A CLUB with genuine Olympic pedigree is inviting people to sample the exciting sport of basketball.

Cheshire Juniors are hoping their well-established club at Stanney Oaks Leisure Centre can grow in the wake of London 2012 and help get more people than ever playing basketball.

Being able to point to the captain of the Team GB women’s team as a former player may also help.

Cheshire Juniors, form-erly Ellesmere Port Panthers, is where local girl Jo Leedham learned the game. She went on to break countless records in college basketball in the United States and played professionally in Poland and Australia before leading Team GB at London 2012.

And with Cheshire Jets founder Mike Burton as a coach and Leedham’s dad Kim as chairman, team values and top training mean the door is open for talented players to try to make a career in the game.

For Chris Hinchliffe, team manager at the club, it has given great opportunities to young members.

He said: “The coaching that is available here makes players the best they can be, whatever their ability.

“You look at Jo going over to the States and doing what she did but there are so many others.”

Those names include Niel Gillard and Jason Helsby, the latter having gone to the US to study, sisters Alleana and Sidney Reddy, and Kristie Shiels, who have all played for England or GB youth.

Jo Leedham’s sisters, Jennifer and Kirsty, both former England internationals, have also made careers out of their experience, Jennifer as head coach of the university team she and Jo played for, and Kirsty as a university welfare officer, having also gone over to the States to play basketball.

Yet more club members have headed for Spain where they have played in well-funded set-ups. Some members have even returned, using the coaching and leadership qualifications they earned at Cheshire Juniors to bring on the next generation.

“We run all sorts of courses for players,” said Burton. “Leadership, coaching, we give players skills that they can take on if they went to continue in the game but they are also skills that can help you get on in other walks of life.”

The club has collected many titles including this year’s Tomas Sola Trophy, where both the under 16s and U14s won their age group competitions.

But you do not have to be a world-beater to join the club. They accept players of all abilities to train for their teams, which run in U13s-U18s for boys and U14s-U18s for girls.

“We take anyone of any ability,” said Hinchliffe. “Because we will work with them to get them up to a level. It’s all about enjoying this great game.”

If you are worried about your height being an issue, don’t.

“People think you have to be really tall to take part and enjoy the sport,” said Hinchliffe. “But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Anyone can play and reach a high standard.

Training is at Stanney Oaks Leisure Centre on Mondays for U13s and U16s (7pm-8.30pm) and U14s and U18s (8.30pm-10pm) and on Wednesdays for U16s (7pm-8.30pm) and U18s (8.30pm-10pm). Girls’ training is at Ellesmere Port Catholic High School from 6.30pm-8pm every Tuesday and Friday. Primary school sessions, for boys and girls, run from 6pm-7pm on Mondays at Stanney Oaks.