By RUSSELL BENNETT
BUNYIP Primary School student Tiarni Fallon was nine years old when she started playing basketball, in her own words, “just to have fun with my friends”.
The 12-year-old was naturally drawn to any team sport, and is currently involved in organised competitions five days per week.
But basketball is more than just a friendly social activity to her – it’s a potential career. Tiarni was recently named to the School Sports Victoria under-12 girls basketball team and one day hopes to play professionally – following in the footsteps of her idol, and fellow point-guard, Dandenong Rangers’ star Kath Macleod.
Tiarni’s selection in the Victorian state side is the culmination of the relentless hard work she undertook in a selection process that began in March. Only 10 spots were up for grabs, and Tiarni was told she needed to work on her outside jump shot to make the cut.
So, with the help of her father’s rebounding skills, she went to work – spending hours at home refining that jumper.
It’s just a sign of her relentless work ethic. She refuses to be beaten.
When asked about her favourite aspect of basketball, Tiarni shied away from the obvious answer – scoring.
She takes more pride in defence and the feeling she gets from stopping her direct opponent.
Tiarni has competed in a series of trials run by School Sports Victoria this year in an effort to go one better than last year, where she didn’t make the cut as an 11-year-old.
She has also played with the Drouin Devils and is currently playing with the under-14 Bunyip Bulls, the Warragul Warriors, and the Pakenham Warriors in the Victorian Junior Basketball League.
She also plays netball for Bunyip F Grade and was this year selected for the Ellinbank and District Netball Association representative team. But her athletic story doesn’t stop there. She has made it to the regional school cross country for Bunyip Primary in each of the past two years.
But it’s the School Sports Australia Basketball Championships to be held in Perth later this year that has her ultimate focus.
It’s not a cheap exercise – with travel and other expenses costing into the thousands – but it’s one Tiarni’s parents pay in order to help her realise her dreams.
Anyone willing to sponsor Tiarni on her journey to Perth should contact Gazette Sport on sport@starnewsgroup.com.au.
