Three junior players from the Leicester Cobras Wheelchair Basketball Club (Sean Bramely, George Bates and Danny Cragg) have played key roles in helping the Vikings 2009 Juniors Wheelchair Basketball team win the Lord’s Taveners Junior League Finals (under 19’s - 10 foot hoops) at the Nottingham Wildcats Arena on Saturday 13/3/10.

The Vikings team not only won the finals, they dominated them, winning each of their matches by a massive score. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that the Junior Vikings squad is one that never has the opportunity to train together as a team. The lads from Leicester Cobras, Sean Bramely, George Bates and Danny Cragg, had to meet up at the match venue with the other players (who are from three other teams – one travelling up from Exeter in Devon). They then had 15 to 20 minutes pre match warm-up to go over their match winning plans and get to know each others playing styles, then straight in the heat of battle. They have taken on and beaten the best junior players in the county from the leading teams including Sheffield Steelers, Oldham Owls, Nottingham Jaguars, London Met and Bury Bombers.

They have been guided and coached by the experienced, ex-GB international player, Sue Conroy of the Vikings 2009 club. The Vikings, who are based in St Helens, Merseyside, run regular junior sessions to encourage new junior players into the sport, as do the Leicester Cobras.

The Leicester Cobras have been trying to form a junior squad for a number of years but have not been able to due to lack of funds and not enough junior players. The Cobras have been holding regular wheelchair basketball coaching sessions to bring on and develop new players. So when the Vikings put out an appeal (after the first round of matches last Autumn) for addition low point players to enable them to compete in this seasons junior national championship the Cobras decided to put some of it’s junior players forward to join the Vikings for an assault on the Junior Championship title this season. What a success this has been. The Cobras are now looking to build on this success for next season. So if you what to try out this exiting sport please get in touch.

The Vikings 2009 Junior team for the Championship Finals were:

Danny Cragg – no. 4 (Leicester Cobras)

Ben O'Connor – no. 5 (Vikings 2009)

Jordan Bright – no. 6 (Exeter Otters)

Sean Bramley – no. 10 (Leicester Cobras)

George Bates – no. 11 (Leicester Cobras)

Stephen Rainey – no. 12 (Greenbank)

Adam McMullen – no. 14 (Greenbank)

Jack Hunter Spivey – no. 15 (Vikings 2009)

Stephen Kewley – no. 18 (Greenbank)

Nate Williams – no. 20 (Vikings 2009)

Billy Bridge – no. 23 (Vikings 2009)

Sue Conroy – head coach (Vikings 2009)

The Vikings Championship Finals match results were:

HeatsVikings 28   v   Wolverhampton Rhinos 9

Semi-finalsVikings 37   v   London Met 10

Final         Vikings 34   v   Bury Bombers 19

Photos to use with this article (curtsey of GBWBA):

The four photos of the players in action and the final award ceremony. They are:

1) IMG_0710 10ft Final (Sean Bramely - no. 10)

2) IMG_0800 10ft Final (George Bates - no. 11 & Adam McMullen - no. 14)

3) IMG_0805 10ft Final (Danny Cragg - no. 4)

4) IMG_0945 Vikings trophy (team group shot)

Return to: 2009/10 Season