A jump start for Basketball at Chew Valley School

PE at Chew Valley school is a real strength, it is at the heart of the school and a fundamental of what we offer. The PE staff have built up a substantial and impressive curriculum that inspires and motivates students to want to represent the school, often competing and being successful in local and national competitions.

The opportunities available include many traditional sports such us rugby, hockey and netball and have grown other areas like cheerleading, swimming and outdoor pursuits.

However, one area that the school is developing is Basketball. Due to a lack of local clubs and take up in schools, we often find keen, enthusiastic players are searching to find appropriate opportunities.

With the help of PE Scholar, it has been our intention to create opportunities and help boost the sport for our and other schools in a similar position.

By identifying schools similar to us we are trying to set up a (small to start with) series of events to give these young players a change to play basketball at a competitive level, feel part of a community and represent the school. For many of these players this is the first basketball experience and first time in a school team.     

Thanks to the outreach program offered by PE Scholar, we have been able to invest into Basketball. A new kit and increased range of contacts of school in the southwest in a similar position has allowed us to set up fixtures that are positive, competitive and hopefully setting students to be active, healthy and confident to play basketball beyond their school career. 

This week we played a fixture against Robert Blake school, from Bridgewater. The fixture had 17 students involved, for most it was their first ever competitive basketball fixture. The game was played in excellent sprits, both teams were respectful and grateful for the experience and at times the skill level would suggest they had been playing a lot longer, with 87 combined points scored in a 40 minute game, there was plenty to celebrate. This is an experience these students will remember from their school days. This has to happen more…..    

This is the start of a wider project to lift Basketball in the local area and encourage more basketball players to take that first step.

Who knows what is next, but it is exciting to be part of……