We were delighted to attend the official opening of Nottingham Hoods Basketball Club’s brand-new, state-of-the-art facility at Mapperley Sports Village on Friday 20th June. The new facility, based on the site of The Wells Academy, is now the official home of the club’s professional teams, player development pathway, and community programmes.
The journey began in January when discussions with Russell Levenston, Managing Director of Nottingham Hoods, laid the foundations for this exciting partnership between the club and Greenwood Academies Trust.
The transformation of the facility has been remarkable, and it’s been incredible to see students from The Wells Academy already benefiting from world-class sports amenities and professional basketball coaching.
The opening of the facility marks a major step forward for basketball in Nottingham. The facility will provide aspiring young athletes with access to high-performance training, expert coaching, and meaningful opportunities for growth both on and off the court.
As part of this exciting initiative, the Nottingham Hoods' Head Office will also relocate to Mapperley Sports Village, further embedding the club at the heart of the local community. The club’s academy programme will offer elite-level training delivered by experienced Nottingham Hoods coaches, ensuring student-athletes benefit from professional guidance, technical skill development, and long-term mentorship.
Russell Levenston, Managing Director of Nottingham Hoods, shared his excitement at the launch:
“This is an incredible announcement that will help transform the club both on and off the court. It will strengthen us commercially and provide our players with the facilities they need to be the best they can be. Our goal is to nurture and develop local talent by offering high-level coaching and a clear pathway to excel in the sport. We are committed to inspiring the next generation of athletes and helping them grow both as players and individuals. A huge thank you to the special partners who have supported us on this journey - especially TGS Gyms, Greenwood AcademiesTrust, Mercure Hotel Nottingham Sherwood, and Loc8me.”
The official opening was marked by Jamell Anderson, Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist with Team England, who reflected on his own basketball journey:
“I started playing here at Mapperley when I was 15 or 16 years old. To see it transformed into a hub for elite and community basketball is really special. Facilities like this can change lives. I’m proud to be part of this milestone day for Nottingham basketball and to support the opening of this amazing facility. It means a lot to see something like this happening in the city I grew up in.”
Wayne Norrie OBE, CEO of Greenwood Academies Trust, added:
"It's been a pleasure to work alongside Nottingham Hoods to provide them with a new home and training base while also creating fantastic opportunities for students at The Wells Academy. This partnership gives our students access to an elite environment with top-level coaches, which, as Jamell said, is all about opening as many doors as possible for them. It was fantastic to watch the students in action during the launch event and to hear about their experiences so far. We're excited to see where this could lead for some of our young people in the future. Partnerships like this perfectly reflect what we want to achieve across Greenwood Academies Trust - initiatives that bring mutual benefits to our students, the wider community, and sport."
