Calderdale Explorers is a non-profit community organisation whose objective is to promote and provide opportunity for local and community level basketball for people within the Calderdale community. We are affiliated to the National Governing Body, BASKETBALL ENGLAND and our chairperson Glenn Hardaker has been involved with the development of basketball within the Calderdale area for over 20 years .

The club has a variety of sections can accomodate players and all players over 8 years old . We have multiple coaches with Basketball England Level 2 Coaching Qualifications as well as playing our role in developing coaching talent in the area and progressing them to the desired qualifications. Although we do run teams in recognised local and national leagues , we strongly believe in community Basketball and offering the chance for local people to enjoy the benefits of participation in organised physical activity . The club and coaching staff are volunteers.

CALDERDALE EXPLORERS (SENIOR TEAM)

The club's senior team plays competitive in BASKETBALL ENGLAND's national Basketball League and will be competing in NBL Conference League in the forthcoming seasons . Training sessions take place at North Halifax Grammar School on Tuesday Evenings from 8pm to 10pm. Competitive matches are played on Saturday and Sundays with home games played at North Halifax Grammar School . Players and coaches are required to have Basketball England playing licenses which can be obtained through the club . The Senior teams origins lay in the 1980s and the team had various periods of non existence before being resurrected in 2014 by Glenn our chairman.

CALDERDALE HAWKS (LOCAL LEAGUE)

The Hawks play are an adult open team who have two teams playing in the Local Leeds League . Training sessions and home games take place at North Halifax Grammar School from 8pm to 10pm on Thursday evenings. The team has competed recently independently as Queensbury Hawks but as of the 2023 - 2024 season are now a welcome part of the club .

UNDER 16 SECTION

Calderdale Explorer Under 16 section hold sessions every Friday night at North Halifax Grammar School between 6pm and 8pm . Sessions are open to all abilities with sessions designed to coach skills and strategies for Basketball as well as engage all participants in physical activity and organised full court games. From the players who attend a team is selected who will also compete in Basketball England's Under 16 National League with the team winning the Regional League in the 2022-2023 season. Competitive games are on selected Saturday and Sundays throughout September to March. There is a monthly CVL ( Central Venue League) on one Saturday a month where all players who attend the Friday night sessions are divided into teams to play against the teams from the local area in a one day league format . It is not compulsory for players who train on the Friday night to attend the CVL's but continues to be extremely popular.

UNDER 14 SECTION

Our Under 14 section trains on Thursday Nights from 6pm to 8pm at North Halifax Grammar School. Sessions engage the players in physical activity and learning basketball skills through drills and activities. Most sessions end with organised 3 on 3 or 5 v 5 games . All players who attend the session are invited to participate in a monthly CVL ( Central Venue League) which occurs on one Saturday each month at North Halifax Grammar School where the players are divided into teams and compete against each other and also teams from other clubs in the north west region in organised games with qualified referees and scoreboards and time clocks etc . Participation in the CVL's isn't compulsory but proves very popular.

UNDER 12 SECTION ( Minis, 8 to 12 year olds)

Our Under 12 section train every Thursday from 6pm to 8pm at North Halifax Grammar School . The focus is on engaging the players in physical activity , lots of invasion games, socialisation and the teaching of fundamental basketball skills.Players who attend the session are invited to participate in a monthly CVL ( Central Venue League) which occurs on one Saturday each month at North Halifax Grammar School where the players are divided into teams and compete against each other and also teams from other clubs in the north west region in organised games with qualified referees and relaxed rules scoreboards and time clocks etc . Participation in the CVL's isn't compulsory but proves very popular.
We accept players once they have passed their 8th birthday . There is substantial body of research that children under 8 gain more development from organised non competitive sporting activity that focuses on the fundamental movement skills or running , jumping and catching as opposed to specific specialising in one sport.

MYM COACHING SESSIONS

MYM Coaching sessions take place on Wednesday Evenings between 6pm and 8pm at The Halifax Academy , Gibbet Street, Halifax . The sessions are open to any players between the age of 11 to 16 and sessions are run by Ben and David the two most qualified and experienced coaches within the Junior section of the club . The sessions are based on skills development of the players attending .

Cost per session for MYM, U12 , U14 & U16 is £10 per session and there are discounted monthly options available .

BASKETBALL ENGLAND ASPIRE PROGRAM

We follow the Basketball England “Training Pathway” standards and guidelines in regard to player and coach development and nominate players between ages 11 to 15 years old who have shown the required standards for Basketball England's ASPIRE PRORAM , which involves several regional training camps and playing at representative level selected from the players who attend .

https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/talent/talent-pathway/aspire-programme/

OUTREACH

MYM COACHING also get involved with the local community and currently run several Afterschool clubs in primary schools, academies and sixth from colleges within the local area as well as attending a variety of outdoor galas and external events.