25/07/2025
Hi guys, really big and sad news, so after nearly a decade we’re unfortunately formally announcing the end of our Walking Basketball session.
Ultimately, the decision to close comes down to a lack of funding, wider promotion and support for the sport which impacted our visibility and growth.
We stretched club funds for as long as we could including creating and selling our own merch to help but venue costs vs current participation levels haven’t made it viable anymore.
This hasn’t been an easy decision but one made with pride for what we’ve accomplished over the past 9 years, we built more than just a regular basketball session, we built a community. We welcomed over a 100 new players from the Manchester area and beyond, from all age ranges, backgrounds and fitness levels into playing regular basketball, many for the first time in years or ever even.
WBMCR built friendships, confidence and a community that supported one another on and off the court. We actively encouraged players to push themselves so much so that several of our players transitioned to local teams, leagues, the Masters and even at a national level representing GB playing full speed basketball, something we couldn’t be more proud of.
As a club we funded players on coaching and reffing courses to help strengthen the wider Basketball ecosystem, helping the sport become more professional, inclusive and sustainable.
So to everyone who joined in whether you came once, now and again, every week, wore a sweaty bib or bought some of our merch thank you, you made it very special. We want to thank every volunteer, supporter, basketball widow, sideline spouse and instagram lurker who’s been part of the WBMCR journey.
A super massive thank you to (and more recently Coach Mario) for your passion and patience you made this more than just a session, everyone felt welcome, supported and inspired to play and you believed in every single person who stepped on that court, whether they knew how to Three Man Weave or not.
While this chapter closes, the legacy of WBMCR lives on in the friendships, fitness and laughs we’ve all shared. Please Keep Playing, Keep Smiling. All the best 🐌🏀