The Australian flags within the crowd, mixed with cricket bats and stumps within the basketball crew’s altering rooms, are among the most evident indicators that St Mary’s School in California is not your customary American establishment.
However after signing 24 Aussies for the reason that flip of the century, there is a robust motive why the Gaels are affectionately known as Little Australia.
The group at present contains West Australian trio Kyle Bowen, Alex Ducas and Harry Wessels. They’re following the identical St Mary’s pathway as Aussie NBA trio Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Jock Landale, Baldivis junior and now NBA assistant coach Adam Caporn, and ex-Perth Wildcat Clint Steindl.
The love proven in the direction of Australian athletes extends to the ladies’s crew too with WA’s Megan McKay a part of the alumni and Ruby Vlahov additionally not too long ago signing on. Ducas stated the connection made St Mary’s really feel like dwelling.
“Being an Australian athlete myself and coming to America in a overseas atmosphere, seeing previous Australians had been by way of St Marys and carried out so nicely positively made it engaging to return right here,” Ducas advised The West Australian’s The Dribble Podcast.
“It wasn’t the one motive however I knew with the connection the coach has along with his gamers, and the household atmosphere at St Mary’s, I knew I used to be going to slot in completely.
“It is just a little Australia away from dwelling. We have got Australian flags in every single place across the health club, we’ve got a cricket bat within the locker room. We pull it out typically earlier than we do our weights classes and hit it up and down the court docket.
“Quite a lot of time it is within the locker room. One individual stands in entrance of the toilet and we bowl the ball as quick as we will at them and see if they’ll hit it. It is all a little bit of enjoyable and so they find it irresistible.
“We’re positively bringing a variety of Australian iconic issues over right here.
“I positively appreciated seeing the Australian gamers coming by way of earlier than me and paving the best way. I am making an attempt to fill these sneakers.”
Such is St Mary’s dedication to the inexperienced and gold, the Gaels organized a pre-season tour of Australia final 12 months.
The Gaels began in Sydney, performed towards South East Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne United in Victoria, then flew to Perth the place they competed towards each the Perth Wildcats and Ducas’ former membership, the Geraldton Buccaneers.
The group attended the AFL conflict between Fremantle and West Coast at Optus Stadium, went to Kings Park and visited a number of seashores as they obtained a first-hand schooling concerning the tales they’d been listening to for years.
Having Australian expertise on the court docket has been an essential a part of profitable groups too.
St Mary’s sit on high of the West Coast convention and Bowen’s good latest kind noticed him awarded the Bay Alarm Scholar-Athlete of the Week. Bowen hauled in 43 rebounds throughout three matches throughout seven days to showcase his aggressive nature.
Whereas the 215cm and 115kg Wessels is in his first 12 months at St Mary’s, Bowen and Ducas are each seniors with an enormous urge for food to complete school basketball life on a excessive. Bowen stated that had been one of many driving forces behind his latest string of huge video games.
“It is all about being extra aggressive, particularly with it being my senior 12 months,” Bowen stated.
“I needed to tackle a extra aggressive position whether or not it was scoring or rebounding. Combating for the free ball has been the mantra of the crew. It is type of within the St Marys DNA to be a man who will get after these free balls and the straightforward rebounds. I am hoping to maintain it rolling.”
