Hull Stingers was founded in 1961 at the Newland youth club. Over the last 60 years they have provided basketball throughout Hull and the East Riding for boys and girls of all ages. This groups is for Stingers of the past and present to get information on sessions and to catch up with old team-mates. Their coach Neil Kelsey, who is one of the original members of the team, won the coach of the year in 1996 and his son, John Kelsey gained the title ‘player of the year’ voted for by the players. They also won the under 13’2 Poppleton Invitation Championship. They have progressed to being Hull’s Junior National League Squad with over 14 of the players being invited for England trials. Another success story, John Kelsey in 1998 was chosen for the North of England Squad. Also, John and another player Ricky Jennison were chosen to be the first Junior Sports Ambassadors for their country. The team’s main emphasis is development, a perfect example of this is Neil Rymer. He joined the team at the age of 15 and went on to play point guard for the Hull Kingston Icebergs, assisting the coaching of his junior team. He also went on to coach at Michigan State University in the USA. We also have James Turner who went onto York Eagles National League junior setup, then onto Ippleston basketball academy and then received a scholarship to attend Worcester university. The Stingers organise coaching sessions in a large number of primary and secondary schools as well as Hull university Union Sports and Fitness Centre, were the club run a monthly competition. Coach Kelsey is proud that a number of local players have gone on to gain representative honours on the court. "We have players aged between 10 and 16 representing Hull, Humberside, Yorkshire and also various England squads." "The Stingers most successful group is the Girls having won the Humber Youth Games for the last four years. During that time they have been unbeaten." To get involved in basketball as a coach or player message us on here, on twitter or at [email protected]
