Warwickshire Bears to stage basketball showcase event

WARWICKSHIRE Bears Wheelchair Basketball Club are hoping to inspire more women to take up the sport with a showcase event at the Ricoh Arena.

Wasps Netball have invited the club to put on a wheelchair basketball display before their match against Severn Stars on Monday (6pm centre-pass).

The display will take place in the lead-up to the game in the Wasps' Fan Village, giving the players a chance to show off their skills to netball fans and giving fans an opportunity to try out the sport.

The idea is to inspire netballers, who may have been forced to stop playing the sport through injury, to explore a new sporting avenue with wheelchair basketball.

Bears WBC’s women’s team won their league last season and are hoping this display will encourage more women to get involved.

Verity Brown, Wasps Netball community development manager, said: “We are delighted to have been able to join up with Warwickshire Bears Wheelchair Basketball Club on this and help get more people involved in wheelchair basketball.

“They want to promote the message that you don’t necessarily have to be a wheelchair user to play, you can be classified to play if you have an injury which has prevented you from taking full part in able-bodied sport.

“I hope this display introduces some new people to the sport and encourages more to join the club.”

As well as getting a chance to meet the stars of Bears WBC, Wasps Netball fans are being encouraged to dress up as their favourite movie stars for the clash with Severn Stars at the Ricoh Arena.

Fans will be given face masks of famous stars of the silver screen to fill the stands with Hollywood stars on Monday evening.

The Wasps' Fan Village, in the Ericsson Indoor Arena, will be open from 2.45pm before the game, with netball-themed activities and challenges for fans to enjoy as part of the ‘Night With The Stars’ theme.

Tickets for Wasps Netball v Severn Stars on Monday start from £10 for adults while under-tens go free, and can be purchased from www.waspsnetball.co.uk/tickets