Year 4 pupils from Lightwoods Primary Academy spent an inspiring day at Nechells Wellbeing Centre in Birmingham, taking part in a series of coaching sessions with the City of Birmingham Rockets Basketball team.
The children practised dribbling, passing and shooting before meeting one of the club’s professional players and testing their skills in a friendly tournament against other primary schools across Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust. Both of Lightwoods’ teams went through the tournament unbeaten, thrilling coaches and peers alike.
The day concluded with a special invitation for pupils to watch the Birmingham Rockets take on the Derby Trailblazers that evening, giving them the chance to see a professional basketball game in action.
Principal John Ashton said: “It was wonderful to see our learners so engaged and excited. They threw themselves into every drill, cheered one another on, and showed real focus, determination and sportsmanship. Opportunities like this are so important because they give children the chance to try new things, challenge themselves, and develop skills such as teamwork, resilience and confidence that they can carry into all aspects of their lives.”
The visit reflected the Academy’s wider approach to physical education. The school aims to engage all pupils in a wide variety of sports to develop not only their physical skills, such as agility, balance and coordination, but also their communication, teamwork and leadership.
Events like this give pupils the chance to build resilience, determination, strategic thinking, self-belief and self-awareness. They provide practical experiences that complement classroom learning and support growth both on and off the court.
