibility, perseverance, humility, cooperation, composure, selflessness, sportsmanship, and much much more!
Our team sincerely thanks: the coaches (Mr. Carl Labonville, Mr. Dave Stonehouse, and Mr. Ben Blain) at Golden Basketball Association (GBA) for laying the groundwork and lighting the spark for these boys, Golden Secondary School Grade 8 Boy’s Basketball team for the practice games and cheer, Golden Secondary School’s Junior and Senior team for their assistance, assistant coaches Mr. Wade Duchman, Ms. Alexis Williams, and Mr. Meva Dhami, staff at GSS Mr. Rhys Badenoch, staff at Lady Grey Elementary School Mr. Blaine Broderick, Ms. Laurie MacDougall, Ms. Debbie Pawlitsky, Ms. Putney, Ms. Wendy Feuz, Ms. Lorraine Kelley, and Mr. Jim Mason for making this fairy tale season happen!
The Black Fly Song by Canadian artist Mr Wade Hemsworth was chosen by our team as our team song at the beginning of the season to represent our relentless nature. It was sung happily at the end of every game!
And the black flies, the little black flies
Always the black fly no matter where you go I’ll die with the black fly a-pickin’ my bones
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.
1-2-3 Lynx!!!
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