Bears Cubs earn West Midlands call-ups for Regional Junior Championships
FIVE members of the Warwickshire Bears Cubs squad have been selected to play for the West Midlands' under-15 and under-19 teams.
The junior players will be up against the best juniors from throughout the country in the Lord Taverner’s Regional Junior Championships, played at Worcester Arena on the 3rd and 4th August.
“I’m so thrilled and proud of all our junior players who have been selected this year,” said Bears’ coach, Tom Masterson,
“Last year we had two players selected and to now have five of the cubs being picked is a testament to the hard work the juniors and coaches have put in this season.
“This year we have Tom Masterson junior, Ellan Fraser and Nathan Leese selected for under-15s, and Jack Sheehy and Aaron Grant in the under-19s team.”
The Bears this season are looking to enter a junior team into the British Wheelchair Basketball League for the first time in their history, following a major recruitment drive last season.
Masterson added: “We started a new Saturday session last season, to try and make it easier for parents to bring the kids along, and it seems to be working,”
“We also took the decision to offer the sessions free of charge to also make it more appealing to parents as well
“We are still a bit thin on numbers for the junior team, so again this year we are actively seeking to recruit more players to the juniors alongside our women’s team and National League teams.
“The great thing about this sport is that the women and men play together in the same teams in all the leagues, except the women’s league. In fact, with the rules of the league, it is more beneficial to have more women players in the squad.”
The Bears are looking to recruit disabled or injured players, both male and female, plus any able-bodied player who fancies trying a new sport.
Specialist wheelchairs are provided and the Saturday session will run all over the summer period at Warwickshire College’s sports centre in Henley-in-Arden.
“The opportunities for the juniors and women players are tremendous in our sport,” said Masterson.
“The juniors today can get offered scholarships and help with universities if they get recognised internationally, plus players also get financial help if they get recognised internationally at all ages.”
