Mini-Basketball a major success in Blackpool

The college basketball academy players took charge of the event and worked alongside the schools to guide them through a carousel skills circuit.

This taught them the skills needed to play basketball, as well as enjoying fun games and fitness activities.

The event was delivered as part of the Blackpool School Games Programme to provide an opportunity for the children to experience playing a sport that is not often played in primary schools.

The festival also gave the college students the chance to take their first steps into sports coaching and work with potential future members of the college squad.

St Teresa’s, Moor Park, Marton, St Nicholas, St John Vianney, St Kentigerns and Revoe took to the courts and were quickly into their warm-ups before splitting off into their school groups to focus on the matches ahead.

Once all of the schools had completed each of the seven skills stations, they were assigned a team manager from the basketball academy who prepared them for the tournament, in which they would have the chance to put their new skills into action.

The fast-paced matches saw lots of baskets being scored and the odd trick being thrown in for good measure as the schools went head to head. Every basket scored was followed by a huge cheer from the sidelines and team celebrations that included dabs, dances and the occasional knee-slide.

Once the buzzer had sounded for full-time in the final fixture the schools gathered to watch the academy players perform one of their training drills, featuring many of the elements that the children had worked on themselves.

Dave Rohman, Blackpool School Games Organiser, said: “Today was a great chance to take a step back and watch the future of sport in Blackpool come to the forefront as we saw the future generations of players and coaches working together.

“Many of the college academy players were in the schoolchildren’s shoes not long ago, so it was fantastic to see them bringing through the new recruits as their coaches have done with them.

“The event focused on fun and learning new skills, rather than which schools scored the most baskets, but that didn’t stop a bit of competition creeping in, mainly among the teachers and academy players acting as team managers.

“Basketball is a sport we are keen to develop in our primary schools, and events like this will help us to achieve our aim and bring lots of new players to the college in future years.

“I would like to thank Steve Legge from Blackpool Sixth for his continued support of not only basketball but for developing junior sport across Blackpool.”