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 five levels: Junior (ages 5-6), Intermediate (ages 7-8), Senior (ages 9-10), Advanced (ages 11-12) Skills and Drills (ages 13-14). The Junior end of our Academy will operate out of Cluny, and the senior end will take place in Laurences.
Each group has a maximum of 20-30 players to ensure high-quality coaching and individual attention.