The comparisons to classic basketball film, Coach Carter are countless.
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Hastings Secondary College students are trying to match their skills on the court with their academic results.
Mens and womens basketball teams have been formed for Port Macquarie campus after training began in November 2019.
The teams are open to all year seven to 12 students provided they sign an individual contract to apply themselves in the rest of their school studies, strikingly similar to the plot of the 2005 American teen sports film starring Samuel L. Jackson.
School teacher and former basketballer Mitch Stuckey, who runs the Friday morning and after school training sessions, said students were interested in playing and had kickstarted the program in November last year.
"It's a simple message. If you become a good student, you can represent the school in basketball," he said.
"The school has got a policy that if they don't attend classes, if they don't pick their standard of work up and become good students, then they don't get the privilege of playing on the team.
"The players try and get selected for the team and from there they play against other schools in the zone. After that they could be selected in the zone team or our team could win through to regional competition before state championships."
The year 10 students make up the majority of the group with some senior students working on their grades to return to the team, according to Mr Stuckey.
"The girls have a team as well but they are taking a bit longer to organise because they have only started this term," he said.
"To do well at school is the priority and after that they can represent the school. The aim is for every student to be working to the best of their ability in school."
The Hastings Secondary College Port Macquarie Campus team will play rival teams in the same zone later this month.
Basketballer and year 10 student Kael Harris said he think the program is pretty helpful for students.
"The program helps us a lot to all play together and we have a good coach with heaps of experience," he said.
"We have a wide range of players and the program is a bit like 'Coach Carter'. I think it's a good idea because at least people will be disciplined within school and they will be able to work better as a team in basketball."
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