Wolves Launch Six Community Clubs

Worcester Wolves are looking to resurrect community basketball across Worcestershire & Herefordshire, in partnership with England Basketball and Sports Partnership Herefordshire & Worcestershire. Set for a mid January launch, the Wolves community outreach programme promises to put grassroots basketball firmly on the map through the implementation of IM Basketball and a series of six affiliated Satellite Clubs.

Despite the scheme only being in its infancy, thirteen schools have already signed on to provide IM basketball to their students, encompassing primary and secondary schools, colleges and the University of Worcester, with a total of seventeen weekly sessions being delivered. IM basketball is a programme which is open to all, informal and engaging. Sessions can be played indoors or outdoors, at lunchtime or after school, and led by a teacher, parent, volunteer or senior pupil.

In exchange for weekly basketball opportunities the Wolves are offering providers a plethora of rewards and incentives, including: school visits from Worcester Wolves players, ticket deals and opportunities for participants and leaders to gain basketball qualifications and awards.

Worcester Wolves Community Basketball Development Officer Chris Cox explained, “the six Worcester Wolves affiliated school Satellite Clubs will provide community members and students with weekly, coached basketball sessions. Sessions will focus on enjoyment and inclusion, whilst encouraging skill and knowledge development. The Satellite clubs have been established with the aim of providing a clear link between informal school basketball and structured club basketball.

“Four of the six Satellite Clubs will be reserved exclusively for students aged between 14 and 19 years of age. These clubs will act as a hub and provide students from local schools with access to quality, engaging, coached basketball once a week. The four clubs will be hosted at Hereford Sixth Form College, Pershore High School, Hanley Castle High School and Dyson Perrins C of E Academy.

“The two remaining Satellite Clubs will focus on members of the community. The Worcester Wolves Community Basketball Club, established in 2013, will continue to hold weekly ‘turn up and play’ training sessions led by two Worcester Wolves players. Stars such as Zaire Taylor, Alex Owumi and Jamal Williams have all signed up to help coach the sessions. In addition to the informal training sessions, the Wolves Community Basketball Club will begin playing competitive fixtures, with a view to joining league play from 2014/15 onwards. The second community club will be run out of Whitecross High School, Hereford and take a similar format to its Worcester counterpart.”

Cox added, “Ultimately, given the resources at our disposal, as a club we feel we are in the ideal position to help develop, sustain and embed basketball within the fabric of the local community.
“2014 promises to be an exciting year for the Wolves on and off the court. In the same way that the University of Worcester Arena has improved the standard of venue across the league, we want the Wolves’ community outreach programme to shine as a beacon of best practice”.
For more information email Chris Cox via c.cox@worc.ac.uk or visit http://imbasketballww.co.uk.