Basketball has the potential to soar to the forefront of York sport.

And the ultimate 'goal' of that rise would be a multi-thousand-seater venue to house a national league basketball team.

That ambitious super-hoop dream was pinpointed by Dave Smith, top-rated English Basketball Association qualified coach and secretary of the newly-formed York Basketball Forum charged with establishing an infrastructure for the sport to flourish.

Smith, who used to coach the Halifax-based Old Calderdale Express team that played in the National League, is convinced basketball is ready to take off in York.

He has been encouraged by the groundswell of interest in the city and the increasing inclusion of basketball on the curricula of several of the area's schools.

The finishing touches have been put to a 'summer international camp' in York from July 27-31. And with national initiatives adding their weight, plus a visit to York later this month by a leading American basketball coach, Smith is confident of a new and sustainable surge of interest.

"There's a lot happening in basketball. But it's like the tip of an iceberg," said Smith, who coaches at the University College of Ripon and York St John.

"But we need to encourage more and more youngsters to play the sport. They will provide a core of players coming through."

Smith's confidence has been further increased by the formation of the York Basketball Forum, which is in partnership with the City of York Council and its Leisure Services' Action Sport programme.

"The council is aiming to set up such forums for all sports, but this is the first forum to develop its own plan. It is a positive way forward giving us a bedrock on which to work."

The main thrust of the YBF is to spread the word into York area schools. "In York there was a very successful men's team, which now no longer exists," said Smith.

"However, there is a thriving York and District schools league and some schools, such as Fulford and All Saints from York, and Lady Lumley's (Pickering) and Easingwold outside the city, have teams that have won local ands regional honours.

"We need more to take up the sport. We want to get into more schools and set up local leagues."

Smith added the 'ultimate aim' was to establish a successful men's team housed in a purpose-built stadium. "What we are missing is having an indoor stadium, something like a 3,000-seater. Maybe in four or five years we can have something like a big stadium if there are enough people playing the game," he said.

"The English professional league has many American players but also an increasing number of good young English players, who have come through our schools and junior club systems.

"Crowds for Manchester and Sheffield have topped 10,000 for some games - equivalent to an average attendance for a national league division one football game.

"Sheffield have their own professional club, why not York?"

see BASKETBALL 'Putting a bounce in basketball's step'

see COMMENT 'The benefits of sport for all'

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