Manchester Giants and Xaverian College have launched a scheme which will allow students to take part in an intensive basketball course alongside their studies.
The plan comes following Head Coach Danny Byrne’s ethos over the past few years of promoting young players and increasing the popularity of British Basketball.
The course is scheduled to start in September 2021. The students will study three mornings and one full day on campus at college. They will then have four afternoons of training with Manchester Giants, reaping the benefits of their professional coaching and support.
The Giants’ website states the student will be “taught by exceptional teaching staff, and with access to the same facilities and opportunities available for all of our students”.
Speaking to the Manchester Giants official page, Jamie Edwards said:
“As soon as I met Martin Kilroy, Head of Sport and the Senior Leadership Team, I knew with Xaverian we could co-create and develop the relationship between an elite basketball academy, academics and life skills that can be applied beyond the sporting arena.
“We both believe that a young person shouldn’t have to choose between a profession and being a top basketball player. Jack Hudson combines a law career with being a point guard for the Manchester Giants.”
To meet the entry requirements, students will need to demonstrate a track record of playing basketball to a high standard. They will also all be expected to take at least one block of Sport BTEC as part of their academic programme of study.
Applicants can combine this with any two of the colleges A-Level or equivalent Applied/BTEC subjects.
The Xaverian College principal Tony Knowles, reiterated his thoughts by saying: “I am very excited about the opportunity to work alongside the Manchester Giants. Our ethos at Xaverian is the same as Jamie’s; that students aspire to excellence in all that they do, and that they are offered every chance to be able to achieve those goals. We are looking forward to a great partnership.”
You can find out how to apply here: http://www.xaverian.ac.uk/manchester-giants-academy/