The four-day camp, based at Tui Ridge, will see 160 hoops-mad youngsters learn new skills and refine techniques, practise and play games in a positive competitive environment under 36 coaches — overseen by four national coaches — on three courts between 8am and 9pm.
The camp wraps up at 1pm on Wednesday.
“It’s an opportunity for these kids to rub shoulders with players from Bluff to Cape Reinga,” said national under-14 director Dave Mackay. “They all come, and leave, very excited, meeting a lot of people and making friends along the way.”
Cody is a talented all-round sportsman who played rugby for Horouta and Paikea from the age of six and won a host of medals paddling for Horouta Waka How.
He’s been a “baller” for just over a year, having gone to his first tournament — the Mel Young Easter Basketball Classic in Tauranga — in 2018 and in January went on the Koru Tour to Australia.
“My goal is to improve my skills and my game, and go with my GBA team to the BBNZ Tournament,” said Cody.
“I like basketball because it’s a team sport — you can only win if you play as a team. Its fun and it’s fast.”
Jamieson has been a GBA age-group representative for four years but was only six when she came to a Sunday skills session for the first time.
In addition to basketball, she plays rugby and netball, does dancefit and in 2017 represented New Zealand in Muay Thai (boxing).
“Basketball is a game in which every player gets to do everything — shoot, run, play defence,” Jamieson said.
“And you can never learn too much about the game.
“Just when you think you know everything, someone comes along and gives you something new to think about or use.”
