Our History
City of Birmingham Basketball Club was formed in 2003 with the initial simple concept of providing basketball playing opportunities for young people in Birmingham.
The past eighteen years have seen the club embark upon an incredible journey at Nechells Wellbeing Centre. Thousands of young people have played basketball at the club during this time and we are proud to have played a part in their progression on and off the basketball court.
In 2003 our first group of 15 players played in the club’s first season of games. By 2020 we were operating a Performance Programme hosting consisting of 15 teams and 150 members alongside a Community Programme providing basketball coaching to over 750 young people each week including within many schools across the city.
In 2014 Rockets Senior Men’s was formed to provide a natural transition into senior basketball for our junior players. The team competes in National League Competition and forms the pinnacle of the club – our home games are well attended whilst our recently formed Women’s team compete in regional competition with aspirations to join National League competition by 2023.
On the court, we prioritise supporting club players to realise their full potential. Off the court, our core objectives have remained consistent – to develop young people to be the best they can. Our mentoring, leadership and education programmes have enhanced the personal development of hundreds of young people. The biggest testament to the success of these programmes is the return of so many young people to the club once they have complete university studies or commenced on the career journey.
In 2016 we were privileged to be joined by NBA Legend Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon. Hakeem’s arrival enabled the club to activate our International Summer Camp Programme and raise the profile of our Academy Programme for 16–19-year-olds.
Rockets Academy Programmes now provide educational partners to support 30 full time students aged 16-19 years old whilst Rockets Camp Programmes are accessed by 250 youngsters annually, providing opportunities during school holidays to young local people in addition to others located both in the UK and overseas.
Since 2005 the club has participated in several overseas tournaments including Belgium, Sweden and Ireland providing many young people with an international experience and exposure to a variety of cultures. Our recent partnerships formed with Spanish and Portuguese clubs further enhances these opportunities.
Rockets thriving mini-basketball sessions provide Primary School children with the chance to play and learn to enjoy the game from 5 years old. Additional skill development sessions are offered to new players to learn how to play before progressing into the competition.
The club administers Central Venue Leagues for children to experience such competition. These leagues enhance a wide range of social skill sets including leadership, teamwork and communication alongside technical and tactical awareness required to improve performance.
As a forward-thinking organisation, our eyes are firmly on what is ahead of us. Despite COVID we have managed to attract funds to refurbish the facility we play from, Nechells Wellbeing Centre. This will provide a world class experience for those taking part in club activity. We have big dreams and aspirations to positively impact on thousands more young people as we moved forward.
However, we are very proud of our past and what we have achieved. From humble beginnings, thousands of success stories have emerged. Every young person that has been through our programme is a success story. To mention just a few, some are now professional basketball players, Royal Marines, Teachers, Engineers and Police Officers.
Whatever route their path has taken them we could not be prouder of the young people that have been involved with us. They will always be part of the COB family.