New Basketball Hoop Installed at St James School

The Canterbury Regional Basketball Foundation in partnership with St James School, Christ’s College, Home and the Canterbury Rams are excited to be able to invest in the future and growth of physical activity and basketball at St James with the installation of a new basketball hoop system. Replacing the previously portable hoops, which were becoming unfit for purpose due to the growing popularity of the sport within St James.

CRBF General Manager Caleb Harrison commented on the initiative saying “Through the CRBF Mentoring program, Rams player Joe Cook-Green identified there was a need for a new basketball backboard & hoop at St James School.  It has been great seeing the Christ College Basketball team run a fundraiser to support this initiative and Home donating all of the install costs & labour.  It has been a community collaboration which the keen St James basketballers will enjoy in the coming years.”

An official opening of the hoop was held at St James School on Friday 19th March. St James Principal, Jo Barlow commented saying “The partnership with the Rams and support of Christ’s College and Home to be able to install a set of basketball hoops has helped give our children a great area to practice their skills and develop what they have learned! They were so excited when they arrived at school and saw them set up. We are very grateful for this incredibly generous support of our students and our community.”

We’d also like to acknowledge Home’s building partners who have supported in the install; Rob at Safety First Service Locators, Adrian at SES Contracting and Lenard at Allied Concrete.

St James School has been involved in the CRBF Mentoring Program & Rams In-Schools Program in the past and continue to be involved presently. Rams players and CRBF mentors run weekly basketball sessions at the school, with two groups of students. Firstly, with a smaller group of 10-12 students in the Mentoring programme and then a group of 35 students participate in the In-Schools programme.

The CRBF is looking forward to being able to install more hoops in schools around the city. So young people have greater equipment to be able to foster their enjoyment of basketball and the growth of the game.