NOMINEE: Ellesmere Port Panthers U13s
NOMINATED FOR: Sporting Champions of the Year
A TALENTED basketball team which has enjoyed both local and national success has been nominated in the 2008 Pioneer Your Champions awards.
In their first season together Ellesmere Port Panthers U13s stormed to the Northern National League title without losing a match and finished fourth in the English National Basketball League.
And eight of their players have been called-up to the North West England squad having represented the Cheshire basketball team.
Head coach Carl Griffiths said: “The effort and dedication the lads put in is phenomenal. They did exceptionally well last season.
“The team was set up because there was a gap between primary school children and the older lads.
“They all train at least twice a week, sometimes even four. Some train with the older teams and have been rewarded by playing in the side.”
Despite the club not receiving any funding, Mr Griffiths and fellow coach Karl Jones sacrifice a lot of their spare time to train the boys and, with the help of parents, transport the team to matches.
That dedication was evident when Mr Griffiths flew out to Austria in order to collect three players who were on a school trip with Ellesmere Port Catholic High in order to compete in the National League competition.
He added: “Just to be there was great and we did very well. We’re only a small side and we were up against taller teams.
“We’ve never had a team which is the fourth best in the country. It’s not all about the basketball, though. The big thing for me is that the boys are learning life skills. We teach them to be gracious when they win or lose.”
