2 days ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
New Anglesey basketball court opened by Valley brothers
Kieran and Ryan Jones were instrumental in the creation of the court in their home village of Valley after the Community Council approached them for ideas on how to redevelop the area.
Kieran, who is hoping to compete in the F34 shot put at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, was the one who suggested the space be used for basketball.
He said: "They contacted us to ask what would we recommend for the community, and I said, 'What about a basketball court?"'
"Sport has changed my life and it's important that we start at grassroots level.
"I'm 23 now, but when I was growing up there was nothing like that nearby.
"I had to travel everywhere, you had to book a court - so it's great that it's just there on your doorstep."
The sportsman, who recently won the British Universities F34 shot put title and is the reigning Welsh champion, believes the court will inspire future generations to pursue their sporting dreams.
The brothers, who both have hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), a neurological disorder that affects the hip and leg muscles, have been heavily involved in sports from a young age.
They have both represented Wales in wheelchair basketball and have made sporting success part of their lives despite their condition.
Former Coleg Menai students Ryan and Kieran Jones on the new basketball court at Parc Mwd with Councillor Neil Tuck (Image: Coleg Menai)
They attended Coleg Menai's Llangefni campus, with Kieran studying between 2020 and 2022, while Ryan completed his Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair studies last year.
Despite his own challenges, Kieran is determined to inspire others with his story, saying: "The amount of setbacks I've had, the amount of times I've cried to my parents… setbacks make you stronger, but barriers are there to be broken, not to stop you.
"You've got to push through that and you'll achieve what you want to if you keep going."
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Having completed his first year of a BSc in Sports Coaching at Cardiff Met University, Kieran returned home to cut the ribbon on the new basketball court in Parc Mwd, on behalf of Valley Community Council.
At the opening ceremony, Councillor Neil Tuck, the council's chairman, thanked all stakeholders who made the project possible through their support.
He also offered special thanks to G L Jones, the builders behind the project, and Lagan Aviation Infrastructure Ltd, who supplied all the infrastructure for free.
Swish Coaching Ltd also attended the ceremony, offering a free coaching session for young people.
