Bemmel elite teams join forces

United Basketball is the new elite-sport organisation for top-level basketball in Bemmel. Yoast United, Lekdetec.nl, the Dreamfields Dolphins and the United Academy teams all fall under the United Basketball banner. In recent years the top teams already played under one roof at Sportcentrum De Kooi, but each with its own organisation. The founding of United Basketball is the next step in professionalising elite basketball in Gelderland. Batouwe Basketball continues to represent grassroots sport as an association.

Grassroots and elite sport reinforce one another

That Bemmel is linked to basketball is no surprise: Batouwe Basketball has been a leading sports association in the region for more than 45 years. In recent years the elite-sport branch has also grown considerably. Chairman Sjang van de Wiel explains: “With basketball teams at the very highest levels in both youth and senior sport, an overarching elite-sport organisation is a logical next step in further professionalising basketball in the region. There are gains to be made on the sporting, operational and commercial fronts alike. Of course there is still plenty of work to do, but the broad outlines are promising. We will keep working closely with Batouwe Basketball — think of exchanging knowledge and inspiring young players through our local heroes.”

An eye for talent development

United Basketball works with passion towards an optimal sporting climate in which talents can develop consistently and teams can perform at their best. De Kooi in Bemmel is the organisation’s home base. “A venue with all the facilities you need: training courts, a gym, physiotherapy and space to do homework. From this base, the new organisation is building a complete development programme for boys and girls. Talents can ultimately move up to the senior teams of Lekdetec.nl, Dreamfields Dolphins and Yoast United, or elsewhere in the region,” says René van der Wielen of the technical committee.

A shared business club

The collaboration is being intensified not only on the sporting side but commercially too. Kris Biesters, commercial affairs: “A lot was happening commercially, but at the same time many initiatives were fragmented. It was almost impossible to explain to (potential) partners how it all fit together. With United Basketball we have one shared business club: as a business member you support the entire elite-sport organisation — men, women and youth. Together with our partners we then look at how to shape the partnership and which teams they might want to link to specifically. In short, a platform where sport and enterprise come together in a unique way.”

Connecting the region

United Basketball actively seeks to connect with the associations in the region and also offers a programme to stimulate grassroots sport and cooperation with local clubs. Stichting Basketball Community Gelderland (the initiative from which Yoast United emerged) will continue to exist, but as a platform it will focus exclusively on cooperation between the various (grassroots) associations in Gelderland. United Basketball is, like other clubs, a member of Basketball Community Gelderland, which aims to contribute to the development of basketball in general.

New website and social media channels

The United Basketball website, with all the information about the organisation and its teams, is now online at unitedbasketball.nl. Saturday 24 September marks United Basketball’s season opener at De Kooi: the U21 girls, the Dreamfields Dolphins, Lekdetec and Yoast United will all be in action.

Don’t want to miss a match this coming season? Season tickets can be ordered via unitedbasketball.nl/tickets.

On Friday 9 September we will broadcast a live show on the United Basketball YouTube channel, with interviews with directors, players and coaches from within United Basketball. Make sure you are ready at 19:00 to follow it and get fully up to date for the new season.