Community
We aim to enhance lives by making a positive impact on the wider community. Our community-focused activities engage children and young people and inspire them to achieve their full potential in sport and in life.
What makes Essex Rebels special?
We aim to inspire children and young people to achieve their full potential, by offering a full pathway, linking sporting achievement and academic attainment. Each child’s journey has to start somewhere with a first bounce of the ball, and Essex Rebels offer a range of engagement activities that present that first opportunity to take a step on that pathway.
Basketball is the second most popular participation team sport among young people according to Sport England data, partly due to high levels of ‘street cred’ that has the sport has, and is an excellent vehicle for engaging with children and young people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.
Rebels Roadshow.
The Rebels Roadshow sees the Essex Rebels players visiting primary and secondary schools across Colchester and Tendring. Acting as role models for the children in these schools, the players deliver engaging and interactive school assembly talks, and deliver fun and exciting basketball taster sessions.
Contact our Sports Development Coordinator (community and schools), Claire Paxton, for more information or to book a visit to your school: [email protected]
Essex Rebels Reach.
Essex Rebels Reach links basketball engagement activities in secondary schools with higher education experience visits. Targeted at schools in wards within Essex with historically low rates of progression to higher education, this programme engages young people with basketball and arranges visits on to the campus of the University of Essex, where they can experience for themselves what life at university is like. Participants also hear from basketball scholarship students about their journeys and progression to higher education.
To find out more about the Essex Rebels Reach programme contact our Sports Development Coordinator (community and schools), Claire Paxton: [email protected]
Essex Rebels Play
Starting from as young as 5 years old, Rebels Play sessions provide an inclusive, fun and lively introduction to children who want to try out basketball. Children are engaged in games and activities that help develop fundamental movement skills, as well as build their love of basketball. Sessions take place at the Essex Sport Arena on Saturday mornings. More details via the Essex Sport website.
Holiday camps.
Taking place during school holidays at the Essex Sport Arena, Essex Rebels holiday camps are for all aspiring basketball stars of the future.
Children learn the fundamentals of basketball, such as dribbling, shooting techniques and passing drills. Children also have the chance to meet our professional players as well as win prizes and tickets to Rebels matches.
Upcoming matches & events
Rebels Christmas Special
It’s time for the annual Essex Rebels Christmas Special! Celebrate the holidays with us at the Essex Sport Arena on Saturday, 21 December, for a festive basketball tripleheader and our final home games of 2024!
The action starts at 1.00pm with the D2 Essex Rebels taking on the London Elite. Then at 4.00 pm, the SLB Essex Rebels will face the London Lions, before the day wraps up with the D1 Essex Rebels going head-to-head with the Loughborough Riders at 6.30 pm.
We’ve got a full day of festive fun planned! Enjoy Christmas songs, join in on the Ugly Christmas Jumper Competition with prizes to be won, and treat yourself to some seasonal favourites like mince pies and mulled wine, plus we’ll have our Mistletoe Cam and more!
So come down, support the Rebels, and let’s celebrate the holiday season together as we wrap up 2024 in style. We look forward to seeing you there!
Community news & insights
Don’t miss our next big game
Come and see fast-paced, action-packed, top-level professional basketball in a first-class venue. Match days offer family-friendly entertainment including a DJ, big screen, cheerleaders, interactive competitions, children’s activities, refreshments, and our larger-than-life mascot, Queen B.
We Are Rebels – come join the rebellion!
