City basketball team seeks permanent home

A city's basketball club is seeking a permanent home as it marks its 30th anniversary.

Oxford Hoops held its first session at Ferry Leisure Centre in Summertown, Oxford, in 1995.

Now it has 300 players and 11 squads, including its men's team who were promoted to Division One of the National Basketball League this year.

But with no facility of its own and having to rent courts, it says its ability to grow has hit a ceiling.

Franky Marulanda, director of Oxford Hoops, said: "I'm extraordinarily proud of what we've built from those humble early days 30 years ago.

"Basketball is a wonderful sport which reinforces essential skills which can be applied not only on the court, but in the real world too.

"But our options to grow the club and deliver further impact have hit a ceiling. All the revenue we generate cannot be reinvested, and costs to run the club are increasing year-on-year.

"We need a permanent home which we can call our own, a place the people of Oxford can be proud of by running more teams, delivering more impact across schools and community centres and paying our coaches."

The absence of a permanent home means first-team players are required to cover playing expenses themselves.

Mr Marulanda continued: "It's not right that we have to ask our first-team players to spend hundreds of pounds each year to represent the city.

"It also hinders recruitment greatly. Where other clubs are paying players, we are charging them."

He said with more money the club could explore running dedicated women's and wheelchair teams.

Fixtures and training sessions are held at rented facilities at Cheney School, Oxford Spires Academy, The Oxford Academy and The Cherwell School.

Cameron Reimmer, who plays for the club's under-14s team, said: "I think the culture we have at Hoops is better than any other club in the world.

"The Division One team has probably opened up a lot of doors for sponsorships and everything around the club.

"If we had a permanent space we would be able to take care of our facilities much better and increase quality of play."

David Okerike, captain of the Oxford Hoops under-16s team, added: "I would just love a place to call home.

"I've played in some great courts like Manchester and Essex and would love to have something like that in Oxford."

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