Island Pacific School fielded their first ever basketball team this year. Formed just last month, the group has been hard at work since pursuing their own definition of success on the court.
Dylan Gromen is coach of the squad, and just like the team it’s his first year at IPS too. Gromen teaches physical education and design, arriving on Bowen with his partner Alison Sturrock (a fellow IPS teacher) after the pair worked in several countries over several years. An avid sports fan, naturally Gromen was the right person to seek out when students became interested in forming a team.
“One of the students came up to me and said that they were super into basketball… Can we get some games?” recalls Dylan. He reached out to BC School Sports who said they’d need seven players. Before long (boosted by several Grade 9 signups) an eight-student strong co-ed basketball team had formed. The team began play against mainland opponents early in December.
New teams in any sport always face challenges in their rookie year, one being a large experience gap against their veteran opponents. To help level the playing field the kids volunteered to add morning practices to their existing sessions after school. Gromen says the payoff for their enthusiasm is evident.
“When I think back to where they were about a month ago compared to where they are now, the growth has been astronomical. They started at a low part of this very steep curve against these other teams and competitors, and they’re climbing up a steep hill. But the important part is they want to make the climb, and that’s what’s building a lot of their resilience and a lot of their grit too,” he says.
A good dose of that grit is courtesy of their own practice facility at the Colin Ruloff Community Field House. Though covered, the building lies open to the elements on all four sides. It’s where the hoops are though, so for December and January the students have bravely shown up each day in winter temperatures to continue honing their skills. This includes a chilly practice earlier this month which Dylan was especially pleased with.
“That is definitely some of the best basketball we’ve played all year,” he commented following the session. “I think the most powerful thing is seeing them come together as one and really trusting each other and believing in each other. And that’s kind of what we’re going for.”
“It doesn’t matter if we win the game or if we lose the game. It matters what we learn from the game and what we’re learning from each other and about ourselves. They’ve blown me away with their compassion for each other, and I’m honoured to be able to take them to a game and show up with them at practice and support them, because they’re doing something that not a lot of kids this age would do,” says Dylan.
As the final games on the schedule play out at the end of this month, Gromen felt the team deserved a celebration both for stepping up to play and for all they’ve achieved since. He spoke to head of school Brad Carter who suggested a keynote speaker. As chance would have it, Gromen received an email from Lyn Duke, a community engagement coordinator with the Invictus Games – an international sporting competition comprised of athletes who have been injured while serving their country.
After some discussion a plan was hatched. Lealand Muller, a retired corporal and wheelchair basketball player who competed for Team Canada at the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany, is coming to IPS to speak to the team near the end of the month.
“I think it’s going to be a really powerful thing for the kids to be able to hear from somebody who has had to overcome such adversity in their life, and be able to talk about that journey and what resilience looks like, and plays basketball too just like them,” says Gromen. “It’s not just going to be for the players there, it’s going to be for everybody in that room.”
In order to amplify the message the event for the basketball team has now grown into a banquet evening to take place Tuesday, January 28, with both the IPS community and the Bowen community at-large invited. Dylan, along with Muller and Duke, hope to bring people out both to celebrate the team and hear Muller’s message of perseverance. The event takes place at Cates Hill Chapel opening to the public around 6:15 pm, and is by donation.
Every day at practice the team talks though their five focal points: being here and now; intention and attention; doing our best; not worrying about the outcome; and Hakuna Matata – the phrase made popular in The Lion King which means ‘no worries’. All of these have guided the team’s growth over the past several weeks, but the last one especially has resonated beyond the court. Gromen recalls a discussion with a player about how it helped shift perspective on a range of topics.
“I really have taken Hakuna Matata to heart a lot more, and I’m forgiving myself a lot more,” explained the student. “I used to be a lot harder on myself when I miss a pass, miss a shot, turn the ball over. But I told myself Hakuna Matata, and now I’ve learned how to forgive myself.”
For Dylan, this is worth more than any box score will ever be. “I’m glad that it’s helped connect that basketball has life lessons you can apply to so many things in the future… Yeah you’re going to make mistakes - don’t worry about it. Let’s use that as an opportunity for you to grow.”
