Draft:Fife Steel Basketball Club

Fife Steel Basketball Club are a Scottish basketball club, based in the town of Kirkcaldy in Scotland, competing in Regional and National League competitions. Fife Steel Basketball Club are also a charity, registration number SC050337, as regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OCSR).

History
In 2015 Fife Steel Basketball Club were brought into existence, based in the town of Kirkcaldy, in an attempt to broaden the reach of the sport within Fife.

The club began with younger age groups, participating in development leagues as well as entering an under-16 team into the second division of the SBC U16 National League in the 2016/17 season. Further age groups were added including a senior mens team who competed in their first league competition in the 2018/19 season in the Tayside Basketball regional league.

Since Summer 2017, the club has worked closely with Basketball Scotland. Noting the clubs strong leadership group which showed "...a diverse skillset, determination and strong ambitions..." Basketball Scotland partnered with Fife Steel to help the club match the community reach that their neighbouring basketball clubs, such as Dunfermline Reign, had achieved. This support resulted in increasing participation numbers as well as provided assistance in the obtaining funds to appoint a paid staff member, in a modern apprentice role, which has furthered the clubs outreach to the local community amongst other benefits.

In July 2020, following a robust charity test and demonstrating their benefit to the public, the club was awarded full charity status by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and provided with the registration number SC050337.

Home Venue
The club's home court is currently at St Andrews High School in Kirkcaldy though all games in the Lothian League, generally, take place at the Oriam Sports Centre, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh.

The club also uses courts at Windmill Community Campus and Balwearie High School, both also in Kirkcaldy, for games and training sessions for younger age groups.

Squads & Coaches
The club operates a number of different age group teams that participate across a variety of competitions.

Steel has 3 squads playing league competition, currently; Senior Men, U18s and U16s. All play in their representative Lothian Basketball Association league and cup competitions. The Men's team also take part in the Tayside & Fife League and Cup as well as the national Chairman's Cup competition.

The clubs' U14, U12 and U10s have teamed up with other clubs across Fife, Lothians and Central Scotland to arrange tournament days for the younger age groups, that don't currently participate in the National League system, held at the Crags Centre, Edinburgh

Since 2019/20 season the club has participated in Fife Council's Modern Apprenticeship program which involved hiring a paid apprentice coach to undertake various coaching and other responsibilities within the club. The apprentice coaches were also able to complete a HNC in Sports Leadership and Development at Fife College as part of the employment contract.

To date the club has taken on 4 apprentices since 2019, including a recognition award for the 2019/20 apprentice, Gavin Hugh.

Competitive Squads: Awards and Honours
In 2019/20 season, though the Play-Offs were cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Senior Men's squad, in their first season in the Lothian League, won the Division 3 title for that year.

The following season, 2021/22, the Senior Men were successful in Division 2, finishing 3rd in the division and winning the Play-offs. However, league restructure the following season prevented any promotion to Division 1.

Following their win in the Play-offs in 2021/22, the Senior Men team were runners-up in the Kirkcaldy & Central Fife Sports Council's "Team of the Year" award.

U16 Men
Previous Squads

Fife Steel Senior Men
Lothian League
 * Division 3: League
 * Winners (1): 2019-20
 * Division 2: Play-Offs
 * Winners(1): 2021-22

Kirkcaldy & Central Fife Sports Council
 * Team of the Year
 * Runner Up (1): 2021-22

Gavin Hugh
Kirkcaldy & Central Fife Sports Council
 * Coach of the Year
 * Runner Up (1): 2022-23