It was still dark outside when the WAIS U11 girls’ basketball team got on a 6:00am bus bound for Shanghai. Despite it being quite early in the morning, the girls were all energetic and excited to play in their first official games at a 6-team tournament hosted by SUIS-Shangyin. Not only were these going to be their first organized games, but it was their first time playing together as well. So, it was a wonderful surprise that they played so well together that they managed to finish 3rd place in their first ever tournament!

However, it was no simple feat to clinch 3rd place. On a hot, sunny day in Shanghai, the girls had to play four consecutive 32-minute games on outdoor courts, two of which were games against the eventual 1st and 2nd place winners. Despite being tired, none of these young athletes ever stopped running, and they only grew stronger as the day went on. The girls’ basketball team gained valuable experience each game, allowing them to perform better and better each game. One can only imagine how dominant this team will be once they have more practice and experience!