Starlites Basketball Club ended their 2015/16 campaign in style after winning all honours at stake in the men’s competitions organised by the Malta Basketball Association to establish a new record that will probably last for several years to come.
Starlites won the league titles in U-14, U-16, U-19, U-23 (with Starlites Virtus), Division Two as well as BOV National League (with Cynergi Virtus).
This success is the result of a long-term, ambitious plan put in place many years back. The development of the club eventually established Starlites BC as one of the largest and most fruitful basketball nurseries on the islands.
This is evident not only in the number of athletes registered within the youth sector but also the quality of the basketball programmes available and consistent results along the years.
The Starlites experience starts with the mini-basket sector, coordinated and run by qualified personnel and helpers.
The essence of the training programme is fun, movement and expressing one’s self through creative activities.
Progression across the different age groups up to the U-12 category is gradual and developmental. These progressions take into consideration social, cognitive and physical readiness which go hand in hand with the targets of the different individuals.
The young adolescents then join into the junior sector (under 14) where training intensifies and a more basketball-focused programme is presented.
Later on, the basketball hopefuls move up the ladder and into the U-16 and U-19 sectors before finally making the grade in the senior teams.
In the boys’ sector, those who fail to make the top level immediately are given further opportunities and time to further develop their skills by competing in the Second Division which in the last four years has been serving Starlites as a stepping stone to higher levels.
Away from the court, Starlites can also bank on a group of dedicated persons responsible for social and fund-raising activities.
Bonding activities
Such activities help bring families closer, develop a better understanding of the needs of each and every individual as well as help the holistic development of the young players.
The club also invests in team bonding with a summer training camp. This has become a very popular event which saw Starlites players visiting Greece (2013), Spain (2014) and Slovenia (2015).
This summer, Starlites will be returning to Greece for a camp that will include sport, education and culture.
But, the Starlites success does not stop with the men’s teams alone.
In women’s competitions, Starlites BC were runners-up in the U-16 league and semi-finalists in the U-19s.
During the 2015-16 season, various young players were introduced into the senior team, benefiting from valuable playing time at the highest level of the local game for women.
Winning honours and silverware is a signs of progress in the sport. However, Starlites’ success story goes beyond that.
This club is family-orientated and led by a group of hard-working committee members with a team of qualified coaches in charge of enthusiastic players, all backed by passionate team followers and parents.
Starlites BC are thankful to all those who have in one way or another been part of this amazing journey. The club will keep striving to meet its motto, reaching out to children and families in a drive ‘towards an active lifestyle’ as well as providing a positive sporting experience to all our athletes and their families.