Basketball at St James School in Christchurch has become so popular that the old portable hoops were getting too punished to hold up.
Thanks to a partnership between the Canterbury Regional Basketball Foundation in partnership with St James School, Christ’s College, Home and the Canterbury Rams, funds were raised to see the installation of a new hoops.
CRBF General Manager Caleb Harrison said all those involved felt great having seen this idea come to life.
“Through the CRBF Mentoring program, Rams player Joe Cook-Green identified there was a need for a new basketball backboard and hoop at St James School. It has been great seeing the Christ College Basketball team run a fundraiser to support this initiative and Home donating all of the install costs and labour. It has been a community collaboration that the keen St James basketballers will enjoy in the coming years.”
An official opening of the hoop was held at St James School on Friday 19 March. St James Principal, Jo Barlow said the student are thrilled.
“The partnership with the Rams and support of Christ’s College and Home to be able to install a set of basketball hoops has helped give our children a great area to practice their skills and develop what they have learned. They were so excited when they arrived at school and saw them set up. We are very grateful for this incredibly generous support of our students and our community.”
Project organisers were also keen to acknowledge Home’s building partners who have supported in the install: Rob at Safety First Service Locators, Adrian at SES Contracting and Lenard at Allied Concrete.
St James School has been involved in the CRBF Mentoring Program and Rams In-Schools Programme in the past and continue to be involved. Rams players and CRBF mentors run weekly basketball sessions at the school, with two groups of students. Firstly, with a smaller group of 10-12 students in the Mentoring programme and then a group of 35 students participate in the In-Schools programme.
The CRBF says they are looking forward to being able to install more hoops in schools around the city, so young people have greater equipment to be able to foster their enjoyment of basketball and the growth of the game.
It great to see this proactive work being done, similar to that being done through the Basketball New Zealand Hoops In Schools programme.
