Training
All Tuesdays in Term time:
Under 14, under 16 - 3.45p.m. - 5p.m.
Under 18 & Senior - 5p.m. - 7p.m.
Dyffryn Taf School Sportshall,
Whitland
Carmarthenshire
SA34 0BD
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History
Preseli Storm Basketball Club was born out of one families passion for the sport and the lack of other available places for youngsters to play in the Pembrokeshire / Carmarthenshire border area.
The club was formed in 2000 when Louis Halton-Davies along with his friend Iân Bell asked Louis' parents to help them get something set up, so that they could quite simply play basketball. At the time both were in year 8 at Ysgol y Preseli in Crymych, Pembrokeshire.
In order that her son & friends could fulfill their desire to play basketball, Jackie Davies took up the honerous task of forming a new basketball club, with help from her husband Lindsay Halton, a 6th former in the school, Chris Darby, Louis & Iân. The club was duly launched and took its name from the school and region of Pembrokeshire that it was in. Jackie got herself duly qualified as a basketball coach and set about running a predominantly junior club.
Over the next few years, the club entered the West Wales Basketball league with little success, but the main thing was that participants were able to compete and most importantly have fun with their chosen sport. Over the years the club variously had support from coaches from other local West Wales clubs. Both Lee Coulson (Aberystwyth) and Mark Williams (Carmarthen) helped with the coaching and playing of the young Preseli Storm team.
In 2005, the club was joined by Sam Trueman and his father, Kevin. Sam had previously played basketball in the American Schools system whilst living in North Africa. He was desperate for competitive basketball and so, Kevin got involved and alongside, Jackie, Lindsay & Iân worked on developing the club to a new level.
In the summer of 2006 it was decided to move the club from Crymych to the new School Sports Hall at Dyffryn Taf School, Whitland. The facilities were excellent and along with the school & some keen local marketing by Kevin Trueman the membership increased massively in very little time. |
The youngsters around the Whitland area were desperate to play basketball and more than that they showed an enthusiasm to develop as far as they possibly could in the sport.
In 2006, Sam Trueman became the 1st Preseli player to be selected for a Welsh Squad (u.16's) as well as gaining professional trials with Spanish professional clubs, Real Madrid, Estudiantes and Villadolid.
In 2007 Preseli Storm entered teams in both the senior & junior leagues of the resurrected West Wales Basketball League. Despite not winning any silverware they finally became competitive in the region and had some very close games particularly with their historical rivals Tenby.
In the 2008/2009 season Preseli Storm finally broke their duck and won the West Wales Junior league after a thrilling final game of the season against Aberystwyth. In the same season Dyffryn Taf School, made up exclusively of Preseli Storm players won the West Wales Schools tournament for the 1st time, beating Carmarthen in another thrilling final.
The 2009 / 2010 season saw another major step forward for the club when no less than 13 of the junior players were all selected for Welsh squads. These included Jackie Davies youngest son, Maelien Halton-Davies, who has been playing since the clubs very beginnings. Maelien was selected as the Welsh u.16's Vice-Captain. Alongside him in the Welsh u.16's is Courtney Bowman. Nia Espie was selected for the Welsh Girls Elite team. In the same season Sam Trueman (in his last season in West Wales Basketball) became the only player exclusively in the Welsh basketball leagues to be invited for GB u.20's trials... for further information on the current Welsh representatives see the news page.
Preseli Storm now continue to go from strength to strength and quite proudly claim to be the No.1 basketball club in West Wales... although I'm sure some of the other clubs may argue! |
The entire club - 2005
Founder member - Iân Bell
Founder member - Louis Halton-Davies
Senior Squad - 2007
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