Category: Foundation

The Leicester Riders Foundation is continuing to grow in stature and workforce. We are seeking a new community basketball coach to join their Community team. LRF are looking for someone who is enthusiastic about coaching and wanting to learn more about basketball and the many pathways that Riders can offer them.

Main Duties and Responsibility

• To deliver effective sessions with relevant skills, tactics and techniques for the age group or ability of the players involved
• To deliver a variety of basketball and physical activity-based programmes and sessions across a variety of settings including schools, and the community
• Deliver curriculum and non – curriculum sessions
• Working with people from the community using basketball as a tool of delivery on programmes such as NCS, PL kicks, Street Games, Carry A ball not a blade
• Planning and delivering sessions for SEN schools and targeted SEN / inclusion groups including Memphys and Vista.
• Co-ordinating participants’ attendance at meetings and other sports events
• Planning and running programmes of activities for groups and/or individuals
• Assist with the running of festival, tournaments and leagues
• Opportunities to be involved in BBL/WBBL Game days and events
• Complete all necessary reports and evidencing of the sessions and projects delivered
• Assist with the delivery of projects and satellite clubs.
• Coaching on Holiday Camps and Development days
• Opportunity to Coach within University Programmes and Junior National League Teams
• Continuous Personal Development opportunities.
• Promotion of sports events to increase participation at sessions
• Completion of Health and safety and risk assessments when applicable.
• Deliver with in school and education settings working with children of all ages and abilities
• Working across a wide variety of programmes focusing on health and wellbeing
• Delivering on programmes such as Hoops for health, Ambassadors programmes delivering assemblies within schools
• Being a leading light working with the community and developing key relationships for programmes within the community
• Travel is necessary to fulfil the role.

Essential/Desirable

• Clean Driving Licence and access to own vehicle
• Applicants must live with in a commutable distance of Morningside Arena, LE1 3UL, Leicester
• Level 2 Basketball Coach award
• Fully enhanced DBS check
• Ability to work with players from Grass Roots to Elite
• Excellent communication levels and Administration skills
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to encourage and motivate people
• Ability to be flexible and work unsociable hours & weekends
• Display a professional approach at all times, setting an example to others
• Good leadership skills
• Experience of working in a school setting or professional environment
• Ability to engage with people from all backgrounds
• Be professionally approachable
• Teaching experience within sport
• Ability to work with partner organisations such as United Leicester to design and deliver programmes.
• Be dynamic and a hard-working individual
• Up to date safeguarding / child protection certificates
• Up to date emergency first aid certificate

Job Title

Community Coach (Full Time Contract 38 hours per week)

Responsible to

LRF General Manager – Laura Shephard

Location

Leicester City, Leicestershire & Rutland

Salary

£18,525-£19,500 (depending on experience)

Closing Date

3/4/23

Interview Date

3/04/23-6/04/23

How to apply:

Please complete the enclosed application form with your CV and covering letter and email to [email protected] no later than 5pm on 3/04/23.

We are delighted to announce that the launch of our Good For The Sole programme has been a huge success. We have already had an amazing 68 pairs of shoes donated and as a result are now ready to give our shoes out to young people in the community in order to help support their basketball journey.

If you would like to apply for a pair of shoes or wish to refer another person CLICK HERE.

We are also still looking for donations and are actively seeking smaller sizes. If you wish to make a donation CLICK HERE to donate via our JustGiving page.

This week Mo Walker completed his first Mo-mentum programme after completing a 5 week block at Wigston Academy, Manor High School, Gartree and Beauchamp College.

Throughout the Mo-mentum programme Mo uses his experiences playing professional basketball to offer help and support and inspire students.

Each session involved a presentation on a different chapter of Mo’s life, activities focused on the life skills Mo learnt and some time on court playing different basketball games.

📈 Week 2 of Mo-mentum @WigstonAcademy, @BChampCollege & @ManorHighSchool.

Mo talked to the students about his High School experiences as well as taking them on court to play some fun games. pic.twitter.com/zBXendbpl7

— Leicester Riders Foundation (@RidersBF) January 25, 2023

Mr Carton from Wigston Academy believes the programme offered his students a valuable insight into the life of a professional athlete and the life skills you need to develop in order to be successful. “Mo’s 6 week programme offered a real personal insight into his life and the life of a professional athlete, where he discussed many important life skills such as confidence, resilience and much more. Thank you Mo!”

Mo is pleased with how his first programme has gone and hopes the students were able to take plenty away from it. “I think the first run of the program went very well. The kids at each school were all very engaged in every session by participating and asking good questions. Hopefully all the kids walked away with some valuable life lessons by listening to the trials and tribulations that basketball has put me through. They also had fun playing basketball games and having some competitions mixed in throughout the weeks. I’m looking forward to working with the next group of schools.”

If you would like Mo to run the Mo-mentum programme with either your school or youth group email [email protected] for more information.

We are delighted to confirm that 7 of our Academy players have made it through to the Aspire Super Camp for the central region.

Kyra Johnson, Grace Nzeakor and Hanya Correria from our Under 16s Girls, Louie Marchesi, Finley Tuck and James Hardy from our Under 16s Boys and Ike Davids from our Under 14s boys will attend four groups of sessions in Birmingham for a place on the Central team in the All Star National Tournament at the National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester from Friday 7 July to Sunday 9 July.  

We’d like to wish all of our players the best of luck at their upcoming camps.

As part of our continued work with Leicester City Police our staff took the short trip to Mansfield House Police Station for a workshop with PC Millie Barton on Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines.

The workshop helped the team to both gain a better understanding of Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines, how to spot potentially vulnerable children and how to deal with any issues that rise when working with young people.

“Thank you to the Leicester Riders Foundation for coming to Mansfield House Police Station today to receive an in put on Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines.” Said PC Millie Barton. “The Riders do a lot of work in the community with young people involved in crime and having knowledge around CCE and CL really shows their commitment to helping young people.”

Laura Shephard, General Manager of the Riders Foundation is delighted that the Foundation’s relationship with Leicester City Police continues to go from strength to strength.

“Working with the PC Barton and the team of offficers at Mansfield house has been greatly beneficial for our team and developing the opportunities that LRF are able to offer in our community, engaging all young people. Relationships are key in working in the community and the power of working together is evident here. It’s been fantastic to learn and gain new perspectives from the officers at Mansfield house to empower our LRF team to continue to work and develop our programmes.”

Keep and eye on our social media channels (@RidersBF) for all updates on our work with Leicester City Police in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately due to an event being held at the Morningside Arena from January 21st-31st we are able to run any of our Academy or Community sessions at the venue.

Sessions will resume as normal from Monday January 30th.

Although we are unable to offer any Arena sessions during this period we are still running a number satellite sessions.

CLICK HERE to book onto our satellite sessions.

Walking Basketball makes a return in February as we launch our first 6 week block booking.

