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Hoopz is a community basketball offer that supports clubs to run inclusive sessions for local disabled young people, created by Access Sport and Basketball England.
Access Sport is a national sport inclusion charity with a vision that no one should be excluded from the transformational benefits of community sport
Basketball England has been working with Access Sport since 2022 to support every basketball club to be disability inclusive and to change the sport of basketball for good so that everyone has the opportunity to play in a fun, inclusive and accessible environment.
Hoopz is a fun, friendly, disability-inclusive basketball offer for young people. It is run by Access Sport in partnership with Basketball England and is delivered by community basketball clubs.
Hoopz is for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent young people. Non-disabled friends and family are also welcome.
Basketball is a sport that can be adapted for many different ability levels. Access Sport trains, equips and supports community clubs to create engaging inclusive sessions, opening up the transformational benefits of basketball to more disabled young people.
Get in touch with Access Sport find out more about Hoopz and the support you can receive to get going.
You can register your interest form by clicking the link below which will take you to a form on Access Sport’s website.
If you have any questions, please email the team at Access Sport via [email protected] or Basketball England Participation team at at [email protected]
A number of clubs provide playing opportunities for players with a learning disability and players with autism.
We work in partnership with the Special Olympics, who offer year-round training and competition for children and adults with a learning disability across England.
To find a local group, or for guidance on coaching people with learning disabilities, go to the Special Olympics website.
You can also contact Mencap Sport, who provide opportunities for playing sport.
Play Unified is a global movement aimed at ending the injustice, intolerance and inactivity of young people with intellectual disabilities, by building a unified generation through sport. A Special Olympics Programme, delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, it is aimed at young people in secondary and special schools.
It encourages players with a learning disability to play on the same team as those without. It builds friendships, helps social interaction and breaks down the stigma that some people may have around people with disability.
It is funded by Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and jointly administered by DCMS and Sport England.
The Dwarf Sports Association UK promotes grass roots participation starting with young athletes from the age of two.
They use sport as a tool to break down the barriers of difference within society and to encourage confidence and empower their members.
England Deaf Basketball organise Deaf Basketball competitions, leagues and national teams for players who are deaf or have a hearing impairment. Elite players can progress through to the GB Deaf Basketball team.
Wheelchair basketball is a fast, fun and competitive game offering massive social and fitness benefits to those with a physical disability. It accommodates a wide range of abilities, including paraplegics, amputees, those with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis – and non-disabled too.
You don't need your own sports wheelchair or even to be in a wheelchair every day to go along and try the sport at one of over 100 clubs nationwide. Visit the British Wheelchair Basketball website.
Dependent on the level of physical disability there may also be opportunities to play in our main leagues.
