Action-Basketball (4)

JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL

                        August – November, 2011

JV Basketball Season was AWESOME! First of all everyone was expected to be at each practice three times per week, and every game during the season unless we notified Coach Desroche in advance of our absence. As our coach, Mr. Desroche stressed that we had to learn the basic skills of the game that would help us become better players both offensively and defensively. The following skills were those that we worked on regularly and I showed a marked improvement in these areas.

                       

                        Ball-handling skills: This included many different drills that involved dribbling the ball as well as others that involved handling the ball without bouncing it. I learned to dribble the ball while keeping my head up instead of watching the ball all the time.

                       

                        Shooting: this was an area that needed the most work from the beginning and so every practice we shot free throws and/or shots around the key. By the end of the season, we had improved in our shooting, given that we focused on the proper technique of positioning our feet and placing our hands on the ball properly.

                       

                        Offensive Strategy: we learned 4 or 5 sets of offensive plays, which we would run against the opposing team’s defense. Each one of us had to learn our position in these offenses and our responsibility for the whole team offense to work well. I learned about what it meant to “pick and roll,” i.e., setting a pick on a teammate’s defender to get that teammate open and then rolling towards the ball so that after setting the pick she would be in a position to score as well. We also learned 4 set plays for getting the ball in bounds under pressure.

                       

                        Defensive Positioning: This year our team focused on learning the proper positions in a man-to-man defence. We were all-responsible to defend our own player and to learn the proper defensive position when our player had the ball, was one pass away from the ball or was more than one pass away from the ball. I learned the proper way to block my player from the basket in order to get a rebound. I also played a full-court, man-to-man pressure defense, which was the key to our success this season.

                       

                        Rules of the Game: my knowledge of the game improved this year as well as my knowledge about what were violations of the rules. For example, I learned about not going over the foul line after a foul shot until the ball had touched the rim; I learned more about the 3 seconds in the key rule; and I learned about what kind of body contact was and was not allowed as well as other rules.

                       

                        Teamwork/Team Spirit: The biggest interpersonal skill that we as a team developed was learning to work together as a team and to accept each other as teammates. Although there were a couple of friend sets already established, it was encouraging to see how each of us got along well with every other player and we learned to bond together. We seemed to thoroughly enjoy being together for practices and games.

                       

                        Character: we displayed good character and sportsmanship throughout the season. We always showed respect to the referees publicly even when we disagreed with their calls privately in our team huddles. Also, we were an encouragement to one another. When one of us was feeling discouraged for any reason, or was injured or sick, we would gather around her, give her a hug and a word of encouragement. A clear sign of our character of always thinking what was best for the team and not just our own individual feelings.

Creative- MUN (2)

The Mock Debate this year was held here at ISK, Saturday 12th Nov from 9:00 to 12pm. Overall 200, Students and teachers, came together. They were all placed in their designated committee, and debated the resolutions that came in.

I was part of organizing the Mock debate, specifically in the Refreshments section, my group and I have been planning what to serve the teachers and came up with the right amount of refreshments, and since it was in the morning we figured it would be best to sell breakfast foodstuff as most teachers and students will be missing their breakfast. Coconut provided everything for us thanks to Quinny from the canteen.

Everybody mingled with each other during the break, meeting new people is fun especially in this case, given that we share the same interests.

I hope to gain great research skills, and public speaking skills, along side interacting with people and cultures all over the world, and enjoy an international and professional environment.
Proud to be representing for the first time ever, Antigua and Barbuda, in the Human rights committee.

-Nadzzzz

Action-Basketball (3)

“GO LIONS GO LIONS GO LIONS”
So far we won all games in our league, which were against Rosslyn, Brook house, Oshwall, Saint Christopher and RVA.
Even though we lost our last league game against Hillcrest 25-24, we didn’t easily give up.
Instead we’ve been practicing even harder not only to gain confidence, but also become even better players overall.
For the past weeks we’ve also been training even harder for our final game against Brook House Saturday Nov 12.
At the same time we are doing drills like the 3 men weave, outlet, screening, zone, defense, free-throws, runs around the school and games between us.
These drills have tremendously helped me to perfect my shooting and confidence during the game.

-Nadzzz

Action-Basketball (1)

Creative - Interact Club (1)

Being a member in the club committee of the Interact club permits me to take part in mural painting.
Our first mural design took place last month at school, we designed a mural on the new ‘Commons’ white boarding site.
The theme of our design is to advertise “THE INTERACT CLUB”.
I am looking forward to design murals in public schools, and orphan homes around Nairobi.

-Nadzzz

Service - Interact Club (6)

Yesterday Nov 6th was the event I’ve been waiting for; it was none other than: THE OVC CHRISTMAS PARTY!!!
For the past 2 weeks or so at school we’ve been collecting clothes, which were donated by each interact club member in Mrs. Henderson’s room.
Ultimately, the clothes drive was a big success and we collected heaps of clothes for the Orphaned Vulnerable Children, subsequently the clothes became their Christmas gift.
We’ve been planning this Christmas party for sometime, and our goal was to make it unforgettable for the OVC kids.
We met at school at 9:30 sharp, then we were all assign into groups such as group 1, group 2, and group 3 by president Anisha before we headed off to collect the OVC children. Once the kids came to our school campus, they were also set into groups; shortly we were assigned to groups of OVC children.
The plan was to rotate the three groups at every activity on campus, which were the swimming pool, the basketball court, the MPR drawing, breakfast at the cafeteria and a little bit touring of ISK to the kids.
The kids were so contented and overexcited; they had a lot of fun. Most of them didn’t know how to swim, so they were scared to get in the pool, but soon they overcame their fears and swam cheerily with the rest of us. At the end of the day I felt good, especially knowing the fact that we, the interact club gave hope to these kids.
Yesterday was all about giving the kids ‘LOVE’ AND ‘CARE’ something they lack and are earning for.

