Island Swish fall basketball programs offer skill development, competitive games and the learning of soft skills like teamwork. (Island Swish)

By Dan Marshall

Bouncing Into Fall

Island Swish youth basketball programs continue to grow

Sep 13, 2025 | 6:53 AM

NANAIMO — Fall basketball programming is now underway for competitive and recreational athletes at Island Swish.

Kids from kindergarten to high school age are being offered sessions of skill development with a game component as well.

At the younger ages the emphasis is on learning and fun and the recreational sessions follow that pathway.

Feedback from families has prompted a new addition this year called super rec.

Organizer and coach Matt Kuzminski said it will feature more competition than their other rec programs starting in Grade 6 and 7.

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“Normally in rec leagues we don’t keep score and the focus is on fun. Now with super rec the sessions those will happen twice a week and there will be a league where scores and standings will be kept. At the end of the super rec teams there will be a tournament. So it’s giving players who may not play on high school teams or club teams an opportunity to participate in something that’s a little bit more organized.”

The aim is to add more rec programs for the upper high school levels and even event adults in the future but Kuzminski noted getting gym time is a factor in those decisions.

The competitive Swish program is tryout based with elite skill development training groups for U16 and U17 boys and U15 to U17 girls.

Kuzminski said the competitive program differs from spring to fall.

“In the fall on the competitive side we’ve opted to go with a training approach with more skill development. In the spring we have a schedule of tournaments on and off the island.”

Island Swish began in 2019 and Kuzminski said they are starting to see the impact of building more youth basketball opportunities.

“Now we’re stretching our program around the whole week and across the whole year. You’re seeing Swish players who are playing university basketball, and some of the best high shool players in Nanaimo came up through the Swish program. It’s really cool to see the growthy that we’ve had. With our club and the other clubs on the island we’re seeing Vancouver Island basketball pick up and in my opinion be the hotbed of basketball in all of BC.”

Many of the Island Swish fall programs are already full but families looking for information or to register can go to www.islandswish.com.

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