Elementary Basketball Over and Running Begins
Another successful elementary basketball season wound up with jamborees just before Spring Break, with most elementary schools now getting into the cross country running season.
Director of Instruction Jen Findlay extends a big thank you and appreciation to all the coaches, referees, parent volunteers, and student athletes who participated in the basketball program in February and March.
“A special thank you to principals Sandra Major and Paul Rosman, who organized the league, to Aaron Smith for hosting two 3 on 3 basketball tournaments at Shuswap for Grade 6-7 students, and to Margot Deveault of Kings Christian School, who organized a jamboree.”
Major, who along with Sorrento Principal Paul Rosman organizes the elementary sports leagues, comments that the league accommodates all sizes and configurations of schools as best as they can. This year, the middle school basketball league included boys teams from Carlin, Kings Christian, Len Wood Middle School (LWM), Ranchero, Shuswap Middle School, North Shuswap and South Canoe. The middle school girls’ teams were from A.L. Fortune, Carlin, Kings, LWMS, Ranchero, and South Canoe. Mixed teams from Falkland and Grindrod also competed this season.
The league for schools with grade 6/7 teams ran from mid-January to early March. The final boys’ jamboree was hosted by Kings Christian School (thanks to Margot Deveault for coordinating, reffing, and organizing scorekeepers) and included five teams: Kings, Eagle River, Ranchero, South Canoe’s grade 5/6 team and South Canoe’s grade 7/8 team. Players received Timbits as a treat to celebrate the end of the season. Results are not recorded, but there was plenty of great action on the courts and the teams showed incredible growth from the beginning of the season up to the jamboree.
One of the interesting moments of the season took place at North Canoe, where students were helping students! Retired principal and basketball enthusiast Gene Doray, along with two student volunteers from Salmon Arm Secondary (Grade 12 student Quinn Doray and Grade 11 student Parker Shane), visited the school on the morning of the jamboree. They shared valuable tips and skills with the Grade 4/5 basketball team and Coach Steve Pyle to help them prepare.
Elementary schools are now beginning the cross-country running seasons. The wrap up event for this is the Little Mountain Stomp, which will take place on Wednesday, April 30th. There are also a couple of schools participating in a rugby program. Track and Field will be after cross-country, with the district track meet on June 3rd.
The elementary basketball league is an example of the district’s work in providing opportunities for developing physical and team skills, as well as building the values of belonging, respect and perseverance as outlined in the SD83 Strategic Plan.