Awards Night & Basketball Blitz- April 13th 2018

Nearly 100 children turned up to our annual basketball blitz and awards night in Scoil Dara on Friday, April 13^th. The atmosphere was electric in the gym as the junior members of the club worked their way around the 4 different stations set up competing against teammates to see who could score the most baskets in pop-a-shot or who could bunny hop across the gym and run the obstacle course the quickest! The junior teams finished up with games of full court 21 and the roof was nearly lifted off with the screams of the teams cheering each other on. There was the traditional bag of chips for all the kids while we got organised for the awards ceremony and luckily it was a nice enough evening that they could sit outside to enjoy them. Many thanks to the coaches, committee members, parents and members of the senior teams that helped with setting up the course and supervising the teams. There was great anticipation and excitement as everyone settled down to celebrate all the team’s successes over the past season. U11 & U12 boys and girls received participation medals, U13 girls placed second in their league and U13 boys and U14 girls were league winners, with the U14 girls going undefeated throughout the season! U16 girls placed third in their league and were very unfortunate not to make it through to the All Ireland Club Championships. Individual MVP and Coach’s Awards were presented to players on teams aged U14 and upwards as follows:

U14 Girls – MVP Teigan McGonagle, Coach’s Award Katie McKeon

U15 boys – MVP Andre Allende, Coach’s Award David Walsh

U15 girls – MVP Ellen Rochfort, Coach’s Award Emily Dwyer

U16 girls – MVP Kirsten Monaghan, Coach’s Award Hannah Madden, Resilience Award Aoife Meehan

U17 boys – MVP Daire Griffen, Coach’s Award Aaron King

U17 girls – MVP Megan O’Connor, Coach’s Award Ella D’Arcy

U18 girls – MVP Eimear Brennan, Coach’s Award Lauren Gleeson

Finn Halligan – Club Person of the Year Award

Every year the club recognises one member who goes above and beyond to help out in the club – generally without even being asked. This year, the Ciara O’Brien Club Person of the Year Award went to Finn Halligan from the U15 boys. Finn helped every week with the primary school leagues, coaching teams or keeping score and he consistently helped out with the U11 boys team, from starting training sessions, to researching drills on his own initiative and running them at training, to assisting the coach with matches, and even coached a game on his own when the coach had to referee the game!! His willingness to give up his time to help his club is to be commended.

Congratulations Finn and all who received awards!!

The evening finished up with the senior boys and girls teams playing against the coaches….this game gets harder and harder every year for the coaches!! The U17’s were well up for it and ran the coaches ragged with their fast breaks, however youth, speed and exuberance are no match for Dad bods and dirty tricks!! The title was retained by the coaches, for one more year at least!