Two local basketball players are getting some intense training through a prestigious development program in Vancouver, following successful tryouts earlier in September.
Bobbi-Jo Colburn and Charity Marlatt are currently participating in a two-month program through the Centre of Performance with Canada Basketball, based in the Lower Mainland.
Colburn, who recently competed for Team B.C. in the National Championships in the U15 age division, had exposure at the provincial level because of that experience.
However, Marlatt, got in as a walk-on after receiving an invite.
Both had to compete in a tryout to book their spot in the program, which runs from the end of September to December.
The two join 28 other athletes in the program, which had eight spots reserved for U17 provincial team members, and are training with Allison McNeal, the national and international women's coach of the year.
"There were quite a few girls there and it was a tough tryout," said Colburn. "They really worked us hard and then we got an email that we made it."
The two have been heading down to Vancouver every weekend since the tryout to attend eight sessions, where they work on their skills for two days before coming back home to the East Kootenay.
"We do three hours of basketball and one hour of in-the-classroom learning—just how to work your life around being busy," said Colburn.
"…It's a big commitment."
Colburn hopes to play at the provincial level again next summer, and wants to use her training at the CP program to maker her mark at the higher levels.
Colburn is the daughter of Greg Colburn, who coaches with Mount Baker
Secondary School and the local 3G Basketball club team.
Both Marlatt and Colburn are members of the 3G Basketball club team, which travels to tournaments across B.C., Alberta and into the U.S. to compete against high-level teams.
While Bobbi-Jo is soaking up the knowledge through the development program, so is her dad, which he can use with the 3G club team. The 3G club will head to a tournament at the end of October, however, the season won't get going in earnest until the middle of December.