Special K Bobby Kinzer gives Fury basketball awards the Solripe stamp of approval

The club’s annual prizegiving took place in a fun-filled evening at Grangemouth Town Hall last week.

And though the star of Coasters Arena in the 1980s couldn’t make it along, he sent his best wishes to the players following in his footsteps on local courts.

IN PICTURES: Gallery of awards night images

Among the silverware handed out last Friday was the Bobby Kinzer Endeavour Awards to Lewis Morton, Ben Small, Sophie Cram and Rachael Penman.

Special K said: “This is fantastic! Congratulations to all who won awards and to those who didn’t, but contribution to the team does not go unnoticed! Basketball is a team sport so everyone is a contributor. So glad to see the rich tradition of Scottish Basketball still being carried on.

“I am honoured for the awards to be named after me.

“Outside of entertaining the fans I took the game very serious when it came to winning. All those are attributes I aspired to display. I never missed one professional game in my British Basketball career! The only message I would like to pass on is “Talent is good, IQ is good, but the greatest of all is effort. I’ll take effort over super stardom every time.”

More than 200 players, officials and guests celebrated a record breaking season that included eight National titles.

The big prize winners on the night were SW player and Development Coach, Jenna Beattie who took the Outstanding Service to the club award; Sam Owens – the Club Player of the Year; with the U14 Boys team winning Team of the Year and U14 Girls Coach Rebecca Lonsdale Coach of the Year.

Erin Marshall Junior Women’s player, was Volunteer of the Year with Abby Rutter and George Henderson voted the Stars of the Future.

Katie McEwan took Provost of Falkirk Junior coach of the Year.

The Awards Night shoot –out challenge saw 10 teams of all age groups battle to be crowned top team of the night.

The winners in an amazing shooting display on the 8ft ring were the U12 Girls, seeing off all the opposition with Poppy Duncan winning the contest overall.|

Guests on the night including former Glasgow Rocks General Manager Daniel Bojwalok of ARD Consultancy, Falkirk Herald Sports Editor David Oliver and Commonwealth Games players Fraser Malcolm and Jonny Bunyan also took part and helped hand out more than 50 awards.

The Club’s Player of the Year was Sam Owens. The second year junior who will move to Fury Men’s team next season was key in Fury Junior Men taking the U18 Division 1 title and the Scottish Cup. Owens who posseses a potent three-point shot was one of six Fury players who took back to back double National titles in their two year junior term.

The club’s volunteer of the year was Erin Marshall.Erin while playing for the clubs Junior Women’s team, coached the Fury U14 team 2 and was a key volunteer on Fury Men’s game nights.

The team of the year was Fury U14 boys who won the 17-18 Scottish Cup and the Scottish National Challenge.

The team whose average winning margin was over 20pts all season have been described by many outwith Fury as an outstanding group. Also competing in the Battle of Britain in London, the group have been on course for 3 years to be one of Fury’s best ever sides.

Club coach of the year was Rebecca Lonsdale coach to Fury’s U14 Girls, who like the boys, also won the Scottish Cup and National Challenge. Rebecca turned around the Girls U14 program and after a season of very close games in both the Cup and National Challenge, showed what a great group the girls’ squad is.

International player of the year – an award that extends from current to former Fury players was awarded to the former Fury player Fraser Malcolm who has recently moved to the Glasgow Rocks this summer.

The Margaret Bunyan Memorial Award went to Jenna Beattie for outstanding service to the club since playing for Fury at under-12 through ten seasons with the senior women. Always a role model for the club she is set to move to Caledonia Pride next season.

The inaugural Bobby Kinzer awards went to Sophie Cram, Lewis Morton, Ben Small and Rachael Penman. Katie McEwan took the first ever Provost of Falkirk award as junior coach of the year.

Stars of the future were George Henderson and Abby Rutter.