Zeeland teen earns bronze medal at Friendship Games in The Netherlands

Wendy Griffin

Robin Griffin

Robin Griffin of Zeeland got a taste of what international basketball.

The 15-year-old Zeeland East sophomore participated in the July 18-28 Friendship Games in the Netherlands, an international competition for youth ages 11 to 19. She played basketball for a team from the U.S. called the Heat and earned a bronze medal.

“The best part of playing in was meeting people from not only the U.S. but from other countries,” Griffin said. “I had a great time. I started all eight of our games at forward.”

Griffin actually hardly ever came off the court.

“We had seven players, so we all played a lot,” Griffin said.

The Heat won six of their eight games.

“Our only losses were to another U.S. team called The Hoopsters that won the gold medal and to a team from Spain that won the silver medal,” Griffin said.

Griffin wasn’t the only one that enjoyed her recent 10-day trek to Europe.

“My husband Mike and mother Donna Wyngarden were also at the Friendship Games,” said Griffin’s mother, Wendy. “We had a wonderful time.”

Wendy Griffin said the recent competition was in many ways similar to the 2008 Olympics.

“It was especially fun to have had this taken place during this Olympic year,” Wendy said. “So much of how the competition was run reminds me of the Olympics. The opening ceremony had all the countries with their flags and a torch lighting ceremony with music blaring and lights flashing.”

Robin Griffin was the only one from Michigan on the Heat team.

“I met a lot of neat people and made a lot of new friends,” Robin said. “It didn’t feel strange being the only player from Michigan on the team.”

Griffin started for the Zeeland East freshman basketball team last winter.

“Hopefully, I’ll start again this year for the junior varsity,” Griffin said.