🚶‍♂️ Walking Basketball is back!

Our 6 week Walking Basketball block booking is available to book now.

Book your place now ⤵https://t.co/lvUaFLBE3X pic.twitter.com/Uu32pQZeMk

— Leicester Riders Foundation (@RidersBF) January 18, 2023

Walking basketball is fun and social session with the chance to look at playing games against other groups around the country. The session is aimed at all levels from beginners to skilled players and is perfect for players who are rehabilitating injuries and looking to get back into playing.

CLICK HERE to book onto our Walking Basketball sessions.

Following the success of our first Baby Ballers block booking the session makes a return on Thursday February 2nd as we begin another 6 week block.

👶 🏀 Baby Ballers is back!

Our new 6 week baby ballers block booking is now on sale.

Book your child's place now ⤵https://t.co/6fg19oWKU8 pic.twitter.com/3ivgun7UM3

— Leicester Riders Foundation (@RidersBF) January 16, 2023

The sessions take place 10-11am at the Morningside Arena (LE1 3UL) and our coached by our Leicester Riders Foundation coaches. Baby Ballers is a family session; you are welcome to bring family members/ friends/siblings to watch.

CLICK HERE to book your child onto our next block.

The Leicester Riders Foundation are launching the Positive Futures project in collaboration with Leicester City Police funded by Street Games.

The Positive Futures programme aimed at reaching young people at risk of involvement with anti-social behaviour crime & violence is using basketball and life skills as a tool to better their future.

The children on the programme will participate in a number of sessions involving mentoring, life skill classes and basketball sessions led by Leicester Riders Foundation staff & Riders professional player Mo Walker.

PC Millie Barton of Leicester City Police is delighted to be able to continue their work with LRF. “We are proud to be working with the Leicester Riders Foundation on the Positive Futures program, a project set up to work with young people who have been involved in antisocial behaviour, criminal behaviour or are at risk of committing crime and ASB. The Leicester Riders Foundation have been instrumental in providing a support network alongside engagements, interventions and educational inputs to assist in reducing criminal activity in the Leicester area.”

Leicester Riders’s Mo Walker added “Growing up in my community there was a lot of violence and distractions. I was fortunate enough to have positive role models and structure provided by my parents and basketball coaches. I know how important it is for kids to have positive influencers in their lives, as well as some structure or just safe place where they can have fun, interact with others, and stay out of trouble”.

Ricardo Silva the Foundation’s Community Project Officer hopes the programme allows the young people to develop skills for life.”The programme will allow all the participants to gain a variety of skills and experiences. We hope to use our knowledge and experience to help them develop their life skills. I want the Leicester Riders Foundation to be a point of contact for kids at high risk of involvement with anti-social behaviour, crime and violence. We are here to provide opportunities for young people to grow and develop.

Keep and eye on our social media channels (@RidersBF) for all updates on our Positive Futures project in the coming weeks.

If you would like to refer a young person to join the programme please email [email protected]

Join us at the Morningside Arena on Friday 20th January for our Development Day prior to the Leicester Riders BBL Championship fixture v Cheshire Phoenix.

The Development Day involves a hour and a half coaching clinic, food before the game and a ticket to Leicester Riders v Cheshire Phoenix all for just £15.

CLICK HERE to book your place!

*Minimum booking of 5 places.

Leicester Riders Foundation are proud to be working alongside SMB College Group to launch a brand new Sport programme that allows young people to combine basketball with a Level 3 college course in Sport. 

Based at the college’s 850-acre Brooksby Campus in Leicestershire, the programme will give students the opportunity to develop vital career skills through sport whilst gaining their Level 3 qualification in Sports Coaching and Development, benefitting from a specialised timetable encompassing their academic studies, basketball coaching, strength and conditioning sessions, performance analysis and more. 

Open to all students who wish to study Level 3 Sports Coaching, this programme aims to enable students to develop a wealth of transferrable skills to set them up for progression into a career within sport, or within a variety of other industries. 

When speaking about this exciting new programme, Andy Graham, Director of Curriculum at SMB College Group’s Brooksby Campus said ‘Working with such an impressive and well-established organisation enables us to broaden the student experience, increasing the breadth of learning and sports that students can get involved with.

‘Whilst students are now able to play basketball wrapped around a full time programme of study, this partnership has a particularly important focus on careers in elite sport and the transferable skills and advantages that this can give our students, no matter which industry they eventually choose to work in. Through working with Leicester Riders Foundation, we wanted to develop a course that will open the door to a career in sports for anyone, even if they have never picked up a basketball – and this programme does just that. We can’t wait to enrol our first students in September!’ 

Laura Shepherd, General Manager at the Leicester Riders Foundation, added ‘We are delighted that we are able to partner with SMB College Group to provide an alternative pathway for those to wish to excel in a career in sport.

‘It is so important to provide opportunities, and to highlight the importance of all roles and opportunities that are available within sport. The skills and attributes that can be developed by those who work in sport and coaching is a unique set of transferable skills that are valuable in a variety of roles and open the door to a wide variety of careers and opportunities.’

Students will study at the college’s £3.6million Sports Science complex at the Brooksby Campus, which includes a full-size sports hall, a strength and conditioning gym, an outdoor gym and sports science facilities with a range of performance analysis equipment.

The Leicester Riders Education Programme comes as a welcome addition to the SMB College Group’s other sports partnerships, through which they offer rugby and football programmes with Leicester Tigers and Future Elite Sports, respectively.

Applications for September 2023 are now open! To find out more and register for a Brooksby Campus Open Day, visit the college website at www.smbcollegegroup.ac.uk.

For those interested in this programme, accommodation is available on-site at the Brooksby Campus, in addition to a range of college bus routes and great public transport links across the county.

SMB College Group is a Leicestershire-based Further and Higher Education college with three unique campuses – Stephenson, Melton and Brooksby. The college offers a variety of courses for students aged 16 and over, spanning a range of subjects from Sport to Agriculture to Construction to Performing Arts, and many more.

Leicester Riders Foundation are delighted to announce that we are launching the “Good For The Sole” shoe donation programme.

The aim of the programme is to provide basketball shoes for young people in order to help kickstart their basketball journey.

Tracey Hallam a Trustee of the Foundation hopes that the Riders family will get behind the initiative. “With the cost of living putting increasing financial pressure on families, Good For The Sole is allowing children and young people to access suitable footwear to enable them to play basketball. This is such a great initiative from the Leicester Riders Foundation, I hope the community can get behind this campaign and show your support.”

To donate your shoes either come to the Foundation office and dunk them in the Good For The Sole donation bin or CLICK HERE to donate via our just giving page.

The Leicester Riders Foundation is hosting an All Girls basketball Event at the Morningside Arena on Saturday 14th January.

