An international school with a brand new gym must have ONE thing – a basketball team! And what better to create one than a competition goal? Our sports teachers have understood this well and have not hesitated to register two teams, one for women and one for men, at an international tournament in Lisbon. February 9 was the Big Day. Once arrived at the school that organizes the tournament, we quickly understood that for our guests, basketball is serious. Their entire gymnasium is decorated with awards obtained through competitions. Our other competitors have also well prepared and inflict us two big defeats.
It’s not easy to re-motivate when we understand that it’s going to be hard to win, especially for boys, where some players have impressive levels for young fans. The day after an evening spent together around the fireplace of the hostel, the fighting spirit is back. We came here to have fun and we will give the best of ourselves to the end. With a remarkable cohesion, our two teams manage to progress each game and set up a real collective game. Both coaches have stars in their eyes and even Clementine Weingaertner, who has agreed to accompany us, becomes a basketball fan! In the end, the boys arrive in fifth place and the girls pull out a bronze medal. Their trophy goes around Lisbon, which we manage to visit on Sunday afternoon. On Monday, after three days of intensive sport, waking up at 3 a.m. to catch a plane is painful. An army of IBS zombies – exhausted, but proud – crosses the airport. And they became even more proud once they returned to school and where a nice reception at IBS was waiting to welcome them. To start over without any hesitation !