National Basketball Performance Centre completed in UK
MANCHESTER – There was a huge boost for basketball in the UK this week after the completion of the National Basketball Performance Centre (NBPC) in Manchester.
Funded by Manchester City Council, Basketball England and Sport England, the exciting project is located at the Belle Vue Sports Village complex in East Manchester.
The new National Performance Basketball Centre in Belle Vue, Manchester! Ready for action this Sat! @bballengland pic.twitter.com/8OresbdttQ
— Mansoor Ahmed (@IAmAhmedphotos) February 18, 2016
And, while the official opening won’t happen until the 19 March, the venue is hosting Great Britain’s 2016 FIBA EuroBasket Women Qualifiers against Albania and Montenegro which will give fans an early experience of the new facility.
The centre features a purpose-built three court hall developed to FIBA standards for international competition, with the show court also featuring FIBA scoreboards, 24 second cubes, red LED fitted backboards and Mondo baskets from London 2012 as part of Basketball England's legacy agreement.
Improvements have also been made to the existing Belle Vue Leisure Centre – including the refurbishment to existing basketball court and various changing and meeting facilities.
The NBPC will create the type of environment players and participants can expect to experience in international competitions and will be home to Basketball England's national teams and performance programmes - as well as a base for basketball clubs, schools, a centre for coach education, events, talent development and mass community participation programmes.
Basketball England National Teams training camps have already started, with U15 boys, U15 girls, U16 women and Great Britain Senior Women all getting to go to work at the new centre.
Fantastic to see present #GBballers with future #GBballers as @bballengland U16 Women practice alongside GB Seniors! pic.twitter.com/5fZgPWNHEm
— GB Basketball (@gbbasketball) February 18, 2016
The completion is a major boost to recently appointed Basketball England CEO, Stewart Kellett who said:
"We're delighted with our partnership with Manchester City Council and Sport England that has created a state of the art facility for the game. The National Basketball Performance Centre will provide a new hub for grassroots basketball and aid the development of our talented athletes. The facility will be home to our national teams and performance programmes, providing the best possible facilities to train and play in, preparing players for international competition."
Meanwhile Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Rosa Battle added:
"Manchester is a world-class city for sport with a long history in support for basketball in the heart of the east Manchester community. This new facility will undoubtedly add to Manchester's reputation as a global sport destination, but the potential for grass-roots players to improve their game and rise to the upper echelons of the sport will be exceptional. Building on the recent opening of the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance, the new National Basketball Performance Centre will provide our communities and elite players exciting new opportunities to take part , develop their skills and improve their health."
The completion of the NBPC comes at a pivotal and exciting time for the game in the UK, with the British Basketball Federation (BBF) to be formally adopted by FIBA later this year.
A comprehensive strategic review of the sport is also currently underway and being led by new Independent Chairman, Nick Humby - with everyone involved with the sport and fans being invited to contribute via www.futureofbasktball.co.uk .
FIBA