-Nadzzz

Service - Interact Club (5)

Yesterday the 8th October was yet another fun trip to OVC, Orphaned Vulnerable Children, with the team Interact Club.
We met early in the morning at school, helped in loading Ms. Henderson’s car with food for the OVC children, and then we set off in the rocky path as a group towards the home.
The children were very happy to see us; I recognized some of the faces too. We played football, danced, and surprisingly they still remembered the dance routine we taught them last time. It was really fun!
Before we parted, they thanked us for bringing them food, and they shared the challenges they overcame thanks to our help.
I really enjoy going there, and it’s nice for me to know that I am helping my community and they are counting on us.

-Nadzz

Service- Interact Club (4)

Today was my first Runda Trip as an active member of the Interact club.
We all met up at Java Gigiri early in the morning around 9:30am then we each divided ourselves into groups and shared cars to follow Mrs. Henderson’s car to the Runda Feeding Program. The moment we got there, we met the Rotary International people, and then we set to work. We unpacked hundreds of breads, milk, biscuits, muffins, candies, mandazies and juices, which we were then going to distribute equally among the endless line of unfortunate people aging 1-60 years old. I was in charge of both muffin and slices of bread station, I would pass one of each to the kids, sometimes they would come to me carrying their little sibling on their backs, then I would be forced to give them the full bread and 2 muffins. By the end, it was very painful to watch the last 10 people of 200 in total not having anything, given that it was finished. And the fact that this is their only food, which will last them only a week, is distressing!
This trip definitely taught me how fortunate and blessed I am, and we all should always do whatever we can to help those in need. I was very proud too that the Interact club, we donated 20,000KES for this feeding program. I will continue this noble cause.

-Nadzzz

Service - Interact Club (3)

Sept 12 was a tragic day!
It all started with a cigarette butt, consequently, a petrol pipeline exploded, killing over 100 people.
Bodies lay in smouldering piles in the Sinai slum, not far from Nairobi's city centre.
Survivors writhed in pain in damp alleys, the skin peeling from their faces and hands.
Women and children burnt like firewood, another woman was burned with her baby on her back.
Most of the bodies were being washed away, so the police placed netting over the stream.
After hearing this i decided to donate bed sheets and pillows, at the Interact Club, given that Kenyatta Hospital is running out of supplies for these people.
May God Bless their Souls
Amen

_Nadzz

Service - Interact Club (2)

Interacting with the community is what interact club is all about, and I definitely did that today from 9:30 to 12:00pm, at the Orphaned Vulnerable Children’s home also known as OVC, these orphaned kids lack parental care and love. They depend on volunteers, like us the interact club, for their needs such as food and love, furthermore, these kids are HIV positive and have been robbed from opportunities in life.

We met as a group early in the morning at school, around 9:30. And with the money we collected from the PTO picnic book sale fundraising we organized at school 2 weeks ago, we bought food such as maize, Ugali flour, milk, and nuts, which are the main nutrition for any typical Kenyans, and carried it with us all the way to OVC.
The moment we reached OVC, one thing I noticed about these kids is that, they don’t let their sickness affect them, not even one bit. They are living life to the fullest such as being active throughout the day! The smile on their faces was one of happiness and not of disappointment. After everything they’ve been through, they are strong.
Throughout the day, we played football with them, read books to them, played many games with them, and it was definitely exciting. They themselves prepared poems, dances and skits for us. Most of their skits were about how they used to work as housemaids, and their owner used to abusive them. It was heartbreaking.
In the end we said our farewells, as they were getting ready to eat their lunch. We are even thinking of organizing a Christmas party for OVC, sometime in November, they deserve it. Looking forward for the nest trip.

_Nadzzz  

Action- Basketball (2)

Had my first game of the season, yesterday! 

It was INTENSE for sure! the opposing team, Rosslyn JV Girls team, was very aggressive! they would intentionally push us or scratch us during the game! and most of these attacks were not called by the ref!  

Nonetheless my team, ISK LIONS we were fierce! overall we did really well on defense and offense even though we lost by 4 points, Rosslyn: 19 ISK: 15,  half the time the other team couldn't even get to the basket! that's how skilled we were! but we need to work on man to man, screening, defense and especially SHOOTING!

-Nadzzz

Service- Interact Club (1)

I've been accepted in the INTERACT CLUB.

I even attended the team building camp, last saturday september 3rd from 9am to 12:30pm.

It was fun, we got into teams of committees, did activities together, and then Mr. Robert and Ms. Henderson talked about the qualities of a leader and we talked about how to run a committee successfully, this includes listening to each other, agree as a group on one thing rather than blame someone about a failure, and be open to new ideas, it was very interacting!

at the end of the meeting, president Anisha Hira and Mr. Robert reinforced the previous points about leadership, and co-founder, former president of the club, Shenal, also came and gave a quick word too, he said  "The more you give into Interact, the more you get back from it", and that is going to be my goal throughout Interact, i am going to be a committed member.

-Nadzzz  

Action-Basketball (1)

This year I want to try something new, something I’ve never thought of doing before, which is Basketball. I want to develop interest into this game, given that I haven’t given much attention and effort into it before. So I signed for the Girl’s Basketball team earlier this school year and I’ve been going for the past week for the tryouts. Just today the results came out and I’m officially in Junior Varsity team. So throughout this season I want to perfect my dribbles, my shooting, and especially my odd defense technique.

_Nadzz