Dear Moderator

Thanks very much for opening this small corner for our league.  It is very sad that the London Kapis Basketball Leauge (aka ELSA) and the Pinoy Basketball League are not taking place this summer. 

We couldn't start our league last winter but we had training sessions on Saturdays subsidised for our players, since December 2007.  They only paid £1 for two hours.  We also played friendly matches, to keep all teams busy.  In the last month, we have been playing 1 day tournaments at the Lilian Baily Old School, 6  teams playing 4x4 for 6 hours, £20 per team to pay for court fees, referees and table officials. 

We are starting a cup competition and then a league in a school in Newham.  The dates are to be confirmed yet, but we hope to start by the second weekend of May. 

The League is registered with England Basketball, and all participants are registered and licensed with England Basketball.  Last summer we had 8 teams, and they were invited to the AGM (Annual General Meeting), were presented with the League Report, Financial Report, had access to our funding reports (ie. they know how much we get for funding, how much we spent, and where their money goes, etc.).  The 8 teams had 1 vote each, and the members of the committee had no voting rights.  The teams chose who they wanted as chair, secretary, treasurer, etc. and were free to discuss any issue at the AGM. 

We have provided for free equipment and uniforms to some officials and teams, and we had funding from England Basketball, Lehman Brothers, and Jack Petchey Foundation.  It meant that 120 out of 144 players did not pay and played basketball since June to September. 

We are part of London Basketball (www.londonbasketball.org) and sit in their board.  Last year London Basketball approved grants to registered clubs in the London area, over £17,000 to 15 different proyects, and we had a vote and a voice in those decisions.  Could this be a Filipino team? 

We hope to repeat the same success this summer.  We have 10 teams and hope to reach 12/14 teams. 

Kind regards

Jose L Celorio
League Secretary
www.londonamateur.net

-- Edited by Amateur at 17:54, 2008-04-15