Read on for a wrap up of the basketball season at Balmac...

Basketball at Balmacewen this year has been a success with teams displaying the Balmac way on and off the court. With morning trainings giving students that extra get up and go to perform in the classroom as well as the motivation to continue progressing their skills and reaping the rewards.

Students have remained disciplined throughout the season. Turning up to training on time, being proactive and organised, reading the notices and draws and of course maintaining high standards of behaviour in the classroom. Due to their hard work, we were fortunate enough to be able to take a fantastic group of boys and girls away to AIMS games in Ashburton during week 8 of term 3.

In Ashburton they met a range of teams from around the South Island. These teams were well drilled, extremely skillful and had put equal amounts of effort into improving their game. The girls competed fiercely, and ended up only just losing the final by an agonising 4 points!. This showed the girls how competitive they were, and their ability to match up to teams outside of Dunedin. The boys on the other hand were met with various learning curves which they took the full opportunity of. Whilst losing by a grim 6 points to the team that won the entire tournament, they ended in the 7th position, evidently not quite what we were hoping for. However their knowledge of the game, defensive strategies and attitude towards sport has progressed and they have become better players for it. It was a true display of the talent around New Zealand in basketball and was impressive to watch and be a part of. Outside of basketball the teams had some great bonding experiences during their small amount of down time, including going to the pool, having great conversations over dinner and of course the trip to McDonalds on the way home.

Throughout the school, basketball is continuously being played in the playground by a diverse range of students. If your child is interested in playing basketball but feels hesitant to do so, please encourage them to give it a go. It is one of those games that can be easily picked up by anyone and an awesome team sport to be a part of. I know how much it has helped our students develop a range of skills, and has really amplified the power of team sport and its many lessons.

A big thank you goes to all of the coaches who help take teams at Balmacewen, your hard work and dedication of time does not go unnoticed. With covid impacting our season and processes I know it was difficult at times managing those restrictions. We hope for a much more smooth sailing season next year. We know that our students greatly appreciate the time and effort you put into them, and admire your willingness to give up your time. The game can’t happen without you. Next season is fast approaching, and the hard work continues. If you want more insight into basketball at Balmacewen click on to the website and have a look at our video.

Nga Mihi

Richard Olsen and Jane Hendry