Drew Macdonald - Diploma in Sport, Recreation, & Performance Level 5

Aspiring Basketballer, Drew joined the New Zealand Institute of Sport after facing the tough decision of what to do after high school.

Attending the open day at the Wellington campus, Drew says “I decided that this would be the best step for me in terms of moving forward, getting experience, and improving my sport.”

Studying a Diploma in Sport Management (Advanced Exercise Prescription) Level 5. Drew found the programme not only contributed to his sporting career but, says it taught him athleticism and provided a skilled mind-set for keeping his head up on and off the court.

With a bright career ahead of him, Drew recently returned from a tour to America with the NZ Maori under 19's Basketball team. The main purpose of the tour was attending a massive AAU tournament in Phoenix, Arizona. The AAU tournament was called NABI (one of the biggest with over 132 teams attending).

This was a massive chance for exposure to over 60+ college recruiters attending this tournament. We had a few hit-outs training's/warm-up matches in Los Angeles. Prior to NABI, Drew captained his team and was announced as the first team to attend.

Now continuing to train, Drew will potentially travel to America again for a few series games. He is now playing premier club basketball in Wellington, training with coaches, and in tournaments for Wairarapa men's representative team.

Basketball is a waiting game as with college recruiters it’s a very slow process however, Drew says he’s prepared for a career in sport after the mentorship and advice received from his tutors. 

“Looking back, attending NZIS was one of the best decisions I made for me as a person, and as a basketball player.”