The event is open to girls & women of all abilities, ages 8+, providing opportunities for players to develop their game in a fun, sociable and safe environment with Leicester Riders Foundation community coaches.

CLICK HERE to book your place.

As part of our on-going partnership with Leicester City Council we’re offering a number of free places on our Christmas Camp.

In order to be eligible children must live in Leicester, be aged between 8 to 16 and in full-time education are receiving benefits related free school meals.

CLICK HERE to register.

Fixtures:

Saturday

U16 Boys II v Milton Keynes – 13:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

Sunday

U14 Girls v Encon Derbyshire Arrows – 11:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U14 Boys Premier v Manchester Magic – 13:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U 16 Girls Premier v Newcastle Eagles – 13:30 Tip at Vertu Motors Arena

U16 Boys Premier v York Eagles – 15:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U18 Men v Derby Trailblazers II – 14:00 Tip at Derby College

A number of our LRF Academy players and coaches have featured in the latest episode of CITV’s children’s arts and crafts show Makeaway Takeaway.

The episode was filmed at the Morningside Arena as the players joined presenter Bec Hill in creating a piece of art using basketballs in an attempt to wow coaches Greg & Damon.

The full episode is available to watch on the ITV Hub, CLICK HERE to see what they got up to.

Fixtures:

Saturday

U16 Boys Premier at Manchester Giants – 11:00 Tip at Hough End, Mauldeth Road

U14 Girls at Nottingham Wildcats – 11:00 Tip at Nottingham Wildcats Arena

U12 Mixed at City of Birmingham Rockets – 12:20 Tip at Nechells Centre

Sunday

U13 Boys at Daventry Swifts – 10:30 Tip at Parker E ACT Academy

U16 Boys II v Northants Thunder – 11:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U16 Girls Premier v Manchester Mystics II – 13:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U14 Boys Premier at Newcastle Eagles – 14:30 Tip at Vertu Motors Arena

U14 Boys II v Mansfield Giants – 15:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

40 students from The Lancaster Academy joined us at the Morningside Arena on Wednesday morning for an aspiration day with our Foundation staff.

The morning began with a tour of the Arena followed by 3 talks from our Foundation staff on their journey to their current role within the Leicester Riders Foundation. After their talks, the students took part in an hour on court with our coaches working on dribbling and shooting followed by some game play.

Following their session on court the day was rounded off with a 30 minute Q&A with Mo Walker of the Leicester Riders men’s team. The Q&A provided a fantastic opportunity for the students to learn about his story and what it takes to be successful in your chosen field.

Baby Ballers makes a return on Thursday November 17th as we begin another 5 week block.

The sessions take place 10-11am at the Morningside Arena (LE1 3UL) and our coached by our Leicester Riders Foundation coaches. Baby Ballers is a family session; you are welcome to bring family members/ friends/siblings to watch.

CLICK HERE to book your child onto our next block.

Results

U16 Girls II 39-72 Derby Trailblazers

U16 Boys II 44-63 Warwickshire Hawks

U14 Boys Premier 89-71 Cheshire Phoenix

U15 Boys 75-24 Abingdon Eagles

U14 Girls 44-91 Sheffield Hatters

U18 Men 62-76 Sheffield Sharks

U16 Boys Premier 77-97 Trafford Magic

U17 Boys 40-38 Nuneaton Predators

Fixtures:

Saturday

Under 16 Girls II v Derby Trailblazers – 13:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U16 Boys II v Warwickshire Hawks – 13:15 Tip at Morton Morellos College

U14 Boys Premier v Cheshire Phoenix – 15:00 Tip at Ellesmere Port Sports Village

U15 Boys v Abingdon Eagles – 17:00 Tip at King Alfred Academy

Sunday

U14 Girls v Sheffield Hatters – 11:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U18 men v Sheffield Junior Sharks – 12:20 Tip at Ponds Forge

U16 Boys Premier v Trafford Magic – 13:00 at Morningside Arena

U17 Boys v Nuneaton Predators – 13:20 Tip at George Elliot School

It’s a quiet weekend for our Academy teams with only our U16 Boys Premier & Conference teams with fixtures. Coach Pietro and the U16 Boys Conference are taking the short trip across town to Gateway College to take on Leicester Warriors whilst Coach Mroso and the U16 Boys Premier are on the road at City of Birmingham Rockets.

Fixtures:

U16 Boys Conference at Leicester Warriors – 12:00 Tip at Gateway College

U16 Boys Premier at City of Birmingham Rockets – 12:20 Tip at Nechells Sports Centre

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

Saturday

U14 Boys II 43-44 Leicester Warriors

U13 Boys 57-46 Coventry Tornadoes

U15 Boys 56-58 Birmingham Bears

U16 Boys Premier 76-85 Trafford Magic

U12 Mixed 46-48 Coventry Tornadoes

Sunday

U16 Girls Premier 44-60 Manchester Mystics

Results:

U14 Boys II 27-86 Leicester Dynamite

U16 Girls Prem 67-77 Sheffield Hatters

U18 Men 65-99 Leicester Dynamite

U16 Boys Prem 62-46 City of Leeds

U16 Girls II 40-53 Frankley Falcons

U14 Girls 64-51 Mansfield Giants

U14 Boys Prem 51-58 Manchester Giants

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

It’s a weekend of away games for our 7 teams in action this week with U14s Boys II, U16 Girls II and U14 girls.

The U16s Boys Premier travel to play City of Leeds in their season opener. Head Coach & Head of Academy, Steven Mroso is looking forward to working with this group. They have so much more to learn but Coach is happy happy with the teams pre season preparations.

After last weekend’s Cup win the U16 Girls are back in action, this time on the road against Sheffield Hatters. The U18s Men & U14 Boys Premier are also back on court after winning their opening games of the season.

Fixtures:

Saturday

U14 II v Leicester Dynamite – 12:15 Tip at WQE College

U16 Girls Premier v Sheffield Hatters – 13:00 Tip at All Saints Sports Centre

U18 Men v Leicester Dynamite – 15:45 Tip at WQE College

U16 Boys Premier v City of Leeds – 16:00 Tip at Leeds Beckett University

Sunday

U16 Girls II v Frankley Falcons – 11:00 Tip at Bournville College Sports Hall

U14 Girls v Mansfield Giants – 14:00 Tip at Droylsden Academy

U14 Boys v Manchester Giants Blue – 14:00 Tip at National Basketball Performance Centre

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

A successful weekend for our Academy teams as 4 of our 5 teams in action picked up wins. Our U12 Boys & U13 girls both won in their first games of the season whilst the U16 Girls Premier also picked up and impressive win over Manchester Mystics II in the Cup.

Our U14 Premier Boys got off to winning ways and defeating City of Leeds 61-32 at Beauchamp College. Coach Pietro and the U16 IIs were once again in a competitive contest falling to Milton Keynes II by 8 on the road.

