Basketball Ireland becomes first NGB to be awarded Cara Xcessible Silver Award

Basketball Ireland has become the first National Governing Body (NGB) in Ireland to be awarded the Cara Xcessible Silver Award. It builds on the success of earning the Cara Xcessible Bronze Award in 2020.

Basketball Ireland, working internally and with clubs around the country, made significant progress in 2021 to develop opportunities for athletes with disabilities to play basketball. Among the achievements are six new inclusive teams, with 89 active playing members at mainstream clubs; Éanna BC, Portlaoise Panthers, North Kildare Eagles, Baltinglass Bulldogs, East Cavan Eagles and St. Vincent’s BC, with more clubs planning to start inclusive teams in the future. A total of 68 basketball clubs in Ireland have now signed up to the Cara Charter, while Basketball Ireland - in conjunction with Cara - ran 16 online courses to over 200 affiliated coaches across the country, covering ‘Sport Inclusion & Disability Awareness’ and ‘Autism in Sport’.

Éanna are among six clubs to now have an Inclusive team.

Odhrán Doherty, the National Sport Inclusion Coordinator with Cara, praised the dedication of Basketball Ireland.

“Cara Sport Inclusion Ireland is delighted to once again recognise the outstanding work undertaken by Basketball Ireland in the inclusion of people with disabilities within their sport, by awarding them with the Xcessible NGB Silver Award. Basketball Ireland achieved the Xcessible Bronze Award in 2020, and throughout 2021 the sport has continued to push forward in this area, with a particular focus on Volunteer and Coach Education, Pathways Development, Inclusive Club Development, and Accessible Promotion of Basketball.

“It is clear to see the commitment and passion of Basketball Ireland towards inclusion and great to see the progress they made in 2021, particularly in how they are using the Sport Inclusion Disability Charter and Xcessible to drive their ambition. We congratulate Basketball Ireland on their achievements so far and look forward to supporting them on the next stage of their journey in 2022,” Odhrán Doherty, Cara National Sport Inclusion Coordinator.

Despite restrictions on indoor sport during the pandemic, Basketball Ireland Development Officers found ways to deliver many specific programmes for people with a disability in 2021, including junior wheelchair basketball camps in Portlaoise, South Dublin and Meath, 3x3 events for IWA athletes at the National Basketball Arena, and a camp for children with intellectual disabilities in South Dublin, with a total of 252 athletes participating in these events. Basketball Ireland partnered with multiple organisations on the delivery of these events, including Meath Local Sports Partnership, South Dublin County Council, South Dublin Local Sports Partnership and Midlands Area Board.

Happy International Disability Awareness Day everyone! We visited the Camp of Champions in the summer to see their brilliant work with Carlow Sports Partnership in making the camp more inclusive for athletes of different abilities 👌🏀 @ConroyKojack @ActiveCarlow @CaraCentre_ie pic.twitter.com/sn6Yn8vByD

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) September 12, 2021

Basketball Ireland also funded inclusion projects across the country, with 300 participants taking part, these were delivered in conjunction with Camp of Champions, East Cavan Eagles, St.Vincent’s BC, Portlaoise Panthers, Éanna BC, and North Kildare Eagles.

Internally at Basketball Ireland, staff each complete the Sport Inclusion & Disability awareness course during induction, while the Basketball Ireland website has implemented accessibility measures, integrating the recite.me toolbar, a feature which accommodates most visual impairments.

We had the pleasure of visiting the @plaoisepanthers at the weekend as their inclusive team took to the court for a training session! 🙌🏀

Begin your own club's inclusion journey by learning more about the @CaraCentre_ie Disability inclusion Charter ➡️ https://t.co/oEXXXv4Z76 pic.twitter.com/oEP06X4Dkt

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) September 22, 2021

Basketball Ireland’s Sport Inclusion Development Officer, Paul Carr, was delighted to accept the Cara Xcessible Silver Award and voiced the organisation’s continued dedication to inclusive sport.

“Basketball Ireland are really pleased to be awarded with the Xcessible NGB Silver Award. By achieving this award, we have been recognised for becoming a more inclusive organisation for people with disabilities. This has been a goal we have been striving towards since Basketball Ireland launched our “Including People with Disabilities Policy in 2019”.

“I want to thank all the clubs who have signed up to the Cara Charter, but especially all the clubs and volunteers who have set up the inclusive teams. These clubs have now provided an opportunity for people with disabilities to get involved within the Basketball Ireland community and the results have been so positive to see.

“Lastly I want to thank all the staff within Basketball Ireland who have taken on the goal of inclusion and have made the organisation, our programmes and our events more accessible to people with a disability”, Basketball Ireland’s Sport Inclusion Development Officer, Paul Carr.

The work of Basketball Ireland throughout 2021 to champion inclusion was extensive, and something that will be built on further in 2022. To learn more about the work of Cara & the Cara Sport Inclusion Disability Charter, click here.

Happy international day of people with disabilities! 🙌 We visited the @eannabasketball inclusive team during the summer to hear about the fun they were having in their sessions! 🏀

Has your club signed the @CaraCentre_ie charter yet? More info ➡️ https://t.co/yPjD143Rop pic.twitter.com/Ia1tHV6w7a

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) December 3, 2021