College student selected for regional Basketball squad

A student from Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) has been selected to represent the West Midlands in basketball.

Jamie Brunsdon, aged 17 from Burslem, is part of the College’s award-winning Academy of Sport and plays in the NULC Basketball Academy.

Former Haywood High School pupil, Jamie, studies the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sports Performance and Excellence at NULC. He is the first member of the NULC Basketball Academy to be selected to represent the West Midlands this year.

Jamie said: “It is a huge privilege and honour to be one of the chosen few to represent this region in many upcoming national tournaments.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to all my friends and family who supported me and helped me to get this far, especially Coach Jamison and Newcastle-under-Lyme College for taking to time to work with me and help me improve, as without them this wouldn’t have been possible.”

The NULC Basketball Academy is coached by former NBA professional, Shawn Jamison, who has over 20 years of experience in the game of basketball both as a coach and as a player. Shawn also spent 7 years in the British Basketball league and spent 5 of those 7 years with the Milton Keynes Lions, where he won a cup title for the Lions, which was the icing on the cake for his basketball career.

Trevor Humphreys, Academy of Sport Manager said: “Jamie is an incredible Basketball player who has the height and ability to achieve amazing success. His selection for the West Midlands squad is just the beginning for him.”

Earlier in the year, Newcastle-under-Lyme College was named West Midlands College of the Year by British Colleges Sport in recognition of its dedication and participation in sport at a regional level.

Here Jamie tells the selection process story in his own words:

"When I was told that I had been invited to regional try-outs for the West Midlands under 17 I was anxious to get started but also very excited. To know that the best players from every part of the region would be trying out for this team made me happy. It would be a big test for me, to see where I am at and to see if I am skilfully good enough, physically strong enough and mentally smart enough to compete at that level."

"Throughout the summer I traveled to Birmingham twice a week to try out. 30 people had been invited to the regional trials. This would later be reduced into a squad of 11 men. The training sessions were very intensive and every player took it seriously as no one wanted to be cut. Players were being cut weekly so I knew if I had any hopes of making the team I had to bring my ‘A game’ to every session without fail."

"And after a month and a half of trying out my hard work had paid off, as Coach Barnes announced that I would be apart of the 11-man roster that would represent the West Midlands. It is a huge privilege and honour to be one of the chosen few to represent this region in many upcoming National tournaments. I would like to say a big thank you to all my friends and family who supported me and helped me to get this far and an especially big thank you to Coach Jamison and Newcastle-under-Lyme College for taking to time to work with me and help me improve, as without you all none of this would have been possible."

To find out more about the Academy of Sport at NULC visit www.nulc.ac.uk/sport or contact Trevor Humphreys on 01782 254269 or sport@nulc.ac.uk