The ASPIRE National Training Centre (formerly the Mike Heaffey Centre) is found next to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, Middlesex. Telephone: 020 8420 6700.
The centre can be reached via Wood Lane, which is a turning some 50 metres from the main hospital entrance on Brockley Hill.
Force were formed in 1985 as Hounslow Hurricane Force with a membership of just four, one of whom, Ian Laker, is still the club supremo. They worked hard to train players from other clubs and persuade local people to take up the game. Local in wheelchair basketball terms is relative and it is not unusual for most of the counties in south-east England to be represented in the club. Given the scarcity of players it took a while to build up the club and it was not until 1987/88 that we made it into the league, by picking up the fixtures of the failing Haringay Hornets II, who couldn't complete the season. By 1990/91 the club gained promotion to Division 2 and a second team was started in Division 3 (there was no premier division at this point).
From then on there was no stopping us. In 1993 the first team remained unbeaten all season and made it into the top flight and have remained there ever since, without ever quite managing to win the top prize. The second team spent much of this period at the top of the division below and only the presence of the first team prevented them from gaining promotion.
Since then the club has gone through many transitions, but has continued to provide Great Britain internationals for the mens senior and junior teams and the womens team. At the moment we have 5 GB women internationals (Ann Wild, Sarah Burrett, Helen Turner, Louise Sugden and Helen Freeman) a former GB Junior (Adam Young) and of course Ian Laker represented the full GB team for some time with distinction.
We have been based at the The Aspire National Training Centre in Stanmore for some years now, and we thank the centre's continuing support. The club is also now probably younger than ever with several juniors playing competatively at league level. The average age of the second team is about 16. Having said that we also have several players in the 40-55 age range, demonstrating what a diverse club we are. The club is proud of this diversity and we regularly play more women and juniors in our teams than most of the other clubs in the league.
Speaking of our women...they have won the Women's League for 4 straight years now, and only losing one game in the whole of this time. We owe this to having a good strong women's development programme, which has produced many GB Women players.
The Players
Louise Sugden - #4
Age - 22
Position - Guard
Sarah Burrett - #5
Age - 23
Potistion - Guard
Carlos - #6
Age -
Position - Forward
Matt Calverley - #7
Age -
Position - Forward
Ann Wild - #8
Age -
Position - Guard
Helen Turner - #10
Age -
Position - Forward
Ian Laker - #12
Age -
Position - Guard
Adam Young - #14
Age -
Position - Guard
Helen Freeman - #20
Age - 17
Position - Guard/Point Guard/Midi Forward/Big Forward!
Tim Rashby-Smith - #22
Age -
Position - Forward
Mike Grady - #23
Age - 23
Position - Forward
Elizabeth Manvell-Pavlitski - #24
Age -
Position - Guard
Reece Pantry - #25
Age -
Position - Forward
Craig Dewar - #35
Age -
Position - Guard
Aaron Simmonds - #42
Age - 17
Position - Guard
We'd also like to welcome our newest member,
Ben Warren - #41
Age - 19
Position - Guard
As well as an old member back!!
Danny Turnball - #11
Age -
Position - Guard
Our Juniors
More info about the juniors we have will be coming soon
Who I'd like to meet:
If you have any queries regarding this site or the team, please use the send message button to the left hand side or email forcewbc@hotmail.co.uk and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
Hey thanks for the comment, very impressive profile here! Look forward to meeting you all and seeing old faces on 2nd June when I get to start! Take care, Ben ;)
