Primary School basketball boost as COLBC host All-Girls Basketball Festival.

This week the All Girls agenda gained further momentum as the City of Leeds Basketball Foundation partnered the Leeds Well School Partnership at Dixons Unity Academy in West Leeds. 

The girls only festival was an opportunity for up to 30 girls from Green Hill Primary and Holy Family Primary to engage in activities and competition. Each school has been the beneficiary of curriculum delivery at their school from COLBF coaches who work both in our community and Junior National League aspects. Led by our Women and Girls' Development lead Katie Lamond the feedback has been really strong.

Matt Hershell Smith (Leeds Well School Strategic Lead for NW Leeds SSP) praised the event which he facilitated:

"A fantastic evening was had by all with a significant group of girls engaged in a new sporting activity and absolutely loving the opportunity."

COLBC Director Matt Newby echoed the sentiments:

"Each of these events are a significant piece, however big or small, in a broader agenda we are passionate about. We simply want more girls and young women to experience our sport and help them realise their potential opportunities and the powerful vehicle sport can be. We now have a dedicated Women and Girls Development Officer charged with developing the local and regional game and specifically female engagement and participation at a younger age."

COLBC Women & Girls' Development Officer Katie Lamond was delighted to complete another female engagement event in the community:

"This was a great opportunity to get the ball rolling in this quarter of the city and the girls who have attended the sessions in school, and the festival today showed a keen interest in the sport and great deal of potential to play the game. Speaking from personal experience, it's so important that first contact with any sport is positive and paints a picture of what it offers and I feel we had 30 young people today who simply had a great time."

Any young women interested in stepping into basketball should contact the club now at foundation@cityofleedsbasketballclub.co.uk