Results:

U16 II 53-61 Milton Keynes II

U13 Girls 20-28 Northants Lightning

U12 Boys 55-39 Northamptonshire Titans

U13 Girls 49-4 Kettering Phoenix

U14 Boys Premier 62-31 City of Leeds

U16 Girls 57-54 Manchester Mystics II

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

A busy weekend ahead as 5 of our Academy teams are in action. Our U13 Girls, U12 Boys, and U14 Boys are all in season openers with the U16 Girls also getting their Cup campaign underway.

Coach Pietro and the U16 IIs are also back in action as they look to start their league campaign with a win in Milton Keynes.

Fixtures:

Saturday

U16 II v Milton Keynes II – 13:15 Tip at Shenley Brook End School

Sunday

U13 Girls v Kettering Phoenix – 11:00 Tip at Northants Basketball Centre

U12 Boys v Northamptonshire Titans – 11:00 Tip at Northampton School for Boys

U13 Girls v Kettering Phoenix – 12:00 Tip at Northants Basketball Centre

U14 Boys v City of Leeds – 13:00 Tip at Beauchamp College

U16 Girls v Manchester Mystics II – 15:00 Tip at Beauchamp College

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

It was a positive start to the season for our U18 Men & U16 II teams. The U18 men picked up a 65-46 win over Coventry in the National Cup First Round however unfortunately the U16 IIs lost to Leicester Dynamite 68-39.

Our U14 Girls were also in action, picking up a 63-14 win on the road against Cambridge Cats in a pre-season fixture.

Results:

Riders U18 Men 65-46 Coventry Tornadoes – National Cup

Coach Fergus: “It was great to get a win in our season opener & to progress to the next round of the Cup. Myself and Coach Greg have been impressed with the effort and energy of this team in each of our games so far and we continued to build on that against Coventry. We still have plenty to work on but it was great to make a positive start to the season.”

Leicester Dynamite 68-39 Riders U16 IIs – National Cup

Coach Pietro: “The boys showed the right attitude against a Dynamite team with already a few games under their belt this year. We stayed in touch in the score until half time, but then fall short in the second half, as the team is still working to find the right team chemistry.”

Cambridge Cats 14-63 Riders U14 Girls – Pre-season

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

The 2022/23 season gets underway on Sunday for two of our teams this weekend as the National Cup begins in the Under 16s & 18s age groups. Coach Pietro and the U16 IIs take on Leicester Dynamite at WQE College whilst Coach Greg and the U18s face Coventry Tornados at the Morningside Arena. Both games tip off at 13:00.

Fixtures:

U18s v Coventry Tornados – 13:00 Tip at Morningside Arena

U16 II v Leicester Dynamite – 13:00 Tip at WQE College

For updates on all Academy fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

New College PL Kicks session is a free session for kids in disadvantaged areas that could potentially not be able to afford to go to other sessions. This season we have seen 4 players come through our PL Kicks sessions to progress onto our U14s Academy team.

Alim Mayow started his basketball journey by going to our New College PL Kicks session. Alim attended the session for 6 weeks in a row, from there he then started to attend our other PL Kicks session at St Matthews which he attended for 3 sessions. He developed his ability to play whilst also improving on multiple different skills. After all the hard work he put in the Coach Ricardo Silva asked him to come to the national league trials for the Leicester Riders Foundation Academy. 

Coach Ricardo is delighted with Alim’s progression. “Alim came to New College and showed me he was ready to learn and develop his skills! I’m extremely happy that he came from our free sessions and now he is part of regular basketball every week!”

After impressing at trials Alim was accepted into our U14 Academy team. Now he practices twice a week and is working hard to prepare for the new season.

Liam Spencer attended our New College PL Kicks session. From the moment he came to the session he was ready to learn, wanted to improve and was showing promising improvements. He came to the session for 10 weeks straight. Liam started to show up to other sessions, he went to our PL Kicks at Charnwood College and to the He got game session at the Morningside Arena. 

His hard work and dedication on the court gave him the chance to try out for the Leicester Riders Academy. After performing well at the trials he was accepted into the U14 academy team! 

Coach Ricardo commented, “Liam Spencer has worked hard to be in the position where he can be in the academy. PL kicks showed me that Liam wanted to improve his basketball skills, he is a greater listener and ready to try everything you ask him to do.”

Simba Gwitirwa turned up the New College sessions and he was ready to play. He came week in and week out for 12 weeks. During those weeks he worked hard on all aspects of his game. All those skills helped him in other sessions that he went to such as St Matthew where he attended for 3 weeks. 

With such improvement he was invited to try out for the Leicester Riders Academy, working his harder everyday he managed to get into the U14s.

Coach Ricardo was pleased by Simba’s attitude & work ethic. “Simba stayed late for every session, always asking questions on how he can become better, what he needs to do and how he can achieve his goal. Now at the U14 he is showing leadership skills while still wanting to learn and become the best.” 

To join in on our PL Kicks sessions CLICK HERE & book your place.

In addition to the return of our Community Sessions the Leicester Riders Foundation will also be hosting a Central Venue League across 4 locations, Morningside Arena, Groby, Coalville and Beauchamp College for players ages 8-12.

Our Central Venue league will give players the opportunity to train weekly and then join the other locations once a month for competitive fixtures. Players will also receive a reversible jersey as part of their subscription.

CLICK HERE to book on to our Central Venue League.

It was another successful day of pre-season action at the Morningside Arena as we hosted another 5 fixtures. We finished the day with another 3 wins & 2 losses however there was plenty of valuable court time & development for our teams ahead of the new season.

Results:

U14 Boys Premier 79-54 Manchester Giants

U16 Boys II 52-70 Liverpool

U16 Girls Premier 91-22 Liverpool

U18 Men 54-57 Liverpool

U16 Boys Premier 62-51 Cheshire Phoenix

For updates on our Academy teams follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

It was a successful afternoon at the Morningside Arena for our 6 teams in pre-season action. We finished the afternoon with 4 wins and 2 losses from our 6 games played across the various age groups.

Results:

U14 Girls 41-39 Bromsgrove Bears

U14 Boys II 20-88 Northamptonshire Titans

U16 Girls Premier 78-32 City of Birmingham Rockets

U16 Girls II 24-74 Bromsgove Bears

U16 Boys Premier 59-56 Stourport Spartans

U18 Men 69-67 Gloucester Saxons

We have another 6 fixtures tomorrow afternoon. For updates on all fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

Our Leicester Riders Foundation Community Sessions are back ahead of the 2022/23 season.

CLICK HERE to book onto our sessions!

