By Tanya Faulkner
Ferntree Gully is being put on the map, as two locals are set to represent Victoria at the upcoming School Sports tournament for 2023.
Wattle View Primary School teacher Michelle Letts, and Lachlan Boncher from St Joseph’s College will both venture to Western Australia, to represent their respective schools in basketball.
Ms Letts said over 1200 athletes tried out for the 12 years and under boys Basketball team, in which Lachlan was successfully selected, through a series of regional tryouts and state basketball trials in Bendigo, Ballarat, Cranbourne, Wantirna and Waverley.
She said herself and Lachlan are both involved in domestic basketball at Knox Basketball and are involved in the representative basketball program at Knox Raider, who encouraged and
supported them in pursuing this opportunity.
For Lachlan, basketball has been a big part of his childhood since he started school, and he’s looking forward to this next step in his sporting career.
“I have been playing basketball since the age of 4, that’s 8 years. The things I love about basketball is it keeps me fit, I make lots of friends and I love the competitive nature of it,” he said.
After being selected, he said his parents and friends at school were very proud, and he’s already eyeing up the competition in Western Australia.
“I’m looking forward to expanding my skills against the best kids in my age group in the country and being taught by the best coach in ‘Lettsy’!” he said.
Ms Letts, the tournament brings together her two passions of teaching and basketball, and said it’s an amazing opportunity to be representing her school as Head Coach for the Victorian basketball team, after a lengthy process to be accepted.
“I submitted a 6 page written application to apply for the 12 boys School Sports
Victoria 12 years and under head Basketball coach. I was shortlisted for an interview, and later had a phone call and an email to tell me I was the successful applicant for this Head coaching position,” she said.
Similar to Lachlan, basketball has been a part of her life for several years, with this tournament marking her second year as a basketball coach for School Sports Australia.
“I have played Basketball since I was 5 years old and started coaching domestic Basketball
at 14 years old. I am currently in my 12th year of coaching representative basketball,” she said.
The School Sports tournament is being held in Perth from Saturday 19th August – Friday 25th of August, where the Victorian team will play all states in Australia and are hoping to bring a Gold Medal back for 12 years and Under boys basketball.
The team will participate in a 7 day basketball tournament, which includes 1-2 basketball
games a day, an opening and closing ceremony, finals basketball games, as well as a day of
an educational experience as a team, and team bonding sessions with our boys teams, the 12 years and under girls team as well as the 16 years and under boys team.
Leading up to the tournament, their team will have 6 x 3 hour training sessions, 2 training sessions with the 16 years and under boys team as a ‘mentor program’, will play a practice game against the 2022 School Sports Victoria 12 years and under boys team and against an under 14 Victorian Championship Basketball team to prepare for the big trip.
Ms Letts said, while winning a gold medal is the overall goal, the pair are looking forward to experiencing Perth and making memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
For more information on the School Sports basketball tournament visit schoolsportaustralia.edu.au/basketball/
