Like so many community sports clubs, the Ashby Aztecs Basketball Club took 2022 as a year for change, optimism and renewed enthusiasm. With new committee members and a solid coaching structure in place, the 22-23 season promised to lay the groundwork for local basketball to thrive in the coming years.

If there’s one thing the club has learned by this midpoint of the season, it’s that there is no lack of appetite for basketball in Ashby de la Zouch. The Aztecs’ ever-exciting junior programme continues to drive participation for young ballers across the local area, with more than 50 regular players developing their skills on the court. Similarly the senior teams have introduced regular open training sessions, allowing new players to earn their spot on our A, B and C teams throughout the season, or simply providing a first taste of the sport to prospective members.

This season has also seen the club engage even more with the local basketball community. In December, Club Coach Alan Benn organised for a group of more than 30 club members to watch the current British Basketball League champion Leicester Riders in action at the Morningside Arena. Watching top-flight basketball was not only great entertainment for club members and families, but also showed just how far club players can go in the sport, with many Aztecs alumni having forged a similar path over the years.

For now, the Aztecs’ three senior teams continue their seasons in the Leicestershire Basketball League, with regular competitive action delivering a fun and rigorous challenge for veterans and newcomers alike. Whether it’s through a hunger for competition, an opportunity for regular exercise or a chance to meet new people, Ashby Aztecs Basketball Club strives to get the local community active through basketball and highlight, above all, the power of sport and physical activity.

To contact the basketball club check out their website at  www.ashbybasketball.co.uk