Monday

Loughborough PL Kicks, Ages 12-17, 19:30-20:30 at Charnwood College, Thorpe hill, Loughborough, LE11 4SQ

Late Night Hoops, 18+, 21:00-22:30 at Morningside Arena

Tuesday

She Got Game, Ages 12-17, 17:30-19:00 at Morningside Arena

He Got Game, Ages 12-17, 17:30-19:00 at Morningside Arena

Inclusive Basketball, 18+, 20:30-22:00 at Morningside Arena

Wednesday

Junior Open Court, 17:00-18:00 at Morningside Arena

Walking Basketball, 18:00-19:30 at Morningside Arena

Adult Basketball, 19:30-21:00, 30+ at Morningside Arena

Late Night Hoops, 21:00-22:30, 18+ at Morningside Arena

Thursday

Baby Ballers, 10:00-11:00, Ages 1-3 at Morningside Arena

Fundamental Hoops, Ages 8-11, 16:30-17:30 at Morningside Arena

Mini Ballers, 17:00-18:00, Ages 4-7 at Morningside Arena

Friday

Beaumont Leys Free Friday Night Hoops, 17:00-19:00, Ages 12-17 at Beaumont Leys School, Anstey Ln, Leicester LE4 0FL

New College PL Kicks, 18:00-19:30, Ages 12-17 at New College Leicester, Glenfield Rd, Leicester LE3 6DN

Saturday

St Matthews PL Kicks, 10:00-11:30, Ages 12-17 at St Mattews Centre, Malabar Road, Leicester, LE1 2PD

CLICK HERE to book onto our sessions!

Leicester Riders Foundation are hosting a Teacher Meet & Greet at the Morningside Arena on Thursday 13th October.

The Meet & Greet provides a great to explore all the great education packages and opportunities we can deliver in your school.

CLICK HERE to book your place!

We are delighted to announce our JNL Academy Coaching appointments ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Leicester Riders Foundation would still like to appoint more assistant coaches and team managers for the 2022/23 season. Please get in touch with Head of Academy, Steven Mroso via email [email protected]

Appointments:

U12s Boys – Head Coach: Tom Fairey

U12 Girls – Head Coach: Ben Loft

U13s Boys – YBL – Head Coach: Aaran Kahlon

U14s Boys II – Head Coach: Ricardo Silva 

U14s Boys – Head Coach: Damon Taylor

U14s Girls – Head Coach: Matt Barwell

U15s Boys – Head Coach: Jake Burfoot

U16s Boys II – Head Coach: Pietro Tomajer

U16s Boys – Head Coach: Steven Mroso 

Assistant Coaches: Emo Westerby & Paul Hodgkinson

U16s Girls II – Head Coach: Natalie Narrinen

Assistant Coach: Ryan Evans

U16 Girls – Head Coach: Lewis Atkins

U18 Men – Head Coach: Greg Ellis

Team will begin the preparation for the new season with pre season fixtures at the Morningside Arena on September 3rd & 4th.

For updates on all fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

September 3rd & 4th will be a busy weekend at the Morningside Arena as we host Pre-season fixtures for our JNL Academy Teams ahead of the 2022/23 season. 10 teams from 7 clubs across 3 different age groups will be in attendance as teams begin their preparation for the new season.

Newly appointed Head of Academy Steven Mroso is excited at the prospect of a competitive set of pre season fixtures. “I am looking forward to see the majority of our teams in action for the weekend, We have invited some good quality teams so we should see quality competition and give myself the opportunity to see where we are as a club”

Saturday 3rd September

Under 14 Girls v Bromsgrove Bears, Court 2, 12:00 Tip

Under 16 Girls Premier v COB Rockets, Court 2, 14:00 Tip

Under 16 Boys Premier v Stourport Spartans, Court 2, 16:00 Tip

Under 14 Boys v Northamptonshire Titans, Court 3, 12:00 Tip

Under 16 Girls II v Bromsgrove Bears, Court 3, 14:00 Tip

Under 18s Men II v Gloucester Saxons, Court 3, 16:00 Tip

Sunday 4th September

Under 14 Boys Premier v Manchester Giants, Court 2, 12:00 Tip

Under 16 Girls Premier v Liverpool, Court 2, 14:00 Tip

Under 16 Boys Premier v Cheshire Phoenix, Court 2, 16:00 Tip

Under 16 Boys II v Liverpool, Court 3, 12:00 Tip

Under 18 Men v Liverpool, Court 3, 16:00 Tip

For updates on all fixtures follow @RidersBF & @LRFAcademy on all social media platforms.

Following their week long residential at Kingswood Dearne Valley our NCS Wave 1 group headed to Peter Pizzeria in Leicester City Centre on Monday morning to make Pizza’s to donate to The Bridge Homeless Charity.

The Bridge is a Homeless Charity that aims to support those in need and provide access to a range of therapeutic and empowering services such as washing facilities, food and drink and support & advice from case workers.

Our NCS Participants were split into groups and undertook a pizza making masterclass and a talk on homelessness and the work that The Bridge do in the community to provide support to the homeless. The young people then got a chance to make pizzas of their own that were then donated to the Bridge Charity.

🍕 A fun morning @PeterPizzeria making Pizzas to donate to @LeicesterBridge@NCS | #NCS pic.twitter.com/p7PilZTJAs

— Leicester Riders Foundation (@RidersBF) July 18, 2022

Rhien Shepard our NCS Wave Leader thought it was great to see the young people come together for such a good cause. “It was such an enriching and insightful day with the young people learning about the impact of homelessness.”

“It was great to see them coming together as a wave showing their creativity, dough spinning skills and making so many amazing pizzas to be donated to The Bridge. What a pure act of kindness.”

The rest of the week the young people will be working out in the local community completing social action projects , giving back and volunteering in their local areas. 

For further updates on our work with NCS check out @RidersBF on all social media platforms.

The Leicester Riders Foundation has awarded Champions Partnership Plaques to schools who have worked with us throughout the 2021/22 season.

To qualify to be awarded with a Champions Partnership Plaque Schools must have worked with LRF from September through till June of which there are four schools. The other schools who qualified for the award have either extended their primary coaching sessions or have re booked for the following school year.

It's been great visiting our Champions Schools to present them with their plaques this week 🤝

We look forward to continuing our partnerships with all 18 schools again in September! pic.twitter.com/KDRnQcERBN

— Leicester Riders Foundation (@RidersBF) July 8, 2022

Karen Burton, Schools Project Officer for the Foundation is delighted with the partnerships that the Foundation has formed in schools over the past year.

“I am really happy to be able to present something to the schools that have formed a working partnership with our Foundation throughout the year.”

“It takes a lot of commitment from both the school and Pupils to commit to sessions on a weekly basis. I am really excited that our schools projects is growing and we felt that schools that have been with us since September and other schools that have extended their original package with us needed some recognition of the work that we are undertaking together to help with sport and Education coming out of Covid.”

