The Plymouth City Patriots have formed a brand new partnership with Plymouth Marjon University.
Devon and Cornwall's only professional basketball side will be helping to develop the basketball programme at Marjon Uni, aiming to improve their Men's and Women's BUCS Programmes with specialist training and S&C coaching. As well as this, the BUCS league teams will have access to Patriots-led training for up to six hours a week using facilities at the Marjon Sport and Health Centre.
Creating pathways through university and club partnerships isn't something uncommon to British Basketball, with the Leicester Riders connection with Loughborough University as one of the more notable ones. These pathways give aspiring players a much clearer vision of how they can get to the next level and give clubs direct access to the next generation of British talent in a consistent manner.
"We are really proud to have agreed this partnership with Plymouth City Patriots and are pleased to have this mutually supportive relationship," said Laurence Gully, Director of Sport and Physical Activity at Marjon. "This is an exciting time to be a part of Basketball at all levels, and together we now have a clear pathway for participation and elite basketball in our city and region."
Whilst this elite participation pathway develops, the Patriots will also support the university in getting more students engaged with the sport, with the potential for off-court opportunities such as journalism, sports therapy and coaching courses.