Portsmouth Force Basketball - Equipment & Coaches

Who are we?

Portsmouth Force Basketball Club has over 350 players with ages ranging from 3 to fifty-something! It prides itself on being a diverse and inclusive club, open to all, with a safe and friendly atmosphere. We are now keen to open up the sport and additional opportunities to as many people as possible. This will enhance both physical and mental health for all by exercise;  high level progressive and supportive coaching in sport; creating opportunities for all (players and coaches) to achieve their full potential.

We know the benefits that exercise and sport can have upon peoples wellbeing - the ramifications of lockdown and Covid-19 are still being felt.

Basketball helps to connect people, learn new skills and be active. This is underpinned by our fantastic coaches giving their valuable time on a voluntary basis.

Why are we crowdfunding?

Next season the club will have a minimum of 13 teams playing in various leagues (local and national), but this could rise to 16 as we develop the offering for female teams and those with disabilities.

The rise is participation is fantastic but also comes with financial and logistical challenges.

We want (and need) to ensure that we have all of the right equipment and that we are a sustainable club who are able to meet the need of increased participation for years to come.

The different teams are utilising several venues across the city and therefore it impacts virtually all areas of the local community. 

How we’ll spend the money raised

Train new coaches to ensure we are able to cope with the increased demand. Newly trained coaches will be mentored by coaches with greater experience. Each Level 2 coaching course cost £200. We have a desire to train 10 coaches this year to make the club sustainable for years to come. 

A new scoreboard is needed for each teams (both national and local league) "home games". This will cost in excess of £3,000

New kits for all the teams to ensure that we are creating a clear identity for the club and all players feel included. Kits cost £500 per team

Renew training equipment when required. This includes all the relevant medical equipment to cope with injuries (hopefully not too often though!). We estimate these costs to be at least £3,000 per year.

Keep player monthly subscriptions as low as possible to ensure that cost is never a barrier for participation. 

Create additional subsidised sessions so that players and coaches can achieve their full potential

Community impact

We currently use facilities across all of Portsmouth and therefore touch all areas of the community. 

We have many generations of the same family now playing at the club and want to ensure that this can continue with new members joining,

Our Mens National League team play at The Ravelin Centre and are watched by over 350 fans per game. 

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!