Hey guys, this is Colin checking in again regarding our basketball program here in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Today's game of the Belfast Bulldogs vs. St. Mary's, in the backdrop of the recent tragedy in Coleraine, Northern Ireland following Glasgow Rangers winning of the Scottish Premier League, provides a profound microcosm for how we understand the power of sport. On our way home from today's Bulldogs game, Dave Tierney reminded me how important it is to talk about the great work our teams are accomplishing in an environment of lingering sectarianism and wounds both old and new, especially when sport has had a role in triggering this recent tragedy. It was a great point he made, and I believe it is truly necessary to see that while on occassion sport can inspire catastrophe, in different contexts it can inspire tremendous growth and change.

Soccer in Northern Ireland, particularly the Celtic-Rangers rivalry, speaks to the divisiveness sports sometimes arouses. Years of antagonism and animosity between Catholics and Protestants has become invested in a simple game of soccer, with the Catholic community's identity linked to the fate of Celtic, and the Protestants' identity to the fate of Rangers. The full history is too long and diverse to go in to. But to keep it simple, when alcohol and the mob mentality get mixed into the equation, on occassion a match between two soccer teams can result in devastation and tragedy, like it did this past Sunday.

Kevin McDaid, a 49 year-old Catholic youth-worker in the historically explosive town of Coleraine, was brutally beaten and killed by a Loyalist (supporters of Rangers) mob in the wake of Rangers' clinching the title on Sunday, May 25th. His wife, Evelyn, rushed out to aid him but too was beaten and injured. Damien Flemming, a neighbor of the McDaids, was also attacked by the mob and remains in critical condition.

In contrast, today the Belfast Bulldogs, a team composed of half Protestants and half Catholics, played together on the same side. Their time spent together, their commitment to one another, and the enduring friendships they have built speaks to the immense power sport also has to unite. These guys have trained together in both their communities, getting to know each other better and better, all the while learning to trust and respect one another. The sport of basketball has provided the means for them to come together as friends. I think it's important to emphasize that transformative power as a contrast to the devastation that soccer, in a far different context, played a part in.
.....................................................................................

Now for the match report:

Today was a great measuring-stick game for the Belfast Bulldogs, competing in a fiery contest against a Marc Mulholland coached St. Mary's squad. As you may recall, Marc has worked with us through out the year, filming the Bulldogs as they progressed from independent training sessions to integrated team practices to team fundraisers staged across Belfast. He is also a very talented coach, and he brought a team of some of the most advanced high school players I have seen in Northern Ireland over to Kilmakee Activity Centre in Dunmurry for the afternoon match. We were already down a few players due to injury, and as TJ, Dave and I watched St. Mary's warm up, we immediately understood we were about to face a different breed of team. Their guys had clean footwork and skillful ball-handling to go along with a developed shot-making arsenal. As they jumped into a full court press from the opening whistle, we were all a bit worried our guys might get overwhelmed.

Nevertheless, after a few early moments of panic in the face of organized, pressure defense, the guys found their footing and confidence out on the court. This game's starting line-up of Sam Baker, Joe Power, Graeme Moore, Dan Maloney and Mark Woods settled in, found open space, and contained St. Mary's early run. I burnt a time-out or two to remind the guys to stay disciplined in their man-to-man defense, and we were able to force the skillful St. Mary's team into shooting perimeter jumpers off the dribble. TJ and Dave convinced the lads to prevent the base-line drives on defense as offensively we started getting cleaner looks at the basket through some well-timed give and go's (Graeme and Joe combined beautifully).

Off the bench, Glenn Reed provided some instant firepower, spinning to the basket for some acrobatic finishes to keep the game within arm's reach. Dean McDonaugh, Michael Daly, Matt Parker, and Liam McDonald battled the talented and deep St. Mary's team as well, working hard to keep their opponents in front of them while staying composed on offense and looking for cutting teammates. Michael, one of our big guys, did a great job distributing the ball from his inside position.

