03/05/2007  
     
Local opportunities for Mini-Basketball

Q: Hi there I  have a son who is 7 and is really keen to play basketball...where can I find local opportunities for him?
 
Nomso
 
A: Hi Nomso
 
Great to hear of your interest in Mini-Basketball.
 
Mini-Basketball England helps primary schools develop Mini-Basketball through the School Sports Partnerships.
 
Your son's school will have a teacher called the Primary Link Teacher (PLT) who has the role to develop PE and Out of Schools Learning with links to local clubs.
 
It would be great if your son's school could establish an out of school hours Mini-Basketball Club. The PLT has a School Sports Coordinator based at the local secondary school who works with a family of primary schools. Part of their role is to organise sports festivals for the primary family.  
 
Your son may already be invited to take part in a multi skills festival which can include mini-basketball....it becomes more sports specific at key stage 2 and then a Mini-Basketball Festival might be planned..
 
Mini-Basketball England has just introduced Take Six Mini-Basketball and a Sports Coordinator from Dorchester tried this out with year 2 children and it worked a treat. Therefore able children from younger age-groups can certainly play Mini-Basketball.
 
Could I ask that you have a word with the PLT at your son's primary school and see if there are plans for Mini-Basketball activities? If not then it could be possible to organise a course for the primary teachers & the SSCo.
 
Some areas have Community Basketball Coaches working with the schools...there may be one in your area. I do not have specific contacts but we can find the information out from the School Sports Partnership.
 
Also your local council may have a sports development unit. You can usually find the contact details for the SDU in the telephone directory or on their website which may be part of the council's website.
 
The SDU will have sports development officers who can look up the details you require on their directory of sports clubs.
 
You have already ''Googled'' putting in 'Basketball in London'. You will have probably found the main senior clubs. Some of these clubs may run younger age-groups  but usually they start at about 11.
 
You can also put in a request via the England Basketball website. When Basketball Clubs affiliate to England Basketball they can include younger age-groups down to Mini-Basketball so a request to them may throw up the best Basketball Club for your needs.
 
I hope this helps.
 
If you could approach the primary school and see whether the Sports Partnership are planning any Mini-Basketball activities please let me know so I can offer them assistance. You will note from our website that we are encouraging School Sports Partnerships to introduce Take Six Mini-Basketball and you might be able to cause this to happen with parent power!!
 
Good Luck and keep in touch.
 
Martin




Basketball Clubs in the Bracknell area?

Q: My 7 year old son is interested in learning to play basketball.  Do you perhaps know of any clubs in the Bracknell area? Or where I could find out?

Thanks and regards

Elaine

A: Hi Elaine,

Mini-Basketball England works closely with schools in developing Mini-Basketball opportunities.

Your first port of call is to go to your son's primary school and ask the Primary Link Teacher (for PE & Sport) whether the School Sports Partnership is organising opportunities for primary schools to play Mini-Basketball. Your primary school will have a School Sports Coordinator who is based in the local secondary school who has the responsiblity to provide opportinities in PE & Sport for a family of primary schools.

Your son can be involved in a Multiskills Festival which may include Mini-Basketball Activities. You will also be able to find out either from the PLT or the SSCo whether there is a local club or a Community Basketball Coach working locally. If you find there is nothing available at the moment then we suggest that Mini-Basketball England is happy to work in partnership to support.

At the moment MBE is launching Take Six Mini-Basketball, a version especially designed to help primary schools include Mini-Basketball in the curriculum and to start an after school club.

We note from their web pages that two national league basketball clubs operate in your area. This is another opportunity. Sometimes they have contracted players that work in the schools. We include the contact details.

If you need any further help please come back to us. MBE can always offer your son's school  Mini-Basketball Training for staff!

We hope you find the opportunities your son needs

Mini-Basketball court markings?

Q: We are currently working on the landscape proposals for  a new primary school, and, if space allows, would like to incorporate a court for 'Take 6 Mini-Basketball. I would be very grateful, if you could please advise of the court dimensions and the required line markings for this version of Mini-Basketball.

Many Thanks.

Kind Regards,
Amelie
 
A:
 
Hi Amelie,
 
Great to hear of your proposals.
 
I hope your school, the Family of primary schools or the Partnership will register for Take Six Mini-Basketball. In the welcome pack is a copy of the rules and the court markings and further advice.

There are also some good posters showing the game.
 
Take Six Mini-Basketball can be played on a standard Mini-Basketball court as shown in the rules (also to be found on the web site) or where space is smaller can fit in accordingly.
 
We are saying that Take Six Mini-Basketball can be played in any primary school hall as long as a risk assessment has been undertaken. In a school hall all that needs to be marked is a boundary line for when the ball goes out of play

If your court is going to be outdoors as part of a zoned playground. I suggest it is sited in the active colour zone. This zone is often ''caged'' for ball games and it is possible, dependent on funding, to have a combination goal to include football & mini-basketball or as shown in the photo (shown below) a padded freestanding vandal proof goal. It is important that the contractor puts in the goal at 2.60m height which is the Mini-Basketball height for key stage 2. 

I hope this helps
 
Martin 

From a student studying A level PE

Q: I am currently studying in the sixth form and am studying for a PE A level. I am doing a project at the moment, on the local and national provision for Basketball, due on the 16th of this month. I would be very grateful if  you could send me any information about mini basketball. For example how people can get into it, how it was set up and when etc. Also if there are any plans in place to role it out across the country. Literally anything at all would be fantastic.
I would be very grateful for any assistance in this as the information would really help me complete my project. I thank you in advance for all your help.
 
A: We sent as much information we could using E Mail. The student wrote back thanking us for the information and felt that she was up for an 'A' with the up to date material she now had on Mini-Basketball! She also gave her point of view that Mini-Basketball development should become a national priority in basketball development.
 
'' I enjoy playing basketball now but I would have loved playing Mini-Basketball at primary school. I would have been such a better player.''


Q: I’m a teacher in a primary school and would like to introduce Mini-Basketball in the school. Where do I get help?

A: You can contact our Mini-Basketball England Education Officer directly for help.

E Mail:martin.spencer@mini-basketball.org.uk or Tel 01604 517 732

He will be able to set up a Teacher Awareness Workshop to introduce mini-basketball to all the staff at your school and support your development. It would be a good idea to also talk to your School Sports Coordinator or local Sports Development Officer who can also help to set up a Mini-Basketball TAW with your family of primary schools. In this way we can ensure that you also have some other interested primary schools locally. It would be great to also involve the local basketball club who may be able to help with your after school club.

Q:I have a 10 year old daughter who wants to play mini-basketball. Where can she play?

A: All areas are different. You may have a local basketball club who run a mini-basketball session or there may be a council sports development unit that run mini-basketball sessions. You can usually find their contacts at the local sports hall or on a website advertising local sports opportunities. It would be great if your child’s school already play mini-basketball. If they do not at the moment, have a word with the head teacher who may be keen to start a new activity. It’s then a case of passing our details to them and we will follow up with advice & guidance.