WEBBA Development Tournament is a huge success.

The Bristol Academy Flyers and West of England Basketball Association’s second development tournament was a huge success with over 90 young players under the age of 13 years of age competing in a tournament at Filton College’s WISE campus.

Growing numbers of young players in the region has led to a boom in basketball with the under 13 age group particularly growing. Bristol is not alone as in Stroud and Gloucester the game is also booming.

Sunday saw 4 Bristol Academy Flyers teams take on two teams from Stroud and the Gloucester Blazers. Games were played on two courts at the WISE arena with each team playing each other. Flyers came out on top with Stroud I finishing in Second place. The results really were irrelevant as the real success was the number of talented and enthusiastic young players in action. The games were officiated by the Filton College Basketball Academy students and were thoroughly enjoyed by all of the competitors. Stroud and Gloucester have now formally agreed a partnership with the Flyers and join the clubs ever growing development project. Bristol Academy Flyers Hoops 4 Healthy Hearts project in local primary schools has delivered basketball to over 3000 primary school children in the South Gloucestershire area along with the important message of living a healthy lifestyle since January 2008. This growth has led to new initiative being made in South Gloucestershire, North Bristol and North Somerset as the clubs community programme spreads its wings. Flyers have received support from local business and Heart Research UK and South Gloucestershire County Council to continue to move forward with the project. Because of this the Hoops 4 Healthy Hearts project will reach over 5000 young people in the next year with plans to reach more young people across the region being developed. Flyers have recently taken charge of a brand new community car to be driven to schools and clubs to help promote the scheme and basketball in general.