A new junior basketball club is rolling into our local area, under the new name of the ‘THE STORM’. They will be based at the new state of the art training facility at the Sir Robert Woodard Academy in Lancing (http://www.srwa.woodard.co.uk/index.phtml?d=228652).
Under the guidance of Worthing Thunder’s Head Coach and Ex England International Mr Gary Smith and Sam Cricelli Ex Thunder & England International. Both are looking forward to passing on their experience and knowledge to the new players ‘There is so much potential and great coaching in our local area, we know this because of so many of our junior athletes are playing at national & international level in the area ’ said Gary Smith.
The club will provide state of the art facilities when they move in to the new facility in October with state of the art training for its new prospects. With innovative ways to train recruits from across the local area & county, it will demonstrate its ability to connect with players, and to get the maximum out of their talent. Each child will be given ‘individual development plans and guidance’.
‘In Fewer than six weeks we have managed to organise, set in place all the facilities and get an extremely experienced and unique set of coaches together, to teach young people in the local area’. We strongly believe in Basketball for ALL, we have set up a bursary for parents on Job seekers allowance and or Tax credits which will subsidise the cost of training. This can be set up very discreetly by contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and we want to ensure money does not stop children playing Basketball! said Jon Fletcher, Commercial Manager of the STORM. We have received many messages of support from NBA Superstars such as Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Shawn Marion of the NBA Champions Dallas Mavericks and Drew Sullivan the Team GB captain.
The club is hoping now to attract new and up and coming talent from the local & Sussex Area from ages 5+ through Under 11’s, 12’s, 14’s, 16’s, 18’s. The club is also keen to develop a Girls team and Additional Needs Programmes at the club. With the Junior Academy, Coached by Eloise & Bob all set to go, Their role at the Academy is to teach the Fundamentals of Basketball, but more than just this, it is to support and develop a young person’s confidence and to nurture a belief in themselves and their teammates, not just Basketball Skills but Skills for Life. Let’s face it even Michael Jordan needed to be taught by someone! He was also told that he would be too small for basketball! How wrong they were. The readers will be interested to know that from this local area we have produced many England Internationals at School age! And many from the local area and many play at National League standard! Competing with the ‘best of the best’ from the UK and abroad.
The Storm wants to bring the joy and passion of the game of basketball and this is reflected in the coaches when they talk about the Game they Love. ‘There is nothing more satisfying than hearing a swish of a net when the basketball goes through it or you see the moment that a ‘kid just gets a move or pulls a move that an NBA star makes!’ Or ‘they pull off an impossible shot – it’s a joy!’
What the club has managed to secure is amazing! The club is also in the throes of aligning itself with the Worthing Thunder to help cross promote both clubs. Frank Gainsbury, Chairman of the Worthing Thunder said ‘we are very happy to help this community club to achieve its full potential for the coming years. We will be working together in the coming months to find innovative ways try to help promote more Basketball in the Sussex area’
