Bexhill Giants basketball team

WINNERS of the Best Sports Team at the Bexhill Achievers Awards 2007, , the Bexhill Giants basketball team have literally come on in leaps and bounds since their beginnings as a 'fun' session at the Bexhill Youth Centre six years ago.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Sep 2007, 19:47 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 19:39 BST

Since that time with the help, dedication and support of coach Eric Douglin, the team have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with not just in the local area but internationally.

Basketball may be a minority sport in the UK at the present time but already two of it's team members have successfully gained scholarships for the USA; Lewis Grant played for the Giant's Under 18's team and recently completed his first year at Lake Region College in Utah and, Ian Berry will be taking up his scholarship in January.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the success of the team isn't down to just a couple of exceptional players - they appear to have a wealth of talented sportsmen in their midst. Eric said: "Most of the Giants' players have gone on to play for the best junior league teams in the country - the London Towers and Brighton Bears.

"For the past three years the Giants have been invited to compete in the World Youth Friendship Games (WYFG) in Holland finishing fifth on the last two occasions with only one defeat. This is a remarkable achievement as they are competing against teams where basketball is their second sport after football and where they receive substantial funding from local government and company sponsorship."

At the moment the Giants are predominately self-funding, receiving some help with sponsorship from Bexhill Lions and a small annual community investment grant from the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Eric, who used to play basketball for Crystal Palace, said the Giants are actively trying to encourage a healthy lifestyle within the local community by encouraging school children to take up basketball as part of their sporting activities.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: "We have contacted local schools and invited children to free coaching clinics before our home games at Bexhill College. They can then stay and watch the Giants in action and lend their vocal support."

On receiving the Bexhill Achievers Award Eric said: " I was very proud to win it - to be honest I didn't expect we'd win as we were up against some very good competition. It was really good to be there with all the other nominations and the people of Bexhill and to receive the recognition that after five years I think we deserve."

He hopes that winning the award will make the team more prominent in the area and that they will go on to even bigger and better things Visit the Giants' website at: www.sussexbasketball.co.uk