Hey all, this is Ben checking in again from up in Belfast.

Well there's been a lot happening these last few days, and it's hard to know where to begin. Emily is still continuing her drive for recruitment at the PE classes of Girls' Model and St. Louise's. Her infectious enthusiasm is starting to rub off on the students there which should be a great shot in the arm for our girl's program; it is up to the rest of us now to ensure that we're maintaining her high standards across the city.

Some schools have been a bit slow to get back into the swing of things after the mid-term break, but we're starting to get back to normalcy again now. I'm very impressed by the turnout for my Thursday sessions at St. Joe's, where we have up to 10 of the younger kids coming along. The standard among these guys is quite high so the future of the Blazers' program is unquestionably in good hands. Similarly the overwhelmingly positive responses we have been getting from our primary schools indicates that there is going to be a solid base for our program in the coming years. At yesterday's primary school session we managed to find some hurdles and ladders and did a great impromptu Speed, agility, quickness work-out for the kids, which went down very well. It's a challenge for us to keep the sessions different and enjoyable for the children but I think it definitely pays off for both coaches and kids and leads to a higher level of development for everyone involved.

That's about all for the time being, we'll continue updating this regularly though so remember to keep checking in.

Ben

Hello again!

I realized earlier in the week that I had not posted in a while, but my days have been so busy since then, this is the first time I've gotten the opportunity to report on how things are going on the girls' side of things here in Belfast. I just finished up my last PE class at Girls' Model this morning, with a circuit training session to show the girls different footwork and core exercises that can help improve their performance on the court. Over the past 6 weeks they have come such a long way with their basketball knowledge, and one thing they have never lacked is enthusiasm. I will now be continuing with the after school sessions every Thursday, where the turnout has been encouraging.

As Colin mentioned in an earlier post, the schools were off last week and the weeks surrounding a vacation are always a bit hectic. So, it was no surprise that attendance for the after school session at St. Louise's have been sparse during this time. To drum the energy back up from the beginning of the year, I'm really looking forward to getting into some more PE classes to find a few more girls that would be interested in playing on the team. With a smaller group, it has been easier to work on certain skills where I can give players more individualized attention; however, I would really like to see a few more girls coming out to train. This is a good challenge for me as the basketball program is more established at St. Louise's, possibly making it intimidating for a new, less experienced athlete to get involved.

In other news, the work in the primary schools have been going well, with the kids really beginning to grasp the fundamentals of the game. We have begun to play matches and it is always invigorating to see how excited they are to run around and cheer on their teammates.

I'm now headed back to Girls' Model for after school training. I will write again soon with more details on the planning of our first integrated practice, which I am hoping will happen by the end of this month!

Until then,

Emily

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

Reinvigorated from a week away, Full Court Peace is back in the swing of things and seeking to take some major steps forward in the next few weeks. We have just initiated after school training sessions at St. Pat's and Boys' Model with hopes of integrating the two schools once we can develop some continuity and consistency with a reliable group of players. So far, the enthusiasm, attendance, and intensity have been exactly what we are looking for and our longer term plans seem to be moving right on schedule. There are big followings at each school which is the kind of good problem we hope to have. We want a large portion of the student body interested in participating in the program. Nevertheless, as is the nature in all competitive sports, we can't provide a spot on a team for every single person hoping to play. We have been developing a curriculum to engage the increasing numbers we are attracting, but unfortunately we won't be able to include some individuals on all our FCP squads. This has been the hardest part of the job for me, but like I said, it's nice to know there is this much of a demand for basketball.

I'm also very excited to get the Bulldogs back in the gym. The last few weeks of training were handicapped by the lingering presence of swine flu at both St. Colm's and Dunmurry, forcing us to practice and play without a full squad. Given a week of recuperation away from the den of germs festering in schools across the globe, I'm hoping to get full numbers back so we can finally begin our proper match schedule. Indeed, a Blazers-Bulldogs rematch still sits ominously on the horizon, with both groups of guys eager to battle it out on the court once again. Expect a match report by the middle of the month.

The other coaches will stop by soon to report on their own comings and goings.

Until then

- Colin