Back in 2004 I was one of a group of basketball fans who had a dream, that we could run a fans owned basketball club that would be able to survive at least in the English Basketball League. In truth there was not enough of us who cared whether the Leopards lived or died, and ultimately the broad based fan ownership model was viable. There's no doubt that this rather tempered my enthusiasm, both for the Leopards and in some part for the game itself.
My interest in the game itself also took a knock when I gave up coaching. I began to realise that I could no longer work full time and commit to the level of voluntary activity it took to coach a success programme. I knew the level of commitment needed, and frankly I was no longer prepared to commit to that level.
The Leopards at best limped along, they won the National Cup in 2005-06 but on what should have been a day of great joy, I found myself recovering after being hospitalised with concussion. In subsequent seasons I began to doubt whether we had a future. At what level does a sport have to sink to prove to be no longer viable as spectator sport ? At times I felt Leopards were perilously close to that level.
Last season things began to change in no small part to to the arrival of Ousman Krubally, an American forward who had played college hoops at Georgia State University. Hiring Americans is a risky business, will they deliver the goods both on and off the court. In the past the Club had been stung by players ill prepared to go into schools to coach basic basketball.
This season Ousman has been joined by American guard Vernon Teel and between them they have been tearing up the League. As well as winning the National Cup, the Leopards had put together a seventeen game winning streek, meaning that a victory at Reading on Saturday night (31st March) would secure the League Championship.
So Saturday it was a trip to the west of London (and beyond) to see Leopards take on the Reading Rockets. The management of the Rockets were very helpful to us years before when we were setting up. In truth the result was never in doubt, although on the night the stand out performer was David Buchberger who nailed 3 point shot after 3 point short. At the end of the game, party poppers exploded, and although there was no league trophy, nevertheless there was the deep satisfaction of knowing that the Leopards were back.
My interest in the game itself also took a knock when I gave up coaching. I began to realise that I could no longer work full time and commit to the level of voluntary activity it took to coach a success programme. I knew the level of commitment needed, and frankly I was no longer prepared to commit to that level.
The Leopards at best limped along, they won the National Cup in 2005-06 but on what should have been a day of great joy, I found myself recovering after being hospitalised with concussion. In subsequent seasons I began to doubt whether we had a future. At what level does a sport have to sink to prove to be no longer viable as spectator sport ? At times I felt Leopards were perilously close to that level.
Last season things began to change in no small part to to the arrival of Ousman Krubally, an American forward who had played college hoops at Georgia State University. Hiring Americans is a risky business, will they deliver the goods both on and off the court. In the past the Club had been stung by players ill prepared to go into schools to coach basic basketball.
This season Ousman has been joined by American guard Vernon Teel and between them they have been tearing up the League. As well as winning the National Cup, the Leopards had put together a seventeen game winning streek, meaning that a victory at Reading on Saturday night (31st March) would secure the League Championship.
So Saturday it was a trip to the west of London (and beyond) to see Leopards take on the Reading Rockets. The management of the Rockets were very helpful to us years before when we were setting up. In truth the result was never in doubt, although on the night the stand out performer was David Buchberger who nailed 3 point shot after 3 point short. At the end of the game, party poppers exploded, and although there was no league trophy, nevertheless there was the deep satisfaction of knowing that the Leopards were back.
