Port Alberni First Nations youth basketball- just do it.

I wrote a previous post on the decline in indian basketball in Port Alberni, particularly at the junior level. This spawned some discussion, some negative (standard rez response), and some positive (desired outcome). Regardless, it spawned discussion and that’s the important thing.

I hoped the ensuing discussion would promt some folks who left the game to return and give some kids the same chance they had. A couple of months after I wrote the article I contacted two former players to coach some eager kids and left the matter in their hands. They waited around for a response from this person and that and in the mean time the season started. There was plenty of time before to get something going. You can stand by and watch and wait or you can do something about it. I decided to do something about it.

I hunted down a club tourney happening that week in Duncan. I knew our boys hadn't practiced but it was something for the boys to do. I didn't think there was an excuse why some eager kids shouldn't have been in the gym months ago. How hard is it for instance to donate three hours a week for practice? Some people watch movies, soaps, or sports longer than that. It's not a lot of time to donate, especially for a good cause.

The team did as well as could be expected. The club teams they faced were pretty dam good and had been together since October at least. They played good, solid fundamental ball both individually and as a team. Two of our boys played highschool basketball and it showed. The rest of the boys either hadn't been in a gym or they played "ghetto" basketball and that's not a compliment. "Ghetto" basketball and the kind of basketball played in this tournament are two different games. It's like our team as a whole are going to have to learn to play again and lose some bad habits they'd developed.

The team managed to hold their opponents to under 40 points per game and really pulled it together during the last game. Although they lost that last game they played well together as a team and didn't grumble afterward over losing. If only I'd had them since October they'd have done better I thought. Having said this, those teams we faced had played together since grade four so when I say better I mean team play.

I see limitless possibilities for this group of boys. Next year I hope to have them still playing in tournaments like the Duncan one for development purposes but they'll also be old enough to begin to venture to the BC Junior All Native. Most of the teams that go are made up of 16 and 17 year olds so they'll still be a little young yet but time is going to fly by. They’ll only be this young once.

What makes this worthwhile is the kids are eager and keen to learn. I'm both surprised and disappointed too that no one else noticed or tried to do something about it. I feel sorriest for the kids who are 18 years and older. They must have been just as eager and keen to play basketball when they were younger too but had no one to coach or coordinate games and tournaments for them.

Watching how the kids came alive during games and had fun while playing was icing on the cake. Players who left the game don't don't know what kind of an experience they're missing out on. Some may say "I'm not into it anymore;" well it's not about you this time around.

The team has another tournament to play in next week and the teams entered are even tougher than the ones they just played. It all has to start somewhere though and it's going to be as tough as it is fun. Tough teams or not or not though the kids wouldn't want to miss playing in it for the world.