Tigers drilled at CFA ground

By Nicole Williams
A SECRET training session in Bangholme put Melbourne Tigers players through some drills of a different kind last week.
The 12 players had no idea what was in store for them when they arrived at the Bangholme CFA Training Centre on 6 September but were put through their paces during a gruelling CFA training session.
Leading firefighter James Wong, from Boronia CFA, said the team and firefighters needed many of the same skills including communication, problem solving, leadership and teamwork.
“So many of the skills they require relate to firefighters so it was great to place the players into an unfamiliar environment and face them with difficult decision making, strong team work, trust and communication,” he said.
The players were split into two teams of six for two scenarios.
One was a search and rescue inside a smoky and poorly lit building with three men inside the building communicating with three men outside.
The second was a confined space search and rescue using rope work and crawling.
Mr Wong said the day was successful and both the CFA and the basketballers got a lot from it.
“It was a very unique experience for me and the CFA,” he said.
“We’ve done a lot of work with the community, sporting clubs and schools but never with a professional sporting team.”
Melbourne Tigers players signed a basketball as a gift of thanks, which will be on display at the Bangholme training facility.