Defensively, the efforts of Sam Baker and Mark Woods really stood out, as they drew the very difficult assignments of guarding one of the better young PGs I've seen in the country. They fought him for every step, and Joe Power did a great job of helping against penetration while still recovering to his own man to prevent a score.

In the end, we lost 50-30, but all the coaches were in agreement on the quality of play we put forth. Considering the big step up in competition in only their third time in an organized match, the Bulldogs acquitted themselves very well. As far as statistical leaders go, Joe Power finished with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 assist, Dan Maloney with 6 points and 13 rebounds, Mark Woods with a great balanced effort of 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 assists, and Glenn Reed poured in 7 points to go along with 4 steals. As always, the statistics don't paint the full picture, and the overall games played by Sam, Matt, Liam, Michael, Graeme and Dean were essential to us staying in the game. I'm really looking forward to seeing even more improvement in the weeks to come.

Until next time

- Colin

Hey guys, here are a few photos from Thursday's match between the Bulldogs and Blazers.

Hey guys, this is Colin checking in again regarding our basketball program here in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

On a day when a reluctant, soft rain fell down across the city, the Belfast Bulldogs trekked across town to Orangefield High School, scene of their first contest against our other Full Court Peace team, the Belfast Blazers. Diane Brennan, PE Teacher at St. Colm’s, was again kind enough to usher the lads from their South Belfast communities on over to East Belfast, and Patrick Wright, PE Teacher at Orangefield, organized the facility. I met the bus along the road so to direct them past the somewhat confusing street names and arrangements that surround Orangefield, street arrangements that prompted me to get lost quite a few times this fall. The guys were certainly amp’d up for this one, having already met the Blazers briefly during our joint sponsored walk. After also coaching the Blazers at training on Wednesday, I knew both teams desperately wanted the bragging rights that winning the first in-house FCP game would provide for. I anticipated a competitive exchange.

Meanwhile, as I rode over to Orangefield with the Bulldogs, TJ and Dave were forced to get a bit creative in transporting the St. Joseph’s students over to meet their Blazer teammates. On the day, St. Joseph’s was unable to providing busing for the guys, so TJ, Dave, and I got on the phones and arranged for Dave to drive the eight fellas over in two waves. By approximately 3:30, when I arrived with the Bulldogs and walked into the airplane hanger-esque gym that sits at the back of the Orangefield High School campus, the Blazers were already in their lay-up lines getting warm. I felt a bit of relief that we managed to get both teams there on time, despite having to overcome busing issues and the debilitating traffic in South Belfast (a result of a farmer’s show at the King’s Hall). Dave volunteered to ref, and we tipped off at approximately 3:40.

I was pleasantly surprised by the play on both ends of the court. We had really emphasized help-side defense for the past two weeks, hammering home the point that the guys had to negotiate individual and team responsibilities. They would need to guard their specific man while also being aware and prepared to stop the ball, no matter where it might be or where their man might be. Getting them to understand that their top priority is always defending the basket and helping a teammate who might have been beaten off the dribble took a while for the guys to digest, but I definitely saw they had got their heads around the concept by game-time. Both teams clogged the lane against penetration and forced their opponents into taking jumpshots, which, at their current level of offensive development, is always a smart strategy. The play was physical but not dirty, both teams earning a number of trips to the foul-line, where they actually managed to shoot a pretty high percentage. Separated by 1 point after the 1st quarter, the game remained within a possession or two until the 3rd, when the Blazers were able to score a couple quick baskets in transition and really hounded the Bulldogs on defense, forcing them into contested shots from distance.

Knowing the Bulldog team as I do, I had no doubt they would pressure the Blazers, fight hard until the final whistle, and do everything they could to get back in the game. It came as no surprise then, when despite being down 12 as the 4th quarter commenced, they started ratcheting up the intensity on defense, battling for every rebound, attacking the basket and finding their open teammates, and taking the fight right back to the Blazers. Both benches did their best to pump their team up, and the volume in the gym really began to crescendo as the Bulldogs scratched and crawled back to within 5 points. The excitement out there was so fun to watch.

