COLBA senior returns to primary school to inspire next generation

City Of Leeds Basketball Academy Captain Isaac Durrant returned to his former school, Highfield Primary recently to lead the City Of Leeds after school club.

The Highfield Primary after school club is just one of thirty that the City Of Leeds Basketball Foundation runs across the city throughout the academic year.

Isaac recently qualified as a Basketball England Level 2 Coach under Leeds Beckett University Professor Dave Piggott and was part of a cohort of LBU students and COLBC players who have undergone the qualification. Isaac has been one of the outstanding prospects over the last two seasons and has been within the club since he was 12 years of age. The Allerton High School student recently finished his Senior year and led the team to the Junior National League Conference title and a successful campaign in the CBL, while also representing COLBC at the Senior National League level.

As with a number of our students, Isaac is looking at numerous Russell Group schools for his next destination when he transitions to higher-education this September, including Newcastle & Birmingham, and is an exemplary role-model to young people, both within our programme and the young people at Highfield Primary School.

COLBA Director of Basketball Matt Newby was quick to highlight Isaac's achievements:

“It's great to see Isaac passing on his skills and expertise as Coach to the pupils at Highfield. Being a previous pupil at the school he was keen to coach here and all of the teachers that see him have greeted him on the playground to check in, catch up and comment on how he was a model pupil. We are very proud of Isaac for seizing this opportunity."

The importance of this full circle moment was not lost on Isaac:

“If I’d have been asked when I was at Highfield what I’d be doing in year 13, basketball would never have crossed my mind. I started playing in year 7 at high school and have never looked back since. This has led me to so many amazing opportunities that I would’ve never had if not for basketball and the academy at City of Leeds. I am so grateful that one of these opportunities has led me back to my primary school, Highfield, and now I get to coach basketball to the next generation of basketball players. I am very grateful and thankful for the journey I have been on with basketball and I look forward to where it takes me next."

Any schools who are interested in curriculum delivery, after-school clubs, CPD for staff, Healthy School Days or any further support, please contact us at foundation@cityofleedsbasketballclub.co.uk