Since its launch in 2003, the junior programme has transformed grassroots basketball across Wales, bringing the sport to communities that had never previously engaged with it.
The junior development programme that launched in 2003 was born from a recognition that sustainable growth in any sport depends on what happens at the youth level. Championships are won by senior players, but those players are made in school gyms and community halls years before they ever represent their nation.
The programme began modestly, operating in a handful of local authorities with limited funding and a small team of development officers. The goal was straightforward: get basketballs into the hands of children who had never held one.
In its first year, the programme reached approximately 2,000 young people across Wales. By the end of its second decade, that number had grown to tens of thousands annually, with sessions delivered through schools, leisure centres, and after-school clubs in every region of the country.
One of the programme's most significant contributions has been its work in communities where sport participation has historically been low. By partnering with local authorities and community organisations, the programme has reached young people who would not have found their way to basketball through traditional club pathways.
The long-term impact is now visible in the senior game. Players who first picked up a ball through a junior development session are now competing at the highest domestic levels. The pipeline is working.
The programme has also trained a significant number of coaches and volunteers, creating a network of qualified individuals embedded in communities across Wales. These are the people who will sustain the sport's growth in the years to come.