Perth basketball club going from strength to strength under the guidance of coach Kesson

Providing opportunities for people is of great importance to Russel Kesson.

And that is why there is a strong sense of pride when the Perth Phoenix basketball coach takes a step back and assesses the direction in which the sport is going on a local level.

It’s a club set-up which has been in place since 2003 and Kesson has been a driving force in maintaining and growing the number of youngsters playing basketball.

That dedication has played a part in recent successes and the Perth Grammar School physical education teacher is determined to keep the positive vibes flowing.

“For me, it’s simply about providing opportunities for young people in Perth to participate in what I believe is a fast paced and exciting sport,” Kesson told the Perthshire Advertiser.

“We pride ourselves on being a family-based club and look to help anyone that comes into the club achieve the goals they set for themselves.

“It is extremely satisfying when you look at the club from the outside and see the impact that it has on young people’s lives.

“And the appetite is growing after a small lull. We now offer training at Under 12, 14 and 16 for boys and girls and at U18 and senior level for boys and men.

“In the future, we would hope to be able to once again have U18 girls basketball and eventually a team at senior women’s level too.

“This is dependent on the continuing growth of the club but also getting more coaches involved as we are already over stretched in this department.

“I also run the School of Basketball at Perth Grammar, so have 48 young players participating in that along with the extra curricular clubs.

“Some of the other high schools also offer extracurricular basketball so hopefully the sport can continue to grow and flourish.

“But, as is the case with all clubs not every young person stays the course, and we do have difficult seasons and results in games, but we hope to have a positive impact on those involved in the club while they are here.

“One of the most satisfying things for me is when we travel to other places and I meet former players still playing the game or volunteering at other clubs.

“Many former players pop back to watch games or attend some of the fun events we put on and it’s great that they still feel a sense of connection to the club.”

Phoenix fans were celebrating last week when the Under-16 girls secured promotion to the National League Division One. And positives are being taken from across the club.

“It has been a positive season overall for the club in 2016/17,” Kesson said. “Highlights have been our U16 girls winning the National League Division Two and getting promotion to Division One.

“Also, our U14 girls team getting to the Scottish Cup final. These are both great successes with these teams. The club started a girls section last season with only six players and now have 20+ girls participating at the two age groups.

“Our senior men are through to the Tom Hermiston Cup final and the U18 men’s team finished fifth in the National League and progressed into the play-offs.

“But unfortunately our U16 men have been demoted this year. They are a very young group who will have another season together and will be expected to gain promotion back to Division One next season.

“We have also started an U12 team in the Regional Development Leagues for the first time.”

The development of girls basketball has been pleasing but, for Kesson, there will be no resting on laurels.

“I am trying to build a culture within the girls that in theory should go through all age groups,” he explained. “This allows them to embrace challenges and face up to them rather than being intimidated by them.

“They are also well supported by their parents which makes a massive difference to the club in what we can do with them.

“As one of the smaller clubs in Scotland major successes tend to come around in a three to five year cycle.

“However, we always have a plan in place to progress the club and those involved with it, no matter what level we are competing at.

“With the partnership we have with the Perth Grammar School of Basketball it would make sense to see further progress and success occurring as more players arrive at the club.

“Success for us is not judged solely by what happens on the court, and if we can continue to provide opportunities for the people in Perth to be involved in the sport then that in itself is success.”

Kesson knows entering a new sport can be an intimidating prospect. But he says a warm welcome will always be offered at Perth Phoenix, known for being a family club.

He said: “The club will happily take new players at any point of the season and I would encourage anyone that wants to play to get involved.

“It can be intimidating for a new player to come in to a new club, especially if they lack in experience.

“But the club try to support the development of all players, volunteers and coaches in a time frame that is best suited to their needs.

“Any new players will come in to a positive and friendly environment and should feel supported during their time with the club.”