Members of the J.J. Curling Grade 6 basketball team had a perfect 20-0 record this year capturing four titles and banners. Team members included, Brooklyn Tarbett, Cali Breen, Charlotte Sweetapple, Karly Randell, Maddie Batten, coach Jason Tarbett, Amber Companion, Emily Thomas, Paige House, Rebecca Bennett, Karissa Feltham and Megan Williams.
Tarbett helped guide the J. J. Curling Grade 6 girls basketball team to a perfect season with a 20-0 record and four championship banners to hang from the rafters in the school’s gymnasium.
Tarbett, whose daughter Brooklyn plays on the team, said the team achieved success on the hardwood because they embraced his message that defence wins championships. Right from the first tip-off this year he said the team was geared around playing solid defence and the girls bought into it.
“I’ve always instilled in them that with great defence comes easy offence and it helped us,” coach Tarbett said during in a recent interview with The Western Star. “We didn’t win any games because we were that much better than any of the teams ... it was just that we won games on solid defence and being able to turn that into some great offence.”
The team went undefeated in the Tiny Titans tournament to kick off the season, won gold at the J. J. Curling Invitational and RNCA Grade 6 Girls Basketball Tournament and put the finishing touches on a perfect year by defeating rival Sacred Heart School 58-56 in the championship game at the West Coast Provincial Grade 6 Girls Basketball Tournament.
It was the same Sacred Heart School girls who defeated Tarbett’s squad one year ago in the West Coast Provincial Grade 5 Girls Basketball Tournament.
“The girls set it in their minds then that they weren’t going to let that happen again,” Tarbett said of the desire to be on the winning side of the equation at the provincial tourney.
Cali Breen, who is 11, was one of the girls who helped the team close out a season with a zero in the loss column.
“I think it was one of the best experiences ever and something that I will remember for a long time,” Breen said of the incredible run. “It was really fun hanging out with my teammates and working together.”
Brooklyn Tarbett realizes what the team accomplished doesn’t happen every day so she was excited for how the girls worked hard and never rested on its laurels at any point despite being a dominant force.
“I think each of us made a great effort and when somebody had a bad game we all stepped up to help that person and I think that’s what’s important in a team,” she said.
Coach Tarbett said he was impressed with the positive attitude the girls showed throughout the season. He believes they bonded together like a group of sisters and responded in a big way when he kept reminding them they were on the cusp of doing something special as the wins piled up.
“Some of the greatest kids I’ve ever had the privilege of being around in my life,” he said.