For more information on the work that the Leicester Riders Foundation does in schools and the packages we offer email [email protected]

Schools awarded:

Hope Hamilton Church of England

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

St Mary fields Primary School

All Saints Church of England Primary School

St Clares Roman CAtholic Primary School

Wreake Valley Academy

Ashby Hilltop Primary School

Uplands Junior LEAD Academy

Taylor Road Primary School

Glenhills Primary School

Quorn Hall School

North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College

Memphys 

Vista Children and Young people

Heather Primary School

Birkett House School

Ellesmere College

Foxfields Academy

Over the past year the Leicester Riders Foundation has also worked in the schools below and is hoping to grow our schools supervision with these schools into next school year.

Forest House School

Beaumont Lodge Primary

Wigston Academy

RavenHurst Primary

Fosse Mead Primary School

Bishop Challenor College

Foalville Primary

King Richards

Humberstone junior Academy

This summer the Leicester Riders Foundation will be hosting 4 camps in 4 different locations across Leicestershire over the months of July and August.

All camps are open to participants of all abilities, beginner to intermediate, providing opportunities for players to develop their game in a fun and safe environment with Leicester Riders Foundation community coaches.

LRF Beaumont Leys Summer Camp

Beaumont Leys School, Anstey Lane, Leicester, LE4 0FL

25th – 28th July, 10am – 4pm

8 – 16 years old

£20 per day / £60 all four days

Click here to book!

LRF Beauchamp Summer Camp

Beauchamp College, Ridge Way, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 5TP

1st – 5th August, 10am – 4pm

8 – 16 years old
£20 per day / £75 all week

Click here to book!

LRF All Saints Mini Camp

All Saints C of E Primary School, Ashby Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 3LB

10th – 12th August, 10am – 1pm

7 – 11 years old
£22 all three days

Click here to book!

LRF Morningside Arena Summer Camp 

15th – 17th August, 10am – 4pm

8 – 16 years old
£20 per day / £45 all three days

Click here to book!

Campaign will target 1,000 schools and inspire 150,000 young people across the UK to get involved with sport in their local communities. 

The British Basketball League has today launched its Ambassadors programme, which will see players and staff across the league promote the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle to thousands of school children in local communities across the UK.

The project has been launched as part of the BBL’s ‘Inspires’ initiative, where key members of each of the league’s 10 clubs will visit schools in their local community to tell their stories about their pathway to becoming a professional athlete.

There will be an emphasis on how participating in sports like basketball benefits youngsters’ physical health but also the positive influence it has on their mental health. The sessions will also highlight how sport plays a role in tackling various societal issues and how the next generation hold the power to be trailblazers for social change. 

Some of the key topics covered in the sessions will include; their personal career journeys, the importance of sport and education as well as the benefits of being physically active. Maintaining good mental health will also be emphasised and players will discuss the importance of being respectful and understanding of societal differences. Above all, the club ambassadors will look to inspire the next generation of young people within their respective communities. 

Players from across both the BBL and WBBL (Women’s British Basketball League) will lead the sessions when they launch across their local communities later this month. Students will get the opportunity to ask the players questions and learn more about what it takes to be a professional athlete both on and off the court.

The campaign, which has been funded and backed by Sport England in partnership with the Basketball Foundation, will see the BBL and WBBL clubs’ visit over 1000 schools and deliver school assembly sessions to 150,000 students nationwide.

The Leicester Riders Foundation will be attending a number of schools in the Leicestershire area to deliver sessions in school assemblies, where they will speak to students about some of the key topics surrounding the Ambassadors programme, the importance of a good education and how sport plays a huge part in physical and mental wellbeing.

Basketball remains the third most played team sport across the country, with 1.2 million people picking up a basketball each week, 80% of which are aged 16-34. Basketball continues to be at the heart of local communities too with 900,000 under 16s participating each week, making the sport the second most popular with 14–16-year-olds in the UK.  Additionally, The BBL is one the most culturally diverse leagues in world sport, with 70% of its players coming from ethnic minority backgrounds. However, with 13% of Brits (5.4 million) believing their ethnicity and/or culture is not represented by sporting icons around today, the campaign aims to give students role models from the league who can inspire them to get involved and actively pursue opportunities within sport and education. 

Speaking around the launch of the campaign, Chief Operating Officer at the British Basketball League, Andy Webb, said: “We’re really proud to be launching the Ambassadors programme with the support of the clubs competing in the BBL alongside their WBBL counterparts. I’d like to thank Sport England, the Basketball Foundation and everyone across the league who has been involved in setting up this programme that will benefit thousands of youngsters across the country. 

He added: “Basketball in the UK has the power to inspire the next generation and our league is very fortunate to have so many role models that young people look up to and aspire to be. Our clubs already do a great deal of work in their local communities to address a range of societal issues and we look forward to seeing the impact the sessions have as they begin to take place over the coming weeks.”

Phil Smith at Sport England said: “It’s great to see this programme launch. We all know the physical and mental benefits of being active, and how much value there is in being part of a team. We think that athletes can inspire young people to enjoy sport. It’s vital that role models are representative of communities so that young people can see themselves reflected in sport at all levels of the game. The BBL Ambassadors Programme will help to bridge that gap and inspire the next generation of young players”

Following today’s launch, the BBLs clubs will head into local schools and start delivering the inspiring and thought-provoking sessions. To keep up to date and to find out more visit www.bblinspires.co.uk.

About the British Basketball League and BBL Inspires:

The British Basketball League (BBL) has been at the pinnacle of British hoops since its inception in 1987 and represents the highest level of the professional game in the UK.

The League has a colourful history that spans over 30 years including great teams, dynasties, memorable moments, and unforgettable players and coaches. 

There are currently 10 franchises in the League. All clubs are equal shareholders in the League with a separate independent Management Board overseeing implementation of the Business Plan and day to day running of the League.

The current franchises are:

– Bristol Flyers

– Cheshire Phoenix

– Glen Luss Glasgow Rocks

–  Leicester Riders

– London Lions

– Manchester Giants

–  Newcastle Eagles

–  Plymouth City Patriots

–  B. Braun Sheffield Sharks

–  Surrey Scorchers

BBL clubs are increasingly built on the foundations of strong community programmes. Whilst providing positive role models for young people, clubs are also actively involved in developing the next generation of British basketball players and promoting the sport, and associated healthy lifestyles, to young people in their localities.

About Sport England:

Sport England is a public body and invests up to £300 million National Lottery and government money each year in projects and programmes that help people get active and play sport.

It wants everyone in England, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to feel able to engage in sport and physical activity. That’s why a lot of its work is specifically focused on helping people who do no, or very little, physical activity and groups who are typically less active – like women, disabled people and people on lower incomes.

We’re proud to announce,  Coach Karen Burton has been selected for Hoopsfix All-Star Classic 2022 Head Coach whilst Academy and Community Coach Keenan Thomas has won Coach of the Year in the Loughborough College Sports Awards.

