Latest News Events About CIA Counselling Coaching Downloads Gamenight Supporters Your CIA Contact CIA
				Go back to Home court
		HOW DID IT ALL START?   CIA Basketball was set up 13 years ago by Tony Brown and Freddie Roberson, both Pastors of churches in South Croydon. Both had sons of similar ages and were alarmed at the lack of constructive activities and positive role models in the local community, especially male role models. The idea for the basketball club came from Tony, a former professional himself at the Bracknell Tigers (now Thames Valley). The project aimed to reach young men and women at street level and give them a focus that would enable them to apply what they learnt on the court to how they interacted in society. So, in the summer of 1995 the club ran three sessions at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. Freddie and Tony were overwhelmed with the support they received, getting roughly 50 young men and women on each occasion. With an obvious demand for the project, CIA was born. After some time training a team was formed and later the team would go on to great success, reaching the National League which paved the way for the Sutton Pumas. 6 years ago, CIA began coaching in schools. Through their continual work within the community it was clear that by giving young people a focus from an early age, the project was able to prevent many from wandering down a bad path and instead channel them into a constructive project. CIA's philosohpy has always been one of mentoring, coming alongside and working with young players to place active, positive role models in the community. CIA began by coaching taster sessions in local Merton schools. After turning around a number of students schools had labelled as 'problem kids' the club was quickly recommended to other schools and before long the project began to build momentum. In a short space of time the club would go from coaching in 5-10 schools to 20 schools in 2006 and 40 schools a year later in 2007.   WHAT DO CIA DO NOW?   CIA now coach in over 40 schools, run a number of community sessions in partnership with GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), work alongside young people with learning disabilities and behavioural disorders and alongside charities such as Mencap and soon the club will roll out a Hoops program across all 70 of GLL's Leisure Centres in the UK.   WHAT MAKES CIA DIFFERENT?   Most clubs are centered around a "flagship" team and have a goal of winning big in whatever division that they enter. Therefore their main aim is to find only the very best players available often at the expense of the rest. We develop from the opposite direction, taking players from any level and helping them to become better. Those who are gifted are filtered to as high a level as their abilities permit. Our coaches play with players and work on court as mentors. We aim to motivate intrinsically (from within) rather than with shouting or threatening. As a club we hold three core values: Discipline Conduct Character   WHO DO WE CATER FOR?   We have a programme for all ages, from 5 and upwards. Many parents are surprised at their children's development at such a young age. The programme for 5-9 years olds focuses around fitness and discipline. If they learn to listen and respond at this age their development as they mature will be a natural progression. As well as running programmes for Primary and Secondary School age groups we also run the Sutton School's League which enables the kids to compete in a safe enironment. We also have a large men's squad with a B and A team running in the London Metropolitan League. We begin all sessions with stretching and warm-up exercises that encourage fitness and help to avoid injury. Then we work each week on our four fundamentals of discipline, passing, shooting and finally dribbling. The club's next goal is to train up our young girls for the London Women's league. We are discovering a huge amount of talent among our young ladies so far.