Hoop dreams may die

Jun 5 2003 Christopher Beesley, Ellesmere Port Pioneer

BASKETBALL: THE dreams of three Ellesmere Port schoolgirls of representing England at this summer's European Championships could turn into a nightmare unless a sponsor is found to back the national team.

Jennifer Fields, 17, of Great Sutton, who is in the sixth form at Wirral Grammar, and sisters Jenny, 17, and Johannah Leedham, 15, who both attend Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, will stay at home with the rest of their international teammates in August if £6,000 travel expenses cannot be raised, while the continent's number one tournament takes place in Portugal.

Cash-strapped England Basketball officials dropped the bomb-shell that they were pulling the plug on funding national teams following a three-day training camp in Bury a fortnight ago.

National coaching officer Brian Aldred wrote to England U18s coach Ian Day to notify him the funding for the next financial year - which started on Sunday - would be significantly reduced and England Basketball would be unable to allocate any cash to national teams.

Jennifer Fields' father, Michael, said: 'Up until now, the teams have been supported by Lottery Funding, but now we've been told with less than three months to go that we'll have to f ind the money for the trip ourselves.

'This should be the proudest moment of the girls' lives and it is also the first time that Jennifer has been called up to represent her country, but now she might not even make it.

'All the squad have been training hard for weeks in preparation and the coach has been putting a programme together for the past four years.'

With Mr Aldred away on holiday, England Basketball chief executive Keith Mair said: 'England Basketball is not, and has not been, eligible for Lottery Funding.

'This is for high-performance or world-class teams and athletes and the results by teams from England are generally well short of the criteria.'

* If you can help our three Ellesmere Port stars and their England team-mates with funding then, call Christopher Beesley on 0151 356 2494.