barking abbey basketball academy

8/15/2019 Barking Abbey Basketball Academy

1/11


2/11

This pamphlet is aimed at players with the ability and potential to reach the elite level

of senior basketball. It covers the aspects of the basketball program at Barking AbbeySchool, that has made it the number one academy in the UK with a Europe widereputation.

The program is aimed at talented players but most importantly, talented players that fitwith our character values. Our environment creates the opportunity for young talentedpeople to develop on and off the court as they prepare for elite basketball and adult life

This information pack provides more of an insight into what we are about at theacademy, and to provide more information to help make a decision on whether or notBarking Abbey is the place to spend the next stage of your career.

As much as we want the best talent to join us, we only want players here who want tobe a part of BA. It must be a decision that you feel is best for you.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any further questions or needanymore information,

We look forward to speaking with you soon,

Barking Abbey Basketball Academy

For more information visit the website at www.abbeybasketball.com


3/11

Founded in 1922, Barking Abbey was one of the first co-educational grammar schools

in England. At the time, it was situated in a largely rural area, with fields and farmlandclose by. In 1970, Barking Abbey Grammar School was merged with Park ModernSchool to form what has now become ‘Barking Abbey School: A Specialist Sports andHumanities College’.

The Basketball Academy was established in 2005, giving the opportunity for talentedbasketball players to work everyday with high quality coaches in an elite developmentenvironment, while also attending an educational institution of high academicstandards.

Barking Abbey is a mixed school of approximately 2,000 pupils. It is traditionally heavilyoversubscribed and each year takes 270 new pupils. With a large Sixth Form of over

600 students the school offers a large range of AS, A2 and BTEC courses to our 16-19year olds.

We are proud of the fact that we are a multi-cultural community and we seek tocelebrate our diversity in as many ways as possible. Tolerance of, respect for, andunderstanding of others are vital aspects of preparing young people for adult life. Thisethos is what underpins our school motto:“Barking Abbey School is a place where everyone gives and expects the best” andwhere everyone can say, “I belong” .

The mission of the academy is to provide a situation similar to that found on mainlandEurope and in the United States where basketball is scheduled throughout the day

around academic qualifications.

The major ambition of the Academy is to test elite UK talent against the best in Europeand the USA, whilst preparing players for professional basketball careers.



4/11

Vision:

Laborare et servire (“to give and expect the best”)

Mission Statement:

To create elite level basketball players able to compete at the highest levels of international basketball and develop young men and women able to succeed in life.

We aim to do this through the following values -

Values:

Aspiration A focus on continual self-improvement and development, of players, coaches and basketball.

Balance A recognition that life skills are just as, if not more, important than basketball skills.

ExcellenceCommitment to excellence, innovation, integrity and quality.

Culture A culture of not being afraid to fail.

FamilyMaking everyone who comes into contact with the organisation feel valued and a part of the family.

EliteTo have a relentless pursuit of basketball excellence.

UnparalleledTo provide an unparalleled basketball academy experience.

RevolutionaryTo continually challenge the current boundaries of basketball clubs within the United Kingdom.



5/11


6/11

Domestic regular season playing opps - NBL D1, WBBL, D3, EABL, WEABL

There are few places in the UK that offer the domestic playing opportunities that are available at Barking Abbey

With teams competing in Men’s NBL Division 1, the top flight Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL), Men’s NBL Division 3, along with the EliteAcademy Basketball League (EABL) and Women’s Elite Academy Basketball League (WEABL), and a variety of National Schools competitions, BarkingAbbey caters to every talented players’ level.

Additionally, Barking Abbey is the only programme to boast having played against the likes of major US college programmes such as Notre Dame,Georgia Tech, George Washington, Virginia Tech, Florida Tech and Michigan State. Through our extensive links in the US, we receive a number of offersto take part in teams’ pre-season exhibitions during tours of Europe.

Barking Abbey focuses its playing opportunities within the Basketball England Senior National Leagues and the WBBL. On the boys side the teamessentially has two playing opportunities with our own Barking Abbey team participating in EBL Division Three and then our partnership with the Kent

Crusaders EBL Division One program. The Barking Abbey team is made up completely of Barking Abbey students across our Key Stage 4 and SixthForm programs, with the Kent Crusaders also using a small number of additional players increasing the playing experience and knowledge of the BAstudents selected to play in this team.

