Organisers delighted by big turnout

THE first Community Sports Development 3on3 Tournament was rip-roaring success on Monday. Thanks to sponsorship from KPMG, 67 children benefited from a whole day of basketball free of charge at Beau Sejour.

It was the brainchild of community sports development officer Laurel Garfield and the NCH Guernsey youth alcohol worker Adam Farish.

'It's been really good and we've had a good turnout,' said Farish.

'We put it on to provide them with something to do during half term. Both of us hear about kids complaining about having nothing to do, so it was to provide some entertainment over the holiday.

'The best thing is that it goes to show if you put something on, the kids will turn up. The message for the States is that if you build it, kids will use it.'

Volunteers from KPMG helped umpire the matches that saw both teams attack one basket in rules similar to streetball.

A total of 19 teams were involved with Years 7 to 9 players in one group and 10 to 13 in the other.

One of the 49 boys involved was 11-year-old St Peter Port student Leeroy Riley.

'I'm having a good time,' he said midway through the day.

'We're second with another team. We've got quite a lot of baskets and quite a lot of points.

'If we win the next matches, we're through to the final.'

Unfortunately for Riley, his team did not pick up the honours as the St Peter Port team of BCG reigned triumphant in the younger category.

The side was made up of Louis Gill, Callum Le Moigne, Gareth Baldwin and Louis Le Prevost.

Young basketball stars Ricard Fletcher and Aaron Walder along with island netballers Donna Brehaut and Amy Wright took the senior competition. They called themselves The Untouchables.

'It's been good as we've won all matches,' said the 17-year-old Brehaut.

'It's been well organised and we've had refreshments.'

Garfield hopes that this will become a regular event.

'It's been good,' she said.

'I was worried that people wouldn't turn up but there's been a good turnout.

'It was a bit of a relief to have this number because most of our advertising was on the streets going up to kids and giving them flyers.

'Hopefully we'll do it again with people here telling their friends and we'll get more.'

This week Garfield is also running a have a go badminton session at the Rohais Hall from 2 to 4 this afternoon and on Friday at the Rue Maigny Scout Hall, a five-a-side football event has also been planned from 10am to 12noon.

Both are free and are open to 11 to 18-year-olds.

For more information, call Laurel Garfield on 747271.