Dublin Raiders Basketball Academy

Since opening its doors in 2016 with coaches Ed, Sandra and Claire, Dublin Raiders Academy has been committed to providing a safe, fun and engaging environment for young players to learn and develop their basketball skills. What began as a single one-hour session in St. Joseph of Cluny has grown significantly due to increasing demand. In 2022, we expanded to a second venue (St Laurences), giving even more children the opportunity to get involved and make real progress on the court.

Last season saw the introduction of a brand-new Academy Programme and the creation of a third training group, helping to ensure that every player could develop at their own pace, build a stronger connection with their coach and continue learning new skills each week.

As we enter the Academy’s 10th year, we’re excited to announce a restructuring of the Academy system. Previously operating with a Junior (ages 6–9) and Senior (ages 10–13) structure, we are now expanding to four levels: Junior (ages 5-6), Intermediate (ages 7-8), Senior (ages 9-10) and Advanced (ages 11-12).
Each group has a maximum of 20-30 players to ensure high-quality coaching and individual attention.

Our updated Academy Programme, delivered across both locations, guarantees that players in all groups receive consistent coaching and progress through the same skills in a structured way. Players will train in smaller units led by qualified, experienced coaches and assistants, many of whom are players in our Division 1 and National League squads and started off playing in our Academy and others who are beginning their own coaching journey through the club’s Gaisce programme.

The Academy is led by Ed Randolph and Sandra Devine, with Alex Kiernan acting as Head Coach at St. Joseph of Cluny and Sam McEntee overseeing our St. Laurence College sessions.

Fundamental skills such as dribbling, shooting and passing will be introduced first, with more complex skills added as players grow in confidence and ability. Our aim is for every Academy graduate to leave with the skills, confidence and love of the game needed to take the next step and join one of our underage teams.

For Any Queries Email: ACADEMY@DUBLINRAIDERSBASKETBALL.COM