Hornets in championship action

Horsham Amateur Basketball Association’s under-14 boys and girls will test their talents at Basketball Victoria Country championships in Ballarat at the weekend.

Association junior representative director Tony Sleep said the teams had been working hard under the tutelage of coaches Owen Hughan, Mark James and Nicole Lakin.

The under-14s follow hot on the heels of Horsham Hornets’ under-12 teams, who competed in championships in Bendigo.

Sleep, who coaches the under-12 boys, said his charges had a huge weekend of learning.

“Despite tough competition they finished in division two, which will hold them in good stead,” he said.

“Stacey Ellis’s under-12 girls competed well and had a couple of wins on Saturday, which put them into the knockout rounds on Sunday. Knocked out by eventual runner-up Melton, the girls gave everything and showed terrific improvement.”

Sleep had a big weekend, collecting the Ross Birthisel award for Male Volunteer of the Year at a Basketball Victoria Country awards ceremony on Saturday.

“It came as a big surprise and I feel very humbled to have been thought of,” he said.

“While I am extremely grateful for this recognition, I don’t feel I am doing anything extraordinary that’s not being done in another country association in Victoria.

“I think most country associations just roll the sleeves up and get the job done to the best of their abilities, usually while wearing a few different hats.”