Next up is Coach of the year ➡️ congratulations to Keenan Thomas #loucollsportawards pic.twitter.com/s7jOWRLNKX

— Loughborough College Sport (@loucollsport) May 11, 2022

Get yourself ready for the LRF Camp!

The Leicester Riders Foundation will be running a May Camp at the home of the Leicester Riders, Morningside Arena.

Book before the 26th of May 2022 and get 10% off! Use code: EARLYMAY

The camp is available to participants of all abilities, beginner to intermediate, ages 8 – 16, providing opportunities for players to develop their game in a fun and safe environment with Leicester Riders Foundation community coaches.

Please bring plenty of water and a packed lunch with you on the day.

• Individual day tickets are available at £20 a day
• Full access (all three days) tickets are available at £45
• Dates 30th May – 1st June 10 AM – 4 PM
• Entry from 9:50 AM
• Departure 3:55 PM
• Morningside Arena 31 Charter Street Leicester, LE1 3UD

Riders U14s have reached the Final Fours after their debut season was postponed due to COVID 19. Here is what player Kyrah Johnson and Head CoachMatt Barwell had to say about their achievement.

“Reaching the finals means more than I can put into words. The stress that Covid brought to our team is crazy as it canceled our debut season not once but twice. But this group got through it together, WhatsApping and Facetiming when we trained at home and meeting up to train outside in all weathers. Going through this made us not just a team but a group of friends first, and you can see that togetherness in how we play on the court.”

Kyrah Johnson, #14

To win the league in our debut season was unbelievable enough, but progressing through the play-offs and reaching the Final Fours is beyond anything we could have ever dreamt of. It’s nothing that these girls don’t deserve though – their dedication and determination has never wavered since we set up our Girls Academy pre-pandemic and they’re now reaping the benefits of all that hard work. I feel incredibly privileged to have coached these girls throughout this journey and, whatever happens, this weekend, I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them.

Matt Barwell, Head Coach

Over the coming months, the Leicester Riders Foundation will lead a number of Premier League Kicks sessions in partnership with Leicester City Football Club.

The free basketball sessions will be held for young people coming from underprivileged areas, and people who may not have this kind of opportunity elsewhere.

The Foundation will host four sessions, with the aim of getting more young people engaged in basketball. The coaches will be aiming at getting everyone involved and having fun, and trying to build a community feel amongst the group.

Attendees will be taught by the foundation’s basketball coaches, who will teach basic skills, leading into some gameplay.

The sessions are part of the Foundation’s aims to promote basketball to people across Leicester and Leicestershire, regardless of prior experience.

You can now book on our February Half Term Camp!

The camp takes place between the 14th and 17th of February, and is held from 10pm to 4pm.

The camp is held at the Morningside Arena, and is open to anyone between the ages of 8 and 16, regardless of basketball experience and ability.

The cost is £20 per day, and there is a reduction to £65 for the full four days.

Alex, who has been at the academy since 2016, has left the Leicester Riders to move to America, where he will continue his basketball journey.

Alex has shown great commitment in his time with the Riders, playing for our U12 and U14 teams, as well as participating in our community sessions. He has always given 100% effort, and both coaches and players have voiced how Alex made a real impact both on and off the court.

He will now continue his basketball journey in America, and although he will be greatly missed by everyone within the Riders Family, we wish him nothing but success in with his future both on and off the court in America.

Coach Dom said: “Having coached Alex over the past four years it has been great to watch him develop not only as a basketball player but also as a person. Alex has been a significant contributor on every team at various age groups. He was in the first team I coached, and althoughwe are sad to see him leave the club, we are excited for the adventure that Alex and his family are embarking on moving to the USA. We wish Alex and his family the best of luck.”

Leicester Riders Foundation have led a session for the REMIT group as part of the United Leicester partnership.

The session, aimed at improving wellbeing, saw the group take a walk Abby Park, alongside Riders coaches Dom and Aaran, before stopping for refreshments. 

The session, which will now be held weekly, is aimed at helping the attendees to relax, get to know one-another, make the most of the fresh air, and feel free to talk about any issues they may be facing. In future the sessions may be paired with a sports session after.

The activity is part of the Leicester Riders Foundation’s work within the United Leicester Partnership, part of which is to provide weekly activities to help support adults with their mental and physical wellbeing.

Leicester Riders 80 – Milton Keynes 54

Leicester Riders U14 Girls are flying high in their league this season. Having finally been able to enter into their first competitive season, all their hard work and enthusiasm over the last few years is truly reaping its rewards. Sunday saw them take on Milton Keynes Basketball Club who are also new to Basketball England National League and were also 4 & 0 for the season so far.

The top of the league clash provided a scintillating first quarter where the lead swapped hands numerous times, but ended 18 -14 to the Riders. Coach Barwell kept his calm and rotated his players which made the difference as they went in 38 – 22 at the half. The game was competitive all the way through but the strength in depth of Riders squad proved to be a decisive factor with Milton Keynes tiring with only having eight players.

Coach Barwell had this to say:
“Today’s game felt like the culmination of three years of hard work for a group who have had their first season cancelled not once but twice. When we set up the girls’ programme in 2019, the dream was just to one day be able to compete in the NBL and the results so far in our debut season are beyond
anything that we could have imagined.

“I’m lucky to have a squad with such depth of talent as we’ve already had 18 different girls compete for us in the league this year. You could see that strength in depth was the key difference betweenthe teams today and I’m extremely proud of the bench for coming in and executing just as well as
our starters did. Every game, those players not selected have still been travelling to support their teammates and the support of parents and family members has been incredible too. I feel really fortunate to coach this team and we’ll be working hard to continue the great progress that we’ve made so far.“

The Leicester Riders Foundation has launched a Give To Local Hardship fundraiser in an effort to raise £4,000 to increase its reach in promoting basketball in the community. 

The aim is to raise money that can help us to support families who have been hit hard by the pandemic and break down barriers to get more people into basketball. 

Currently, the Foundation holds sessions for anyone between the ages of 4 and 17 and has links to a number of schools throughout Leicester and Leicestershire. 

The Foundation also works to bring the game to those who may not have access to it otherwise, such as working with Menphys, a charity for young people who suffer from learning difficulties. 

We have also worked with Leicester City Council, as part of their Adult skills and learning programme, which supports adults suffering from severe mental health difficulties.

Those groups, as with all community sessions held by the Riders Foundation, are totally inclusive, and cater to people regardless of age, gender, or basketball ability. 

Our aim now is to increase our reach into the community and open the game up to even more people who may not have experienced basketball before, and may not have had too many opportunities to get involved in sport in general. 

Tracey Stephenson, whose daughter Ruby is a member of the Under 14s girls’ side, and whose business Dura Sport sponsor the kit, said: “She already loved playing basketball and was successful in gaining a place in the Leicester Riders Girls Academy in 2019. Basketball has been a huge part of our lives ever since.

