Val Drury was born on 15 January 1944 in Hamrun. He is married to Mary, who was a well known figure and familiar voice on Rediffusion and Radio Malta and has two children, Jackie and Natalie. As is customary with the majority of Basketball players, he is 6 feet 6 inches.

His childhood days were somewhat normal though he was born with the World War II nearing its end. “Yes my early years were post-war so it wasn’t easy but it was a simple life and as children we enjoyed it to the full.”

And what about Val’s educational background? “I attended Gzira Primary School followed by the Technical Institute in Paola.”

But how did his Basketball career start? “Joining the British Forces way back in 1962 when I was still an 18-year-old was the baptism of my basketball career. It was there that I fell in love with this beautiful game. Though I was interested, and still is, in other sport, Basketball is what I always liked and wanted. I think I was born to be a Basketball player and coach.”

Val’s first competitive matches materialized in 1964 when he played for three local clubs namely Dragonara Palace Casino, the Pick Army and a visiting team, International School of Geneva.

And what about his Basketball career with local national league clubs? “I started playing with Mundlos winning two league championships in seasons 1966/67 and 1967/68 and even knock-out medals during the same season. In 1969 I joined Luxol SC, a club which gave me a lot and which I also gave so much to. I played, skippered and coached during my career over there.  In the season 1969/70 I won the League title with Luxol and in season 1971/72 the League and Cup double.”

And for Drury what did it mean to be always at the top? “I won everything as a player and coached in various categories both men and women.  I was a mini-basket coach at St Edward’s College and coached Athleta, Wrangler, Siggiewi, Rabat Depiro, Luxol and even the Malta National Team.”

Mentioning the national team how was his experience and what were his exploits? “In 1972 I was appointed MBA national team coach. Under my guidance, the Malta team retained the Ambassador’s Trophy for the third consecutive year beating visiting teams like Old Bromleians and the United States International University. We also finished second place in the MBA Anniversary International Tournament organised in 1974.”

Drury wanted to further his experience and keep going on a learning curve. In fact he attended various courses abroad. “In 1973, with the help of the Malta Basketball Association and its good relations with the Italian Basketball Federation (F.I.P.), I spent a week with the Italian national team squad in Cantu in preparation for an international tour. It was a wonderful experience which taught me a lot.”

More was to come and in January 1975 Val was awarded a two-month Basketball Coaching Scholarship. “Yes this was given to me by the International Solidarity Movement through the Malta Olympic Committee in collaboration with the Malta Basketball Association. I finished first out of 12 national coaches coming from various developing countries.”

Another great feat for Val was when he was the first Basketball Player of the Year honoured by the Malta Basketball Association. “Following the successful season 1971/72 in which we at Luxol won the double I was chosen as the Player of the Year, which was the first year that this honour started. For me it was an achievement and recognition for the hard work following a great season.”

More moments of glory followed Drury, who was an automatic choice with the national team. “I am proud that way back in 1968, just two seasons after starting playing at the top level, I was part of the team which played its first full international match against Libya at the RAF Luqa Gym.”

Turning to nowadays and what has gone on in the recent past Val had this to say. “I think that during the past years the game has evolved a lot. The Malta Basketball Association is now being run on a more professional basis. And even on the field I believe that the level of the game has improved. But it’s never enough and being a small country like Malta there is always room for improvement.”

In the past years we have also seen an improvement in the facilities. How much does this help our local players? “I think that facilities go hand in hand with performances. Today is very different from how we were and what we had 60 years ago when I started my Basketball career. Those days we had the barest minimum. Today players have decent facilities and more areas where to play. So yes times have changed and thank God in a positive way.”

Turning onto more personal aspects Val delved into what he is doing nowadays. “My wife and I are now residents at the Hilltop Gardens retirement village. Though not as busy as when I was young, time flies here and I’m always up to something.”

And what does the family mean for Val. “I have been blessed having Mary as my wife and bringing up two children. Like every other family we’ve had our ups and downs but that’s what life is all about.”

Talking about his favourite choice of food Val mentions something particular. “Though I’m not that fussy about food, I can say that Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding have a special place in my stomach.” And preferred travel destination? “I am not a travel person but I love England especially Yorkshire.”

Val wanted to pass one final message to the young generation. “You have the power to create a better world. So whatever path you choose, have the courage to be the best. Work harder than everyone else. Outwork them all, while taking enough time for friends and family. If you win, that's just the icing on the cake. Though it is fun and validating for young athletes to succeed, winning is not the only purpose of sports.”