St Brigid’s Primary School students recently competed in the Kilsyth After School Basketball, returning to Healesville with brilliant results.
The St Brigid’s Basketball Club had three different teams, Grade 6s, Grade 5s, and Grade 4s, participating in the competition for the 2025 autumn season.
They played against other local schools on Mondays from February to June.
The Grade 4s came out on top, only losing one game over the season and securing the top place on the ladder three seasons in a row.
Grade 4s coach Brad Hedger said his strategy for the team was to make each player responsible for their own role.
“We got lots of little kids and all the kids are very good defensively. They like to get it in and go for the ball very hard, so I let them do their thing,” he said.
“I let the bigger boys, who can get open court and run, do what they like to do.”
Despite the hard work, the Grade 6s faced the biggest challenge in the grand final and wrapped up the season as runners-up.
The teams trained every week on a Wednesday night for about an hour.
Hedger said his top priority as a coach was to get the team first and foremost on and off the court.
“We’ve had plenty of meetings where I just get the kids together and talk about (themselves),” he said.
“If I hear something’s going on at school, someone’s been bullied at school, or someone’s not being accepted at school, then I bring my boys in as a group, and try and make sure that they include everybody and bring them together first and foremost as a team as mates.
“I always tell them the rest of sport will take care of itself if you look after your mates. The wins and the losses will come later on. It doesn’t really matter as long as you help your mates up.”
Grade 6 Brodie said the best part of participating in the basketball competition was seeing the team improve.
“We got to the grand final with the majority of our team being in their first season,” he said.
The Grade 6 boys agreed the Good Shepherd Primary School, who frustrated them in the grand final, was the toughest opponent.
“There was one player who was so bouncy and fast,” Harley said.
Ironically, the Grade 4s became the champion, beating the Good Shepherd Primary School who defeated the Grade 6s.
Besides training, bowling games and beach visits built stronger team camaraderie among the Grade 4s.
Though Grade 6s couldn’t achieve the result they’d wanted, they were still happy with being runners-up and were extremely thankful for their coach.
“She could have been doing something else on a Monday night, but she’s coaching all of us (at the training),” Brodie said.
Grade 4 Eli, who not only played for his grade level but also played for the Grade 6s, was voted unanimously by teammates as the best player for both teams.
The coach said he was more proud of what the boys did off the court than what they did on the court.
“Being the winner, being successful is very good,” Hedger said.
“But if you watch the boys play, when the other side is shooting goals, our boys are going up and shaking their hands and clapping for them and congratulating them.
“I’m also very proud of what they’ve achieved off the court. They’re all little gentlemen. They’re very polite to their family. I’ve heard from other coaches that they’re all great kids.
“From my point of view, what happens on a basketball court is good, but I think we’ve got an opportunity at this age to set them up for what they can do in life.”
Through the competition, the young basketball players had plenty of fun while learning not only about the sport like how to pass and shoot but also the value of teamwork.
St Brigid’s Primary School principal Tess Dwyer said as principal, she was very proud of the students, coaches and parents of the boys in all basketball teams.
“It is wonderful to have such a passionate group of students who thrive in challenges at St Brigid’s,” she said.
“It is important to us that we provide opportunities for all of our students to be successful across academic, social, spiritual and physical domains. Learning is not just about reading, writing and mathematics anymore. It encompasses the whole child and it really does take a village to support them.
“We have a great group of passionate parents who have driven the St Brigid’s Basketball Club for many years, and our students are the ones who benefit from this.”
