2005 has been a really good year for the Basketball Development Centre at Firvale Sports Centre. A lot of the success is due to the hard work of the Burngreave Sports Project, the Development Centre staff and the commitment of the young people whose talents have been developed.
In September 2004 the centre was going through a bad patch, with hardly any young people turning up. This is where outreach work with young people, hard work and determination came into play. The Burngreave Sports Project was adamant this was not going to be a failure. We promoted these sessions in local schools, youth clubs and other organisations in the community.
Within a matter of weeks, the number of young people that wanted to come and join the session, was phenomenal. On a weekly basis we have 20 to 25 young people attending. There is a mixture of boys and girls.
We have entered a number of tournaments and have been successful – coming second in two tournaments. Recently one of the female players has qualified as a Level 1 Basketball Coach and has gone on to play for the Sheffield Hatters women’s basketball team.
The Basketball Development Centre is situated at Firvale Sports Centre at Firvale School. This takes place on Saturdays from 9.30–11.00am.
For more information, contact Ben Hamilton of Burngreave Sports Project on 07810 685 523