Oldbury secondary school basketball players helping primary schools shoot for the top
Promising young basketball players at Oldbury's Perryfields Academy are helping local primary school pupils get a head start in the sport.
The Oldbury school, which is part of the Broadleaf Partnership Trust, is welcoming youngsters from primary schools in the area to take part in basketball, trampolining and football sessions, and PE teachers are being supported by sporty students as they put the little ones through their paces.
PE teacher Rebecca Harris said: “Perryfields regularly invites primary schools in the area to come in and visit, and sport is one of the ways we can really engage with the younger children.
“We do basketball, football and trampolining sessions, and our PE staff are supported by our own students from years 8 and 9, who help look after the younger children and learn about coaching and responsibility too.
“We have some really talented basketball players who play for teams like West Bromwich, so it’s a great opportunity for them to pass on their skills.”
Thirteen-year-old Hayden Weston trains with West Bromwich Basketball Club, and recently helped youngsters from Bleak House Primary when they visited Perryfields.
He said: “It’s good fun to help the children who come in from primary schools, because it helps them learn about basketball while they find out what secondary school is like.”
Dexter Gooding, 13, said: “It’s good experience for us to help with the visits, and we’re helping the next generation of basketball players too.”
Dylan Swain-Boateng, 14, added: “We love basketball, and so we really enjoy it when we get the chance to help the little kids get better at the game.”
Headteacher Clare Harris said: “Perryfields is an academy at the heart of the communities it serves, and we work with more than 50 primaries to help local youngsters transition to secondary school.
“Moving up to ‘big school’ can be scary, so we invite young children to come in and spend some time here – and sport is a great way of doing that.
“We’re really proud of the way our students have taken on the challenge of working with the youngsters, to make them feel welcome here and learn more about sport.”
