Geraldine High School’s girls basketball players have found the secret to a great turnaround.

When the girls senior A basketball team took the top spot for South Canterbury last weekend, they might have made it look effortless, but it had been anything but.

When the team had been jolted up to the A grade the previous season the girls’ assistant coach (and school principal) Marcus Cooper said they had taken a beating all year.

Sixteen-year-old Maddi Cooper had been named most valuable player at the recent tournament.

Maddi said the move up to A grade last season had been hard.

“We lost to all the teams by at least 40 points,” she said.

“The girls were really committed this year, and they wanted to improve.

“We kinda connected really well and it showed on the court.

“We were trusting each other, and everyone felt good in the team, so they felt confident to put up shots.”

“It was a really positive environment, which made us want to work hard.”

With Mr Cooper’s wife as coach, and their three daughters on the team, he said it had made it easier for the couple to “buy in to the team”.

He said the team was also made up by “another set of sort-of-sisters”.

The team ranged from year 9 through to year 13.

“They all get along, they’re all mates.” 

“If the girls are having fun and they are surrounded by people that are uplifting, then they will grow and they will be more receptive to coaching and direction,” Mr Cooper said.

shelley.inon@alliedmedia.co.nz