Basketball Club (Men's)

Welcome to the UCL Men’s Basketball Knights! ⚔️The UCL Knights are one of the most diverse and successful sports societies at UCL. We put in the work off the court so that we can achieve our high team standards every time we step onto it, representing our team, university and the values that we stand for.We welcome players of all abilities, be it for high-level competitive play, or recreational pick-up games, all for you to have the opportunity to train, improve, and compete with your peers in and around London.Outside of basketball, we run weekly socials for the UCL basketball family, as well as a number of events and tournaments throughout the year. Our main goal is to create an inclusive basketball community centred around the various elements of competition, personal development, and team-spirit, encompassed by an inclusive social atmosphere. Our three competitive squads play in both regional and national leagues and competitions:1st TEAMOur 1st Team plays at a high level in the BUCS 1A division and the LUSL Competitive League. The team is lead by our professional coach Jose Perez Paredes, and we train 2-3 times a week on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays - as well as fixtures on Wednesdays and weekends.Captain: Andrea Ripa 2nd TEAMThe 2nd Team also plays at a competitive level in the BUCS League as well as the LUSL Intermediate League. They will be coached by our passionate alumni Dennis Mazur and will share many trainings with the 1st Team. Fixtures will also take place on Wednesdays and weekends.Captain: Jounghyun ShimVice Captain: Deyan Emilov3rd TEAMOur 3rd Team will have its first season in BUCS and will compete with the 2nd Team in the LUSL Intermediate League. They will share various trainings with the 2nd Team, and fixtures will take place primarily on weekends. SOCIAL BASKETBALLOn weekends we run social basketball for players of all levels to come train and play pick-up. We will also be running the UCL Basketball League (UBL) for players looking to play casual and competitive games in an intermural league. This also gives unselected players an opportunity to work their way up into one of our competitive teams.REMOTE MEMBERSHIPOur free remote membership is available to all, particularly designed for those who cannot be with us due to COVID or for those who may choose not to play basketball. This will include access to our mailing list and NBA discussion group chat where you can be part of the community, keep up with updates, and talk trash about opposing teams.EVENTSWe will be running some great charity events throughout the year including an All-Star weekend and inter-club tournament, not to mention Varsity as well as trips such our yearly Paris basketball tour. These are not to be missed and are considered by many in the club as the highlight of the year. All the events and announcements for them will be made on our social media platforms. TRIALSTrials for the 2021/22 competitive squads will be held in the last week of September and the first week of October and all announcements and updates will be made on our social media platforms! Follow us to stay updated:Instagram: uclmensbasketballFacebook: UCL Men’s Basketball            GETTING INVOLVEDMeet us: We will hold a virtual stall at this in person and digital Welcome Fair this year. Check out our stall page and meet with us there in person on the 2nd and online on the 3rd of October for more information. Members of our committee will be present to talk online and answer any questions you may have about the UCL Knights! COVID-19 Update: As COVID-19 restrictions and measures have eased, we are currently able to play basketball without restrictions. We are working hard to do our best to provide you all with opportunities to develop your game this year and so as the year goes by we will follow guidance from the UCL Student Union and Basketball England on return to play regulations.Check out this link to learn more about Basketball England guidelines: https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/safeguarding/return-to-play-guidance/As it stands, BUCS and LUSL competitive games will run as per usual at the beginning of term, and in addition to those we may organise closed door friendlies with other London universities to hit the ground running at the start of term. Follow our social medias for regular updates on return to play this year. FAQs1. When and where are trainings and social basketball conducted?Trainings and social basketball vary in venue and time every weekend depending on match-days and events. Venues tend to be Somers Town Community Centre on Saturdays OR London Metropolitan University on Sundays. Follow our social medias for weekly updates and more information.2. Will the society provide basketballs?We will provide balls for social basketball, but it is STRONGLY advised to bring your balls.3. When should I buy my membership?You should wait until our free taster sessions and trials have taken place prior to paying for team membership or social basketball membership. After the first few weeks, you MUST pay for the respective membership in order to play competitively or pick-up - if you do not have a membership you will be unable to engage in team trainings. We will run membership checks every social session.4. Can I bring friends outside of UCL to social basketball?No, UCL basketball sessions are strictly for those who have paid for the respective membership. For more information please contact our President or Social Basketball Coordinator.5. What if I really cannot attend the trials for teams?If you have a valid reason for being unable to attend trials and are interested to try out for a team feel free to contact one of our team captains - their contact details can be found through our Facebook or Instagram pages. Alternatively, you can attend social basketball sessions and tournaments where we will be doing active recruitment. You can also email or message us.7. Who should I contact for more specific questions? You can ask question on the UCL Men’s Basketball Facebook page or directly contact anyone on our committee, and team matters should be directed towards captains. We are all very happy to help. Also, feel free to get in touch with our President or Treasurer, who should be able to answer any question related to the UCL Knights.8. Who should I contact if I have any issues in the club? Our Welfare Officer this year is Prem Sodhi who is driven to ensure that all members of our club are treated fairly and with respect. He will be able to direct you to appropriate support services if needed, and deal with any inter-personal conflicts within the club.9. How are you connected to the Women’s Basketball Club?Women have a separate club but we maintain a close link with them and run many joint socials and events together, supporting each other in matches when we can. This year we are working on a weekly joint skills training session with the Women’s Club.10. How can we sponsor your club?We are welcoming sponsors this year, for sponsorship please contact our President at [email protected] for more information.11. How can I join the NBA discussion group chat?We welcome fans of all teams to our Whatsapp chat (including Clippers fans), to join please purchase our free remote membership and contact us on Facebook or Instagram with your name and favourite team.For any more questions feel free to contact us or any member of our committee directly.