By Tanya Faulkner
Ferntree Gully has seen the return of another local champion, following the conclusion of the School Sports tournament in Western Australia earlier this month.
After what looked like a rocky start for the Victorian basketball team who travelled over to compete, the team managed to secure a win for the state.
The win marks the first gold medal for School Sports Victoria (SSV) 12 years and under boys since 2017, following two silver medals from 2018 and 2022.
Wattle View Primary School teacher Michelle Letts, and Lachlan Boncher from St Joseph’s College were both named in the team who competed.
Ms Letts, who was Head Coach for the Under 12s team for 2022, said it was the redemption they were after.
“When I was head coach last year we lost a heartbreaking Grand Final by two points in the final minute of the game against Western Australia in Bendigo, so it was nice to redeem ourselves, by taking home a gold medal against the same state, in their home state!” she said.
Ms Letts said the overall tournament was a great experience for the Victorian team.
“We had 5 straight wins in the tournament, after a couple of losses early on to Western Australia and South Australia, including the semi final against Queensland by 7 points, and we won the Grand Final against Western Australia by 25 points,” she said.
For Lachlan, the highlight of his experience was what happened off the court.
“I got really close with my teammates and chatted with the other states a lot when there were breaks between games.
“It was a great experience where I was proud to represent my team,’ he said.
For Ms Letts and Lachlan, the basketball season has not yet concluded, as they continue to be involved in the representative and domestic programs at Knox Basketball for the remainder of the year.
The pair also plan to be involved in the SSV basketball team for 2024, with tryouts commencing in April next year.
Ms Letts wishes a massive thank you to Wattle View Primary School Principal, Tracy Wright, and the entire school community for supporting her journey throughout the year, and said it was an honour for herself and Lachlan to represent their Ferntree Gully schools and take home the gold medal.
