Close to 200 young wheelchair basketball players will compete in the 2017 Lord’s Taverners National Junior Championships this weekend.
On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 August talented junior wheelchair basketball players from across England and the Home Countries will take part in the two day Lord’s Taverners National Junior Championships.
The coverted championships will see selected players represent their regions, in a bid to claim the tournament titles for the U15 and U19 divisions.
The U19 Division squads includes four of the newly crowned junior men’s World Champions Lee Fryer (Yorks), Sam Mack (East), Peter Cusack (West Midlands) and Lewis Edwards (South East). Alongside these rising stars are GB Paralympians Joy Haizelden (West Midlands), Katie Morrow (Northern Ireland) and Charlotte Moore (West Midlands) and GB Senior Women’s Team member Siobhan Fitzpatrick (West Midlands) and Sophie Paterson (West Midlands).
Pool stage competitions will take place on Saturday 5 August with the play-offs and medal games taking place on Sunday 6 August. Traditionally no one region has dominated the gold medal position at the Championships with Scotland and West Midlands winning the U15 and U19 titles (respectively) in 2016.
Junior Championships veteran and GB Women’s Senior Squad member Siobhan Fitzpatrick is excited about the forthcoming weekend of wheelchair basketball action and commented:
“This is such a fundamental championships in identifying new young talent for British Wheelchair Basketball. To know that you are competing in a tournament where legends of this sport developed their skills – going through a selection process and playing alongside our peers from the region adds a real prestige to the Championships.
“I feel honoured to wear my West Midlands vest and represent my region.”
Jo Richards, Development Director for British Wheelchair Basketball holds the Lord’s Taverners National Junior Championships close to her heart:
“The Championships never fails to deliver highly competitive games, back to back action and the opportunity to watch some of the wheelchair basketball’s stars of the future.
“As well as being the funding partner for our Junior Development Programme, Lord’s Taverners has been a true advocate of supporting young people to find opportunities within wheelchair basketball and we thank them for their continued support.”
The Lord’s Taverners Junior Championships schedule and team lists are available online at the British Wheelchair Basketball website. www.britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk
