Up and comers on the West Shore basketball scene demonstrated their skills at the University of Victoria Future Stars Basketball tournament.
Of the four Warriors Basketball Club girls teams entered in the event, two won the divisional championship trophy in their age group: the Grade 6/7 team and the Grade 8 team. The club was the only one represented at the tournament to win two such trophies.
Held Dec. 4 and 5 at UVic’s Centre for Athletics, Recreation, and Special Abilities, the tournament saw 40 boys and girls teams, and approximately 315 athletes, play 70 games over the weekend. Round robin and championship games were held in three grade divisions for boys and girls: Grade 5, 6-7 and 8.
The four Warriors teams competing included club players attending middle schools in School District 62’s Belmont zone.
The Warriors Basketball Club, a girls program operating in SD62 since 2009, has six teams competing in the Victoria & District Amateur Basketball Association’s Night League. Warriors playing on these teams are drawn from SD62’s elementary, middle, and high schools. Over the years, the program has attracted players from every elementary school in the Belmont zone.
The Warriors program is designed to help keen and dedicated young basketball players gain the skills necessary for them to be selected to play for their high school basketball teams. As they advance through the four years of the program, Warriors are encouraged to use their skills to help their school teams compete against others in the region.
This fall, over 40 Warriors played on middle school teams at Dunsmuir, John Stubbs and Spencer. At the junior and senior high school basketball level, another 20 Warriors or program graduates are playing for Belmont or Royal Bay.
With Warrior teams winning Night League championships and gold medals at UVic, the Future Stars of the Sooke school district are shining brightly. For more information on the Warriors Basketball Club please visit warriorsbasketballclub.info/index.html.
– submitted by Michelle Scoville