SPORTING Pathways Scotland CIC recently launched their fourth community development basketball club in North Ayrshire out of St Matthews Academy.

The Three Towns Thunder Girls Community Development Club is open to all girls from 5-17 years old (4-5pm Under 8s, 5-6pm Under 12s and 6-7pm under 18s session). All are welcome from beginners to potential superstars.

Sporting Pathways Scotland CIC was founded and is directed by former professional basketball player CEO Graham Hunter. The organisation took a huge boost forward after receiving three years of successful funding from the Scottish Physical Recreation Fund and have been growing in capacity since

The aim of the club is to have fun, increase confidence, increase physical fitness, meet new friends and learn basketball skills and techniques.

Sporting Pathways Scotland CIC has continued to work in partnership with the North Ayrshire Council’s Active School programme delivering school basketball taster sessions to promote the club. Some 862 School pupils from St Matthews Academy, Ardrossan Academy, St Peters Primary, St Luke’s Primary, St Anthony’s Primary, St Winning’s, and St John’s Primary have all taken part so far.

The feedback has been very positive, and the club welcome new members.

Sporting Pathways Scotland CIC CEO Graham Hunter said: “This club is an ideal to place for girls to become engaged in a very positive, uplifting inclusive basketball community club. "I have no doubt in the years to come we will see a real emergence of talent shine through representing North Ayrshire for the Tornadoes in national competitions.”

Ayrshire Tornadoes Development Officer Jordan Thomson said: “It's a chance to get girls interested in playing basketball. Hopefully this is the start of getting some girls on a pathway to playing competitively in the future. Between Ayrshire Tornadoes and Sporting Pathways we can potentially develop a team that we can enter into a league.”