Bandits Host School Day Game

Photo Credit Vancouver Bandits (Canadian Elite Basketball League)

School Day games seem to be a great way in which to connect with not only the schools, but also the Families as well as promote your team to the community.

The most recent game we heard about was the BCHL’s  Coquitlam Express with them playing host to the Chilliwack Chiefs which was played in front of a packed arena.

We feel confident that next season that there could possibly be one hosted by one of the PJHL teams to garner more attention to the team as well as reach out to the community.

We are hearing that the Vancouver Bandits and Langley School District are slated to host the 2nd annual Langley Schools Play Day at Langley Events Centre (grades 5 to 7) boys and girls basketball teams from Langley’s School District. 

The following is the press release we recently received from the Vancouver Bandits.

Enjoy the read:

The Langley Schools Play Day is a free basketball event for Langley School District elementary and middle schools providing each grade 7 team with two games at LEC. 

Last year the Vancouver Bandits and Langley School District hosted 13 schools and a total of 30 teams whereas this year’s 2nd annual event will welcome 16 schools and a total of 34 teams. 

The school roster includes Alex Hope, Alice Brown, Belmont, Betty Gilbert, Coghlan Fundamental, Dorothy Peacock, Fort Langley, Glenwood, Gordon Greenwood, HD Stafford, James Kennedy, Langley Fundamental, North Otter, Peter Ewart, Peterson Road and Yorkson Creek. 

“The District’s athletics mission is to inspire all athletes to reach their full potential and to create a lasting legacy for the future,” said Mal Gill, Superintendent of the Langley School District. “We are grateful to our partners, the Vancouver Bandits and the Township of Langley, for providing this unique learning opportunity for our students, and we see it as a way for them to demonstrate our values of community, courage, integrity, and excellence outside of the classroom.” 

The purpose of the event is to bring the Langley community together to Langley Events Centre for a free-to-play event. Many youth and families in the community do not get the opportunity to play at LEC so this event welcomes youth and families from across Langley School District to the LEC to play and connect with each other. 

The event is co-hosted between Vancouver Bandits Professional Basketball Club and Langley School District and is supported by Township Fire, RCMP Langley, 

Otter CO-OP, Langley Events Centre and Trinity Western University Spartans Basketball. 

“There is a thriving basketball ecosystem in Langley and we are grateful for our partnership with Langley Schools to connect with aspiring basketball players and coaches by returning Langley Schools Play Day to the community.

An event such as Langley Schools Play Day brings the community together while also providing an experience that is not common for students in grades 5 to 7. 

After a successful inaugural event in 2023 it was important for myself and Vancouver Bandits to work with our community stakehol