Luol Deng Foundation’s main mission is to provide means for Africa’s children and adults alike
with access to the most basic human needs from shelter to water, and health to education.

OUR SUPPORTERS

The Luol Deng Foundation have proposed to “rebrand”, aid and support the Croydon Schools Basketball League for both boys and girls.

The project is an initiative geared at helping what already sits in place but to add a community-based program through new ideals. The idea behind the scheme is to add exciting and fresh incentives, which will hopefully make the program more appealing to many young people. The rebranding will provide huge rewards for the attendees and the schools, such as new basketball equipment, an improved league system, and more experienced coaches. LDF understand that it is difficult to engage young people into activities, but we feel confident that a rebrand of the basketball league will have a very high interest and intake.

The introduction of the project will begin with FREE basketball clinics in the schools with qualified coaches. This will consist of explaining the aims and objectives of the league followed by a basketball session that will stress teaching the fundamentals of the game. LDF understand that basketball is rapidly growing within the UK and is the 3rd most played team sport amongst boys and girls over 15 years old [source: Sport England Active People Survey 2008]. With this in mind we feel it is very important that we continue to grow the sport and give young people more opportunities, particularly in a competitive way.

LDF will also help to improve and grow the knowledge of PE teacher(s) with advice and ideas on how to run a basketball team with structured practice sessions and how to prepare for competition through a Coaching Clinic. In addition to this, an optional England Basketball “Coaching For Teachers/ AOTT’s” will be available for any teachers wishing to obtain further knowledge and guidance. Please read inset for further information on the course.

A 6 hour course (to accommodate inset days it can be split into 2 or 3 hour modules if required) which gives an appreciation of the basics of the game and allows non-basketball staff to obtain enough knowledge to deliver basketball to primary students and is accompanied by a resource pack which includes lesson plans, drills and information to assist in planning a course of classes.

A referee’s and table official’s course could also be implemented through England Basketball or independently if needed, which is highly recommended.

League Structure:

• The league will keep the current format where the following criteria would be implemented.
• Practice at least 2-4 hours per week during or after school curriculum.
• Players are only eligible for the team if teachers deem them to be performing consistently in their studies.
• If players do not attend practice or the homework club than they cannot participate in the match for that week.
• If any player has been misbehaving in school then action will be taken according to the severity.
• The finals to be competed at Crystal Palace SC with the winning school awarded a Nike basketball kit, further apparel and equipment, publications in the local media and LDF Newsletter, and a Luol Deng signed basketball/kit.

Aims & Objectives:

• To increase participation within the sport for both boys and girls.
• To rebrand the league with new initiatives (ie new basketball equipment coaches)
• To make the league more competitive, organised and structured.
• To provide more opportunities for young people to learn new skills such as, team work, discipline, and planning schoolwork.
• To aid coaches and teachers with coaching clinics and courses.
• To provide schools with more experienced coaches to assist in basketball practice sessions.
• To integrate a sports homework club/mentor program alongside the school basketball team.
• Aim to improve attendance, punctuality, behaviour and grades.
• Help to get the school pupils off the street after school hours (4-6pm).
• To create a feeder system that gives kids opportunities to join club teams.

Short-term goals:

• To increase participation within Croydon schools.
• To help young inspiring players to get into National League clubs.
• To have participants’ improve in terms of grades, attendance, behaviour and enthusiasm etc.
• To have a well-structured and organised league that young people want to continue to be involved with.
• To observe improved participation skills and fundamentals of the game.
• To help PE teachers enhance their coaching skills and knowledge.

Long-term goals:

• To add more teams into the League.
• To add a CVL League on weekends for local primary schools to feed into the secondary schools.
• To create an “elite” league for talented kids to compete on a more intense program.
• To create an u16 National League team made up of selected players from all of the Croydon schools.