Feel inspired to improve your slam-dunking by the basketball which starts this weekend at the Paris 2024 Olympics? West London club Gators, who train age groups from six to 18, also run summer camps.
The club, whose 350 young members practise midweek at Hammersmith Academy, near Cathnor Park, offers coaching courses for boys and girls aged eight to 15... beginners or advanced. The daily five-hour sessions run from 5-9 August, and you can either book a single day for £35, or the entire week for £100, by visiting the club's holiday camps booking page.
Camps are staged at the Lampton sports centre in Hounslow, with water provided. Participants should bring a packed lunch, and wear T-shirts, shorts and sports footwear. Mornings are spent focusing on skills and fitness, while after lunch there are team matches.
Gators are proving to be one of London's most successful basketball clubs at all levels since moving from Chiswick to Shepherds Bush. The U14s came top of the London One Conference in Basketball England's National League after a season in which they racked up 18 wins, with only two defeats, moving them into Basketball England's U14 Premier Division.
Head coach Mike Kwentoh, who founded the Gators just before the London 2012 Olympics, is always happy to welcome newcomers to the regular Wednesday term-time training sessions from 6-7.30pm. Details at the Chiswick Gators Basketball Club website.
Basketball was first played as an official Olympic sport at the 1936 Berlin Games, with women's basketball added at Montreal in 1976.
The men's group phase at Paris begins this Saturday when Australia take on Spain. Other games later in the day are: France v Brazil and Greece v Canada. The men's final is on 10 August, with the women's final a day later.
