Ballymena Basketball Club launches push to grow girls’ game locally

A growing basketball club in Ballymena is making a fresh push to bring more girls into the sport as it looks to build future league teams and expand opportunities for young players across the area.

Ballymena Basketball Juniors, which currently competes in the BNI Junior League, says it already has a strong group of girls attending weekly training sessions — but hopes more young players will now come forward as the club works towards arranging friendly matches and eventually entering girls’ teams into competitive league action.

The appeal comes as basketball continues to grow in popularity among young people across Northern Ireland, with clubs increasingly trying to create more pathways for girls to get involved in the sport from an early age.

Club hoping to build future girls’ teams

The Ballymena-based club says the focus is firmly on creating a welcoming and supportive environment for girls who may never have played basketball before.

Organisers stressed there is “no pressure” for newcomers, with sessions centred around enjoyment, teamwork, confidence-building and developing core basketball skills.

Training includes drills, gameplay and skill development designed to help players improve while also enjoying the social side of team sport.

The club believes basketball also offers transferable skills that can benefit young people involved in other sports, including fitness, coordination, communication and decision-making.

Training sessions held every Saturday in Ballymena

Sessions take place at St Patrick’s College Gym in Ballymena every Saturday, with multiple age groups currently training throughout the day.

Current session times are:

• Under 12 Team Training — 10:30am to 12:00pm

• Under 14 Team Training — 12:00pm to 1:30pm

• Under 16 & Under 18 Team Training — 1:30pm to 3:00pm

The club has also confirmed the following age group eligibility criteria based on year of birth:

• Under 12 — born in 2015 or 2016

• Under 14 — born in 2013 or 2014

• Under 16 — born in 2011 or 2012

• Under 18 — born in 2009 or 2010

Creating new opportunities for girls in local sport

The latest recruitment drive reflects wider efforts across local sport to increase female participation and create more accessible entry points for young athletes.

For many families in Ballymena and surrounding areas, clubs such as Ballymena Basketball Juniors provide not only sporting opportunities but also an important social outlet where young people can build friendships, confidence and teamwork skills outside school environments.

The club says girls of all experience levels are welcome to attend, whether they are completely new to basketball or already have experience playing the game.

Anyone interested in joining is being encouraged to contact Ballymena Basketball Club through its social media pages or attend a training session this weekend.