It was a welcome return to an awards night with it being the first one since the forced break due to the pandemic, while also the first awards night as Tralee Magic BC.

The Lee Suite in the Rose Hotel filled as people eagerly anticipated what the new format of the All Stars Awards night had in store.

Club Chairperson, John Dowling, was emcee for the evening. He thanked the sponsors that supported our club this year, including Sandy Feet Farm and Lee Strand. The eyes of our young female widened when he outlined the club’s plans to enter a senior ladies team in national competitions including the Intermediate league. It is the club’s hope and aim to build back up our national league status and eventually to a Warriors super league team.

The first presentation of the night was to our youngest members – Academy and U10s.

‘Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise’ – Michael Jordan

Jacko and Skinny presented them with certificates.

Teammate of the Year was the first of the new awards as part of the revamped format. This award focused on players who were teammates on and off the court.

‘The important thing is that your teammates have to know you’re pulling for them and you really want them to be successful’ – Kobe Bryant

· Holly O’Brien

· Sean Heaslip

Both recipients go the extra mile for others, put their hand up to do more to help others and the club. They have both played, coached and officiated in the club, as well as volunteering to help out on fundraising days and camps.

Kerry Representatives Tralee Magic had 9 players on Kerry teams with the u14 and u17 girls Kerry teams winning their Interregional tournament.

‘You cannot achieve unless you believe in yourself. You are more capable than you think.’ – Elena Delle Donne

U14 Girls

· Sophie Mitchell

· Abby Crowley

· Lily Mae Bowler

U17 Girls

· Lucy O’Donnell

· Holy O’Brien

· Lucy O’Connor

· Sorcha Casey

U17 Boys

· Sean Heaslip

· Jamie Burke

Young Club Person of the Year this year was awarded to someone who eats, lives and breathes Tralee Magic Basketball.

‘No one knows how big your potential is, how big your heart is, when you start’ – Muggsy Bogues

He has been seen at most of our underage games supporting boys and girls teams just because it is his club. He will be seen most days in school sporting his Tralee Magic gear. He embodies what we all value in a young club person, proud to be part of our club, happy to encourage his club mates and always there to help his coaches and teammates.

· Ronan Hayes

County League and Cup Winners

· U13 Girls undefeated this year with 17 wins out of 17, led by coaches William Daughton and Joanne Crowley. It was a pleasure to watch this team who had a fantastic team spirit and high skill level to match. The team were presented with their league medals on the night to add to their cup medals.

· U15 Girls followed their cup success as runners up of the league, just missing out on the top spot by point difference. They were presented with their league medals on the night. The team was coached by Jason Mitchell.

· U16 Girls were presented with their county league medals. The team were coached by Tomas O’ Hanlon, assistant Jason Mitchell and Team Manager Ranjna O’Donovan. It was a brilliant season for the team, who won the preseason tournament in Cork and winning all their pool games in the AICCs.

· U18 Boys completed the double this year, winning the cup as well as retaining the league title. They are two seasons unbeaten in the county league and advanced to the quarter final in the National Cup. The team was coached by Dave Leahy, Jerome Linnane and Team Manager, Suzanne O’Halloran. The boys were presented with their league medals to add to their collection.

Sandy Feet All Stars

The following quote captures the essence of what the club wanted the All Stars to be about:

‘Michael Jordan may have been the best basketball player in history, but he couldn’t have won six NBA titles without a team’ – Mark E. Hyman

The beauty of basketball is that players can affect it in many different ways both on and off the court. Tralee Magic All Stars is a reflection of this. The player that is an All Star, in their own way does what they do best and helps the team to be better.

· Nessa Kirby

· Sadhbh Dowling

· Sean Lynch

· Luke Gannon

· Kelly Fitzgerald

· Ronan Hayes

· Aoife O’Connell

· Michael Tansley

Munster Academy Representatives Tralee Magic had three players selected on the Munster Academy, the pathway to Irish team development panels.

‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard’ – Tim Notke

· Conor McGibney

· Ciara Costello

· Priya O’Donovan

Irish Team Caps Tralee Magic had three Irish team representatives.

‘Talent is never enough. With few exceptions the best players are the hardest workers.’ – Magic Johnson

· Aivaras Uosis named Irish captain of U18 squad travelling to European Championships

· Joshua Osayanrhion

· Lucy O’Connor

Hall of Fame

‘Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.’ – Shaquille O’Neal

This year’s recipient needs no introduction. This person has been coaching and playing basketball all his life. Among his accomplishments all of which are too many to call out are Superleague Men’s and Women, head and assistant coach of Irish boys and girls teams, head and assistant coach of school boys and girls teams, all of which captured All Ireland titles. He was an integral part of setting up of our own academy here in Tralee Magic and will tell you the greatest accomplishment is the players who are still involved to this day in the game. Praise is never anything this person seeks but does it for the love of people, the love of the game and most of all the love of our club. We felt it was only right that the very first recipient of the Tralee Magic Hall of Fame be the one and only:

· Jimmy Diggins

An emotional Jimmy Diggins accepted his award to a standing ovation.

Lee Strand All Stars

‘It’s a dream come true for me, for every kid that plays basketball, to make an All Star game. It’s amazing.’ – Luka Doncic

· Clodagh Kennedy

· Rian Tuohy

· Sophie Mitchell

· Emily Flynn

· Johnny Dawson

· Lucy O’Donnell

· Ryne Ybanez

Lee Strand Club Person of the Year

‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ – Maya Angelou

This person probably would have won this award for the last ten years if it was given out. This person has also probably held every position you can have in any club; chairperson, secretary, KABB representative, Children’s Officer, parent, manager, coach, assistant coach and table official. Rumour has it she may now take up refereeing to have the full sweep.

Always there to help out, oftentimes an hour before a game when someone needs a table official, always there to pick up the phone if you have an issue or need advice, any club fundraiser or game always there to show her support. She quietly works away in the background to ensure this club keeps moving forward and for that everyone will always be grateful.

This year’s Lee Strand Club Person of the Year goes to the most deserving:

· Anne O’Shea

Anne collected her award to the second standing ovation of the night.

Thank you to everyone who attended the All Stars awards night and well done to the winners on the night.