A group of Next Up players during a session at Frank Hurt Secondary.
A new after-school basketball program in Surrey Schools will allow secondary students the opportunity to hit the courts in a team setting without needing to try out for the school team.
Called Next Up, the program was created to give students even more chances to learn and play on the hardwood, and will run from April to June.
Funding for the program was made possible by Sport for Life, which receives funding support from the Peace Arch Hospital foundation, and was organized in conjunction with the district's Community Schools Partnership (CSP) department and Advancement Office.
"On behalf of the district's Advancement Office, we want to thank our community partners for making this possible," said Liane Ricou, Director of Advancement for Surrey Schools. "Thanks to the generous funding provided by Sport for Life and the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation, even more Surrey students will have the opportunity to pursue their passion and strengthen bonds throughout the district."
"Community Schools Partnership is always seeking ways to bring equity and opportunities to each student in Surrey," said Meredith Verma, manager of Community Schools Partnership. "This funding not only supports access to physical sports, but also adds the component of connection to their school community in a positive way. We are so thankful for the generous funding from our community."
The program will run at seven secondary schools, serving between 25 to 50 students per site.
According to Verma, the need for such a program was borne out of the many students who attend basketball tryouts but don't necessarily make the team.
"Basketball is popular in our district and we have so many students but only so many spots on teams at each school," she said. "We came together and began exploring options to expand access and opportunities for students interested in basketball and thanks to our community partners, were able to create Next Up."
For now, the program will be available to students in Grades 8 and 9 at Guildford Park, Kwantlen Park, L.A. Matheson, Frank Hurt, Princess Margaret, Frank Hurt, Earl Marriott and Semiahmoo secondaries. With coaching provided by a mix of community partners such as Game Ready, YMCA, Urban Rec and Sport for Life, in addition to CSP facilitators and senior basketball players from the district, the program will focus on teaching students teamwork and the fundamentals of the game.
Students will also play friendly matches against other schools in the program, providing a chance for community building and connecting with like-minded students from elsewhere in the district.
"We're really grateful for the chance to run this program," said Verma, "Surrey is definitely a basketball city and so to have even more opportunities for our students to explore that passion is always wonderful."
