Shining the spotlight on Basketball and Emi Kilbane
Basketball is the second most popular team sport in Britain, behind football, of course. I don’t know about you but I find this staggering given the little coverage it’s given on mainstream media! But if numbers are up then that means that basketball for kids is on the rise too and it’s great to see these smaller sports coming to the fore and giving children (and adults) more choice for how to be active.
Basketball kit for kids
Little Big Sports stocks lots of basketball kit for kids – from balls to wall-mounted hoops to top of the range free-standing hoops. The free-standing basketball hoops allow you to change the height of the hoop so it will grow with your child, allowing them to score at whatever age. Wall-mounted basketball hoops are great for smaller spaces or if you already have a lot of other sports kit (but you can never have too much, right?!).
Team sports like basketball are fantastic for children as they can make friends and learn essential life skills like communication and teamwork, and sports skills such as accuracy, pace and hand-eye coordination. A basketball hoop is an all-stars addition to a back garden or patio area as they don’t take up much space and children can shoot hoops for hours on end. We know some children see it as a form of mindfulness and a good break between the end of school and perhaps getting down to homework.
Local basketball player Emi Kilbane
A wall-mounted basketball hoop at school is how local Kent basketball player, Emi Kilbane, first became interested and now she’s playing in the National League team for Sevenoaks Suns.
“I was in primary school, in year six, there was a hoop on a wall, and me and my friend, we would always play on it at lunchtime. And then towards the end of year six, we were actually getting quite good at it for the amount that we were playing, obviously, not like, really good. Then in year seven, I really wanted to join a club, but we didn't really know what basketball clubs there were. And then my PE teacher came up to me, and she was like, ‘Do you like basketball? There's a poster..,’ and there was a little poster for Sevenoaks Suns, which is my team, and it was a little trial session. And I went to that, and then I got into the team that I'm in.”
Emi is 12 but plays in the U16 team as, sadly, players are dropping out and the team is struggling to recruit (we hope this piece serves as the poster that Emi saw for another girl!). I should add that she’s really good too!
Wow, so you're playing basketball with much older people. How do you find that?
“It is hard, but it's very good to get better. They're all really nice. I've made some really good friends in that club.”
Why do you think you’re good at basketball? I know it’s hard to blow your own trumpet, but please do!
“Well, I am quite fast and I am pretty tall, but my friend from basketball, who's 14, she's a bit shorter than me, but she's still really good. So, you don't necessarily have to be tall, but it does help. And playing sports in general helps because I used to play football, so things like getting back to your own goal when the other team has the goal, and just being aware of where everybody is definitely helps.”
What do you do in basketball training?
“So, my training sessions are quite long, two hours on Wednesdays and Fridays. There's time to shoot for 15-20 minutes, and then we just do a ton of drills, like, run and stuff, just up and down the court with the ball, without the ball…” You must be super fit now, are you? “I need to run more. I need more stamina.”
What would you say to local girls who want to give basketball a go?
Yeah, contact the Sevenoaks Suns club. They'll probably just let you turn up for a training session and if you like it, they'll let you come back and just keep on going. They’re very welcoming and it’s cool playing with older girls - they’re more experienced and know what they’re doing.
When you're starting, you just need some trainers, preferably with good grip, joggers or shorts and a T-shirt.
And finally, what's one of your basketball career highlights to date?
Probably when I first started playing basketball: I had the trial on the Wednesday and then on Friday I managed to do a training session with them. And then they said, you have to register for a license because we need you to come to the game!
Thank you, Emi, for sharing your basketball ‘story so far’. I wish you lots of luck with your basketball journey!
Basketball for kids - essential information
If you’d like to start your child’s basketball career with some kit from us, here’s some technical information to get you started.
What size basketball do I need for my child, by age?
Children aged 4-8 years need a size 3 basketball and for freestanding basketball hoops, the hoop height should be between 6-7 feet / 183-213.4 cm.
Children aged 9-11 years move up to a size 5 basketball and the hoop height should be around nine feet / 274 cm.
For girls aged 12 and older and boys between 12 and 14, a size 6 basketball is best and the hoop height should be ten feet / 305 cm.
For men and boys, 15 years and older, it’s a size 7 ball and the hoop height is ten feet / 305 cm.
Where can I find a basketball club for my child?
If you don’t live near Sevenoaks to join the Suns and would like to find a club checkout these UK governing bodies who’ll be able to provide information on basketball for kids in your area.