The UK Basketball Hub

Guest blog post by Angela Loughlin: I n 2012 2 girls met at a Wheelchair Basketball Club they made a good friendship and became close, after a few months one girl left and they lost contact for a while, more months past and they started talking through Facebook again they arranged a meet in 2013 December  Jade and Chrissy the 2 girls met up before Xmas with their parents going along, they talked laughed and joked and dreamed of a Club of they're own after time slipped by that night they left and went home jades mum Angela sat and thought that night about the girls and they're dream and decided to go to work on creating the dream for these girls - within 2weeks Bristol Bisons was transformed from paper to reality in February 2014 Bristol Bisons Wheelchair Basketball Club was ready to start on March 8th 2014 we held our first Session which included Jade, Chrissy and Amber jades sister just 3 players within 19 months our dream has become larger than life we have 2 Division ...

(This is a guest blog from David Wooldridge who will be commentating on the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships) I know people say don’t have regrets, but one of the biggest regrets in my career so far, was missing the boat on the London 2012 hype. The time when it seems from looking at other people’s careers, there were LOADS of presenting, announcing and commentary opportunities. Well luckily for me I’ll be having my ‘2012 moment’ soon. As somehow I’ve been selected as part of the commentary team for the upcoming European Wheelchair Basketball Championships, which acts as a qualifier for the Rio 2016 Paralympics, so yeah A BIG DEAL. This huge event also happens to be where I spend most of my Friday nights between September & April, “The University of Worcester Areennnnaaaaa!” Which makes it a little bit more special for me, as it’s in my home town and in a venue I owe a lot of my career to. I may not be living out 10 year old me’s dream of being the 2 nd  e...

The women's wheelchair basketball team appointed a new coach recently, hoping to build on recent successes and challenge at the next Paralympic games. Miles Thompson comes into the fold having worked with the US national team and will be hoping to lead GB to medals at the Paralympics in Brazil. British Wheelchair Basketball's Performance Director Paul Davies believes that the sport is moving in the right direction under the new coach. He said: "London was very, very big, the crowd, the level of support, not just in the park but across the country the profile of the sport is higher as it has ever been." "We only came 7th in London and we were disappointed with the results but not the performance, we've retained the gold medal at the Europeans." "We've got a couple of young girls in the squad and they are motivated not just to go to Rio but to come home with a medal around their necks." Davies believes that Thompson w...

People from all over the country came together, to celebrate National Paralympic Day 2013. A showcase of Paralympic sport, a tribute to the success of London 2012 and a chance for people who haven't been involved in Paralympic sport to join in. The Olympic and Paralympic spirit from London's successful games around 12 months ago was evidently on display with a large crowd coming to contribute to and feed off the spirit of the games. There were various events throughout the day, with Bocia, Table Tennis and Sitting Volleyball all on display to a packed out Copper Box. The final event of the day was the Wheelchair Basketball - an exhibition women's match between GB and Spain, which saw a near capacity crowd and brought people from all over - from Spain to Surrey. The Mayor Of London Boris Johnson received a Paralympic Order medal given to him by Rita Van Driel a member of the International Paralympic Committee. Both described the Paralympic games as 'the great...

Mark Fosbrook is one of Great Britain's most experienced and talented wheelchair basketball players having plied his trade with the RGK TCAT Rhinos in the Super League. With National Paralympic Day just a day away, we spoke to Mark about the sport and what the day means. He said: "I realised from a young age that I wanted to play sport to show that disability didn't effect me, I loved competing and representing my country." "I enjoy the fast-paced movement and and the ball skills required [to play wheelchair basketball] and never wanted to give it up." "I think that [National Paralympic Day] is hugely important, since I started playing participation has improved, people now realise the disability doesn't matter, [Paralympians] put in the same effort as Olympians. "This is a serious level of competition, the event will help raise the profile of Paralympic sports and hopefully increase participation further." Fosbrook is also se...

James Roberts is a Paralympic who has been part of rowing and volleyball on the International stage and now plays wheelchair basketball for the Rhyl Raptors. Saturday marks National Paralympic Day and the following week on the Sunday will see HoopsAid arrive at the Copper Box. Roberts believes that the Paralympic Day will be a good opportunity for demonstrate and promote Paralympic sport. He said: "I think it's great and is building on the legacy from the games, it gives some of the athletes involved the chance to showcase their sport." "I got involved in Paralympic sport in 2003/4, I used to play able-bodied sport but was asked about doing Paralympic sports and I got into the national team for Beijing and London." "I've always enjoyed basketball and was drawn to it, [the wheelchair version] is much more strategic with more elements to it." Roberts is also taking part in the HoopsAid event on Sunday 15th September which includes many...

Ahead of National Paralympic Day on Saturday 7th September we will be running a series of interviews on the Paralympics - particularly wheelchair basketball. If you want to know more about the sport of wheelchair basketball click HERE for an introduction to the sport (go to the bottom of the page). Liam Holt is our first interviewee, he plays wheelchair basketball and was part of Channel 4's Paralympic presenting team during London 2012. Holt was keen to encourage people who hadn't played or seen wheelchair basketball to get involved. He said: "It's a fast-paced game which is brutal at times! To me it is just as exciting as the able-bodied game." "The wheelchairs add a different dimension, the element of positioning and controlling the chairs make the game more strategical." "It's exciting to watch, like an extreme chess or chess with violence! People who come for the first time are pleasantly surprised by what they see." ...