Of course, having spent the year coaching the Blazers as well, I knew they were a very resilient bunch, not one to easily surrender a lead and a chance at victory in their first game. They met the charge of the Bulldogs and though there were a few nervous moments, they held the line. In the end, the Blazers team composed of a few players with quite a bit of basketball experience won the game by 9 points.

I can honestly say I was proud of all the guys on both teams for their effort, support of one another, and the leaps and bounds they’ve undergone in skill development. Watching the lads run through pick and rolls, knock down fifteen footers, share the ball, and pick up and encourage one another, I couldn’t really ask for much more. Both teams will hopefully be playing about one game a week until they leave for America, so stay tuned to keep up to date on their progress. We will hopefully be able to post statistics from the matches to come as well.

Until next time.

- Colin

Hey guys, this is Dave Tierney checking in for the first time regarding our program here in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Alright Full Court Fans. I thought it was about time for me to start pulling my weight by writing up a few blogs. What better time than after the first win of the season for the Belfast Bulldogs !!!

I know Colin already thanked them below but a big vote of thanks goes to Diane Brennan from St. Colm’s who drove the bus for us, and to her husband Dee Brennan, whose team we played. The match was hosted by St. Patrick’s Grammar School in Downpatrick, about 20 miles outside of Belfast.

The guys were excited and a little nervous when we met at Dunmurry High School before departing for Downpatrick. When we arrived I could see the butterflies had arrived for a bunch of the lads, understandably so before their first ever basketball match. No worries though, we reassured the guys and got them pumped up for the match during the bus ride up. After a good warm-up the boys were ready to play, the starting five was picked by Colin and before they knew it they were in the thick of things.

I know myself from my own experience that a basketball team can practice every day but there’s still no substitute for game fitness and sharpness. The guys seemed to thrive under these conditions. After the first few layups went in the boys visibly grew in confidence with every play and there were so many positives it would be hard to mention them all. I don’t want to single out certain players as well because everyone played well and contributed, including one of our guys who was unable to play because of a shoulder injury: he cheered the team on from the bench the whole game, and snapped all the worthwhile photos you see below (the bad ones were Colin’s!).

The main points that were very encouraging for me to see were:
1. The help defense played by the boys
2. The teamwork on offense as opposed to the one V. one style they were playing at the beginning of the year
3. The camaraderie between the players.

We won comfortably in the end over a St. Patrick’s side which showed some real promise. All in all it was a great experience for the team and hopefully the first of several wins for the season !!!

In other news, the Bulldogs and Blazers will meet out on the court for the first time this Thursday over at Orangefield High School, the first grudge match between the two teams currently comprising the Full Court Peace program. Expect a write-up and photos by the weekend.

Hey guys, this is Colin checking in again regarding our basketball program here in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The Bulldogs had their first match yesterday up in Downpatrick, which resulted in a nice, confidence boosting victory for the guys. Dave Tierney will be composing a write-up of the game by the weekend, but check out some of the photos below for a glimpse of the guys in action. Special thanks to Dee and Diane Brennan for organizing the match. Also, apologies in advance for the quality of some of the photos...they were not taken with the best equipment around.

Hey guys, this is Colin checking in again regarding our basketball program here in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The rust has been shed following the Easter break, and both teams have had really positive practices the past two weeks. Each time we are together is becoming more and more valuable with our trip to America less than two months away. In preparation for the tournaments and matches we will play there, we are commencing a schedule of tune-up matches here around Belfast. It will definitely serve as a good measuring stick, throwing the guys into the fire of organized, refereed basketball for the first time. Though they still have a lot to learn, I think the learning curve for both teams will be greatly expedited by competing in real game settings.

The Bulldogs are traveling up to Downpatrick today for a game, scheduled by St. Colm's teacher Diane Brennan, and I'll be sure to post details up within the next few days. Additionally, the Blazers will debut within the next week.

Take care

- Colin