The Team Hurricane Academy are seeking new players as they approach their fourth year providing life-enriching opportunities for their players.

Doug Reed, the founder and head coach of the free youth programme, has encouraged interested players to attend their sessions at Warwick Academy on Saturdays from 2 to 4pm.

This month, the charity organisation has held two camps featuring college coaches Jon Yeh, from the Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Georgia, and Donnie Arey, from Warner University in Lake Wales, Florida.

Arey said: “The purpose of the three-day session was to challenge Team Hurricane members while also allowing them to have fun.”

The camps came on the heels of a summer of fun for Team Hurricane players.

For the fourth successive year, Team Hurricane travelled to Syracuse University and the Jim Boeheim Basketball Camp in New York.

Among the 12 players that went to Syracuse was Kayla Raymond, the first Team Hurricane’s women’s player, who participated in the Quentin Hillsman Elite Basketball Camp for girls.

Raymond said: “My experience on my first Hurricane’s trip was great. I had loads of fun at the camp, and just to meet new people and hanging with my team-mates at the same time was just really fun. At first coming to the camp I was a little nervous, but as the second day came along it was normal.

“The camp as a whole was fun and I feel like I learnt and improved from it. The highlight of the trip for me, though, had to be coach Jim Boeheim coming to speak to us and answering questions. The trip was amazing and I would love to go again next year.”

In addition to the Syracuse University camp, Team Hurricane sent four players to participate in Global Squad, an intensive summer programme run by the Alexander Basketball Academy.

Bryce Gonsalves, Jorel Smith, Jacy Lowery and Christian Liyanage attended the month-long academy held at The Hill School, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

The Global Squad experience provides players with an opportunity to get recruited by United States colleges and universities, by putting them in front of coaches, while providing elite training required to play at the next level.

In four years they have helped nearly 40 players get recruited by colleges, universities, junior colleges and top preparatory schools.

Team Hurricane Basketball Academy is for players aged from five to 21. For more details call coach Reed at 504-1962 or visit www.teamhurricanehoops.com.