Lions offer free basketball

This summer the London Lions Basketball Sports Foundation will be offering free basketball coaching on four outdoor courts in East London.

The programme will be kick-started by a series of roadshows, which will be followed by free coaching sessions for young people from the age of seven to 19. The coaching will be led by local Lions player Laurent Irish, and the young players will then have an opportunity to hone their skills and then engage in three on three games.

The programme is supported by the Canary Wharf Group plc , East Village, Lend Lease’s The International Quarter, L&Q Foundation, Chobham Manor LLP and Taylor Wimpey. Many of these funding bodies have been able to draw substantial sums from the Olympics and/or other publicly funded initiatives, so it is good to see a little of this money going back to public events.

All those who attend coaching sessions will also receive tickets for the London Lions’ first game of the 2014 season at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday, 6th September against Euro League team PGE Turow from Poland. The winners of the three on three tournament at the end of the programme will get the chance to play in front of up to 7,000 Lions fans during half time at this game.

Lions Chief Executive, Vince Macaulay said: “This is a great way to reach out to the young people, they can play basketball on the courts and imagine themselves taking the main stage at the Copper Box Arena. We are looking forward to welcoming them to the venue when they can meet the players and enjoy the evening, thanks to Canary Wharf Group plc , East Village, Lend Lease’s The International Quarter, L&Q Foundation, Chobham Manor LLP and Taylor Wimpey for making this possible.”

•For more information about the London Lions, go to www.londonlionsbasketball.com.

Roadshows

Date: Saturday 16th August
Time: 10am-1.30pm
Location: St Johns Park Sports Cage, Manchester Road, E14

Time: 3pm-6.30pm
Location: Adizone, Mabley Green, Lee Conservancy Road, London E9 5RN

Date: Sunday 17th August
Time: 12 noon-4pm
Location: Alma Street Community Play Area, Alma Street, London E15 1QA

Free sessions will run for two weeks from 19th August until 29th August.

Tuesdays
Location: Adizone, Mabley Green, Lee Conservancy Road, London E9 5RN
Time: 10am-11.30am – Boys aged 7-12 years
Time: 11.30am-1pm – Boys aged 13-19 years
Time: 1pm-2.30pm – Girls aged 7-12 years
Time: 2.30pm-4pm – Girls aged 13-19 years

Location: St Johns Park Sports Cage, Manchester Road, E14
Time: 5pm-6.30pm – Boys aged 13-19 years
Time: 6.30pm-8pm – Girls

Wednesdays
Location: Alma Street Community Play Area, Alma Street, London E15 1QA
Time:  10am-11.30am       Boys aged 7-12 years
Time:   11.30am-1pm        Boys aged 13-19 years
Time:   1pm-2.30pm          Girls aged 7-12 years
Time:   2.30pm-4pm          Girls aged 13-19 years

Thursdays
Location: Barkantine Sports Cage, Westferry Road, E14
3pm-4.30pm – Boys aged 13-19 years
4.30pm-6pm – Girls

Fridays
Location: Alma Street Community Play Area, Alma Street, London E15 1QA
Time:  10am-11.30am – Boys aged 7-12 years
Time:   11.30am-1pm – Boys aged 13-19 years
Time:   1pm-2.30pm – Girls aged 7-12 years
Time:   2.30pm-4pm – Girls aged 13-19 years