In July, Canon Medical Systems UK and professional basketball teams Sheffield Sharks and City of Birmingham Rockets held the final of an inter-school basketball tournament, which was designed to inspire hard-to-reach young people in communities surrounding Birmingham.
The tournaments were played in a fast-paced format to imitate the basketball 3×3 game at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which was the first appearance of this variation at the games.
The competition included 20 schools across Birmingham, with students receiving healthy lifestyle workshops and basketball coaching delivered by the Sheffield Sharks and City of Birmingham Rockets in the lead up to the tournament. The winning primary and secondary school each receives a £1,000 voucher to purchase sports equipment.
The workshops focused on themes around healthy and active lifestyles, reflecting on the government’s national strategy ‘Towards an active nation.’ They incorporated key values of the RESPECT programme, including issues such as cyberbullying and bullying, and aimed to break negative cycles of behaviour using role models to inspire this change.
Head of community at the B.Braun Sheffield Sharks Basketball Club Marko Backovic said: “As sport plays such a vital role in positive development throughout childhood, it is great to be able to broaden the RESPECT programme and offer the scheme to more young people across the UK. With the help of Canon Medical, we have been able to see firsthand the positive impact that these workshops and tournaments have, which we hope will motivate young people around the country.”
Picture: Participants in the Sheffield Sharks RESPECT programme, supported by Canon Medical.
Published on page 24 of the August 2022 issue of RAD Magazine.