Though our focus is always on player development first, a side effect of that has been success at a number of different levels. With 22 National Schoolstitles, 7 appearances in the Senior Final Fours, winning the 2015 NBL Men’s Division 1 Playoff Title using a team made up of 10 BA players, as well asthe 2016 WBBL Trophy Final runners up, BA has become renowned across the UK for developing the top up and coming talent.



7/11

Barking Abbey prides itself on seeking out the best competition, and as a result

competes internationally on an annual basis.

Over the years we have travelled to Spain, Bosnia, France, Lithuania, and theUSA for tournaments, taking on some of biggest global powerhouses in youthbasketball, including Real Madrid, Estudiantes, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Union Olympia,and ASVEL.

Additionally, we are the only club in the UK to have hosted the Euroleague Junior Tournament Qualifying Round (2010), as well participate at the SabonisCup, Sarajevo Tournament, and Girona Women’s tournament.

We have taken a men’s team to the US every year for the past three Christmas

breaks, competing in the world renowned City of Palms Classic, Chick-Fil-AClassic and most recently the Basketbull Hoopsfest. On these trips, not only dowe face off against future Division 1 college basketball players andprofessionals, but we visit a number of US colleges that feature former BAstudent-athletes for tours to give an overview of the entire US experience.

In 2015, the basketball academy took part in its first preseason training camp inMadrid, Spain. All 40 players from the Sixth Form academy on both the men’sand women’s program spent two weeks in the Spanish capital. The trip proveda fantastic and life changing experience for both the student and staff, and weaim to make it an annual trip.



8/11

No academy in the UK can match Barking Abbey’s track record when it comes

to placement post-BA.

In the US Division 1 college system, currently 50% of the British playersdeveloped in the UK, both male and female, on scholarship have comethrough Barking Abbey.

Since our inception 2005, we have had over 70 players win scholarships to toan NCAA, NAIA or JUCO institution in the USA, with Barking Abbey studentshaving earnt more than $7 million in scholarship money.

We are incredibly proud to be the leading club in the country with Seniorinternational alumni, currently boasting nine players that have gone on torepresent the Senior national teams; four men (Robert Gilchrist, Zak Wells, Joe Ikhinmwin, Teddy Okereafor), five women (Jamila Thompson, Ella Clark,Savannah Wilkinson, Harriet Yea, Leah Deehan), six of which did not play forany Junior National Team before attending BA.

BA is also one of the leading clubs in the country to have produced futureprofessionals, currently with 10 alumni having gone on to professionalcareers; a number that is expected to increase considerably in the comingyears as more graduate from college.


scholarships


9/11

Barking Abbey currently has three indoor basketball facilities, four full size FIBA dimensioncourts where we play our National League games, and one smaller gym used for small groupworkouts. Our main show court was a practice venue for the 2012 London Olympic Gameswith FIBA quality playing floor and top of the range baskets. There is planning for anadditional facility built with seating for up to 1000 people on school premises.

Additional to this, we have a dedicated strength and conditioning area, with free weights andOlympic lifting platforms and a physiotherapy suite managed by our dedicated strength andconditioning and our full time physiotherapist

For those students who live a further distance from the school and so are unable to commutedaily, we have player accommodation available. Each year the basketball academy has anumber of students live away from home in one of our houses, all within close proximity tothe academy. Players live with a supervising adult and learn to live independently, we also

have a host family option if this suits individual circumstances.



10/11

Barking Abbey is one of the only programmes (including the BBL) in the

country to have a full time coaching and support staff of six.

There are currently four full time basketball coaches, one full t imephysiotherapist and a dedicated strength and conditioning staff. Additionally,we have three volunteer coaches who provide day to day support, to round outa staff roster of nine.

No less than five of our coaches have National Team experience, with a formerHead Coach of GB Senior Women’s team, along with assistants from U23, U20,U18 and U16 levels. There is also professional and international coachingcamps experience, such as Nike Basketball Without Borders, and a number ofCoach of the Year honours between the staff.



11/11

Are you the next Great Britain Senior International to come through BA? Our nextalumni going on to achieve a full scholarship to an NCAA Division 1 school? We want

you to be a part of the Barking Abbey family - let us help you get to where you want tobe.We have a challenging environment that will maximise the potential of every

individual that becomes part of #AbbeyNation

barking abbey basketball academy

Documents