Coastal Pride's Journey at the Junior All Native Basketball Tournament

And what a journey it has been! This unique tournament was created to encourage young athletes to play basketball, nurture healthy lifestyles, and cultural warming within the Aboriginal youth community. Each year, the tournament travels to a different host city within British Columbia, bringing approximately 1500 people and increasing tourism, making it quite popular amongst destinations across BC.

Coastal Pride came in second place during the Championship round, winning multiple major awards.

• Second Place Trophy

• Player of the Game

• All-Star x2

• Mr. Hustle Award

The boys shared their experiences:

"It was the most fun they've ever had" and are looking forward to doing it again next year.

"It is so rewarding to see all the hard work we've put in as a team and be recognized at BC's top youth basketball tournament. The compliments we've received from the tournament organizers, other team coaches, and parents made us realize what a good job we had all done" said Coastal Pride's Coaching Staff and Managers.

The head coach, Justin Adams, is a 2-Time All Native Basketball MVP, Provincial High School MVP, and has played for three different college teams. He has the young athletes pushing themselves, up to 5 times a week in practice, to improve their skillset and teamwork. But more importantly, the coaching staff strives to promote trust, hard work, and honesty within the team, creating a safe haven to foster their growth and team spirit.

The team loved the basketball part - playing in the large high school gym, being in front of a crowd, and proudly representing their community. They also loved the camaraderie. They hung out together every night, enjoyed meals, went shopping, swimming, and Go-Karting at a local arcade. There was a lot of laughter and fun throughout the entire trip, even though they took the games seriously toward the end.

The coaches voiced that they've enjoyed watching them all grow into great players and remarkable young men.

Coastal Pride had a big fan base, with fans cheering them on from the teams that they had previously beat. The game was extremely competitive, gritty, and physical - not something you would normally see at a U13 level. AC/DC's Thunderstruck is Prince Rupert's hometown basketball song, we can all hear it.

You've all come so far individually and as a team. We hope you always remember that this experience is a foundation to continue to build on!

Everyone here at Cascadia Air is your biggest fan!

Slideshow of Highlights from the Tournament: