A young Proserpine State School Student has been selected to play Basketball for North Queensland and he is thrilled to see all his practice and training has paid off.
Jamie Henderson is 12 years old and began playing Basketball last year with the Next Stars Sports Academy in Cannonvale.
He participated in the Whitsunday Trials last year and since then he has used every spare moment to practice and fine-tune his skills.
“Everyone thought I should play basketball because I am so tall for my age,” said Jamie.
At 179 centimetres he is the tallest kid in his class, but his height was just the impetus to try the sport, it is his talent on court that got him noticed by the scouts.
Jamie’s dad, Nick Henderson, said that while other players are cocky on the court, his son is cool and calm.
“He always picks the most arrogant player who thinks he’s ‘all that’ and then he just hounds him and never lets up until he’s got him,” said Nick.
“He never loses his cool or reacts when other players having a go at him, he just ignores them!
“He can also slip into any team and play really well – I think these are the reasons he caught the judges eye.”
Jamie participated in the trials three weeks ago and was part of a team of 10 boys and 10 girls from Proserpine State High School who went to Townsville to vie for a place.
He was the only boy to be selected.
For his next event Jamie will head back in Townsville in May for a four-day tournament where 10 players will be selected to be play for Queensland and if he is successful, he will travel to a major competition in Perth.
Jamie was born in Shepperton Victoria and moved to the Whitsundays eight years ago.
A talented Power Forward, Jamie said he loved attending the trials and that it was awesome to compete in a bigger setting with four basketball courts playing at the same time.
Back in his local town, Jamie can be found at the Cannonvale Basketball Courts between three and four times a week, where he plays for two hours each session.
When asked what advice he has for other aspiring sports players he said to never give up.
“If you don’t make it the first time, just keep practicing, it’s about trial and error,” he said.
Year 7 Proserpine State High School Student, Jamie Henderson, has been selected to play Basketball for North Queensland. Photo credit: Rachael Smith