“It quickly became apparent to us what fantastic work the Leicester Riders Foundation does in the local community. The sessions, camps and events that the Foundation provides are fantastic and so important for both physical and mental health.

“We love being part of the Riders family and the work that the Leicester Riders Foundation does is invaluable. The Give to Local scheme is the perfect opportunity for businesses to support the charity arm of their local club in a way that’s both affordable and beneficial and with donors benefiting from some great discounts and offers.”

All of the Riders Foundation sessions are led by our expert Community Coaches, all of whom are passionate about their work, and getting people involved in sport.

One of these is Dominic McDonaugh, who is also a Leicester Riders Foundation Project Officer, and the Head Coach of the Under 16 side. He said: “As a community coach the junior academy is a great tool to help to inspire young people to become more involved with the club and to continue to encourage their basketball development. By utilising our community arena sessions, we have a stepping stone pathway that young people interested in basketball can follow.

“However, even though we have seen great growth we are still limited in our capacity and resource and cannot provide all the basketball provisions for the community that we would like. However, through the support from local donors and businesses facilitated by Give to Local, we are extremely excited to be able to enhance our current provisions and expand them further into areas of the community where we are currently less active.”

If you are a business, you can sponsor us from as little as £10 a month. This will also allow you to offer discounts to customers for your own business, and help you attract customers. 

Individuals can support us for as little as £3, either as a one-off payment, or as a monthly donation. 

You can donate by clicking here!

Thank you for all your support!

To learn more about our ‘Give to Local’ fundraiser, you can email [email protected]

On Monday, the Foundation hosted the Primary Schools Tournament at the Morningside Arena. 

The event was held for Year 5 and 6 students at Taylor Road, Richard Hill, St Mary’s, Fosse Mead and Hope Hamilton School, who bought two sides, all schools across Leicester. 

The tournament was played in a round robin format, with all teams coming up against each other once, with the team with the most points at the end of the day taking the title.

All teams gave their all throughout the day, with the red team from Hamilton Hope emerging victorious, closely followed by those from Taylor Road.

Jim Smith, a teacher from Richard Hill, said: “It’s a great opportunity for all of them. Obviously, we didn’t get to do this sort of thing last year, but it’s good to get back out, especially at such a great venue.

“None of them have actually played basketball competitively before, so it’s good to see them enjoying it and having smiles on their faces.”

Now that everything is back up and running after lockdown, this is an event that we hope to hold at the Morningside Arena every year, continuing to promote basketball to young people across Leicestershire.

On Friday night 27 volunteers on the NCS Changemakers programme attended the Riders game against Glasgow Rocks to raise money for Help the Homeless.

They collected £107 for Help the Homeless, before volunteering at the match and watching the Riders defeat the Rocks in an entertaining match at the Morningside Arena.

Leading the NCS sessions is part of the Riders Foundation’s wider aim to promote and deliver programmes that promote health and wellbeing, and develop and inspire volunteers. 

To get involved, or find out more about our NCS programmes, email [email protected]

This week, Leicester Riders Foundation have been leading an NCS session for special educational needs students from college. 

The course, which is part of the Foundation’s community action group, has helped offer students access to a number of activities that they otherwise wouldn’t have exposure to.

Over the course of last fortnight, the students, from the Foundation Studies group at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, have taken part in activities such as abseiling, archery, rifle shooting and fencing.

On Wednesday and Thursday, they were at an allotment in Leicester, picking apples and planting onions.

All students have individual targets, though the NCS programme helps to develop teamwork amongst the group, as well as aiming to help their mental health and confidence, and giving them a sense of achievement.

NCS Team Leader Richard Jones said: “The most rewarding part about it is seeing that the students can achieve anything they put their mind to, and seeing them express themselves, and bringing out their potential.

“They are a really great group, they get stuck in, and they really seem to be enjoying themselves.”

Taking NCS sessions is part of the Foundation’s targets to work within the local community and deliver programmes that promote health and wellbeing.

To get involved, or find out more about our NCS programmes, email [email protected]

On Friday evening, Leicester Riders Foundation led a coaching session for Leicestershire charity Menphys.

The session was part of a weekly one led by the Riders Foundation, for people between the ages of 12 and 25 with learning difficulties. This week, there were eight young people there learning the basics of basketball.

The group, hosted at The Menphys Hub in Leicester, allows the participants to get involved in group activity based around sport.

The course is inclusive to anyone in that age group, regardless of basketball ability, or having any experience of playing sport. The hope is to get them into sport and engaging in enjoyable exercise and returning week-on-week.

The interaction and teamwork is aimed at helping bring them out of their shells, and currently the majority of participants are returning each week.

Riders Foundation coach Dominic McDonaugh said: “They get an outlet that’s enjoyable, that gives them the opportunity to do something different, and give them a provision to something they don’t usually get. 

“I enjoy the session, I find it rewarding and hopefully they all enjoy it.”

The course is part of the Leicester Riders Foundation’s aims to promote and engage through basketball across Leicestershire.

To find out more about the Leicester Riders Foundation’s inclusion projects, email [email protected]

On Thursday, two coaches from the Riders Foundation led a coaching session for adults on Leicester City Council’s Adult skills and learning programme.

The 12-week course is for adults on the REMIT programme- a community education programme for adults with mental health difficulties. The course allows the adults to work on a range of skills across a number of sports. 

The course offers a safe space for those suffering from mental health difficulties, many of whom have also struggled with the isolation and loneliness bought on by lockdown, while others have to deal with being full-time carers as well. 

The course is inclusive for all, regardless of age and background, with the ages ranging from people in their 20s, to those in their 70s. The sessions are focussed on getting them to enjoy sport, exercising, communicating and interacting with others. 

On Thursday, they were working on various skills in basketball, including passing, dribbling and shooting. The course accommodates for those with all level of skills, including those who have never played basketball, or any form of sport before. 

The session also features parts of competition, keeping everyone engaged and involved in what is going on. 

The course is part of the Leicester Riders Foundation’s aim to offer opportunities to all, and promote and deliver sustainable programmes that promote health and well-being. 

To find out more about the Leicester Riders Foundation’s inclusion projects, email [email protected]

On Friday night, the Leicester Riders Foundation held an event for teachers prior to the Riders’ fixture against Cheshire Phoenix.

The event was attended by 40 teachers from schools, colleges and community organisations. It was an opportunity to network, and learn about the work done by the Riders Foundation, and how they could get involved.

The teachers then stayed on to watch the Riders defeat the Phoenix 94-72 in a thrilling game in the BBL Championship. 

Jo Bradley, who attended the event, said: “Thank you so much for a great teacher event and looking after us. Found out so much about the amazing schools and community work that Leicester Riders Foundation are doing.”

The Riders Foundation aims to promote basketball across Leicestershire, and through working in schools, we aim to reach as many young people as possible. 

To learn more about our work in schools, contact [email protected]