How can we grow basketball in the UK?

While it is claimed that basketball is the 2nd or 3rd most played sport in the UK (depending on sources such as the BBC), it is a rather poorly funded sport when it comes to club, regional and national level.

For those children wanting to play the sport professionally as adults the prospects are limited, with better players and their parents looking to countries like the USA, Australia, Spain, Greece and others for opportunities to progress.  It is unfortunate that in one of the wealthiest countries on earth, with high obesity rates and significant amounts of rain (that limit the attraction of outdoor sport), funding is rather poor and prospects rather limited.

Most clubs and regions rely on significant volunteer contribution in the form of coaches, team managers, referees, etc.  By way of a single contrast in Australia there are significant numbers of early teens earning an income from refereeing basketball games for 6-10 yr olds instead of doing paper routes, packing boxes or working in McDonalds.  A second contrast being that in my youngest son’s primary school in the UK, he is the only basketball player, whereas at the same age in Australia, my older son trained at a school with well over 100 basketball players (ie players that did not just play at school, but actually competed against other schools).

So the big questions are:

• “How can we significantly grow Basketball in the UK?” (so that the UK can be a top contender in competitive arenas such as the EuroLeague and the Olympics),
• “How can we attract significant and appropriate funding and sponsorship at school, club, regional and national level?” (so that there is a professional and lucrative progression pathway for players, coaches and officials alike from an early age),
• “How can we attract significant international coaching expertise to support schools, clubs and regions?” (so that we can ‘ramp up’ NOW and prevent further ‘outflow’ of our talent to other countries and teams),  and
• “How can we get schools and the school system to invest more in developing teams to get kids from primary age more actively involved and playing friendly competitions against one-another?” (knowing that in the primary years, mixed teams of boys and girls are a norm in a country like Australia, and that getting kids into and enjoyable sport (out of the rain) is likely to reduce the occurrence of later obesity and ‘couch potato’ syndrome)

As my son is already a regional player and wanting to play professionally I am personally having to consider whether to remain in the UK or move to a country more suited to him furthering his ambitions.  My strong preference is to make it happen here in the UK.  So how do we do it and do it NOW?

Our local club and national league team is the Worcester Bears (Facebook page, Club Website)

Related Links:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/get-inspired/32655790 
• http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/aug/30/basketball-funding-loss-fury-grassroots-inner-city-teenagers
• http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/04/basketball-uk-sport-olympic-funding
• http://www.hoopsfix.com/2014/10/british-basketball-given-lifeline-by-sport-england/
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/basketball/11131985/British-Basketball-given-new-funding-hope-from-Sport-England.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/basketball/28901362