in 2018,” Ben says. “That group has really pushed through the challenging times and the boys’ strong commitment has paid off.” Resilience for any team is always vital, as College has discovered. “When the Senior A team lost a key player a month before the South Island competition in 2022, that pulled the group more strongly together. It made the boys really focus collectively and lock into the whole process as they had even more to prove and were under-estimated nationally. It was probably a defining moment for the team.” Ben has also worked hard to build sustainability into College basketball and believes the A
team can reach the nationals again over the next few years. He adds that the Years 9–10 side is “a very good team”, having finished 2nd at the South Island tournament in 2022. Now, it is time for a new personal challenge after spending 15 years in Christchurch. “For me, it is the right time to move on,” he says. “My partner wants to be closer to her family in Nelson and I am really excited about having a fresh challenge. The national title has been a fairy- tale finish to my time at College and an opportunity to leave on a high note. After pulling off the title win, the ‘what ifs’ of the Covid-19 disruption have disappeared.
“I have really enjoyed my time at College and the chance to teach a great bunch of boys. While it has been tough throughout the Covid-19 years, I have felt supported. I appreciate the opportunities that Executive Principal Garth Wynne and the school have provided.” In 2023, Ben joins Nayland College in Nelson, stepping again into a teacher-coach role. “I am teaching Health and PE and coaching while also relishing a lifestyle change, along with being appointed Assistant Coach of the NBL team, the Nelson Giants.” Ben also faces another testing contest in 2024 – the multi-sport Coast to Coast.
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