The La Salle – AMPANS basketball team, currently made up of 14 players, played a game at half time of the Baxi Manresa – Unicaja match, in an action organised by CaixaBank as part of the programme of social activities that promote collaboration with Bàsquet Manresa.
The action was a recognition for a team that is consolidating its position after celebrating 10 years since its foundation.
The AE SALLE-AMPANS is 10 years old! A reference for many other clubs!
The AE Salle-AMPANS inclusive basketball team was created in 2013. Both entities began 10 years ago a collaboration to incorporate a team formed by users of the foundation, with different abilities so that all people can enjoy equally the benefits of the practice of sport.
The team was created with the aim of promoting sport values, encouraging healthy habits and improving the physical performance of the participants, thus contributing to improving their quality of life.
The team is mixed and all members are over 16 years old. They train once a week at the Salle Manresa facilities. This season 23-24 has been increased to one more weekly training session at the Ateneo Pavilion.
From the beginning, the team’s training sessions have been led by two people, a coach from AE Salle and an educator from AMPANS, who accompanies and supports the coach. Currently these people are Pep Guberna from AE La Salle and Josep Llort from AMPANS. The team also has the support of the AMPANS pedagogical coordination that manages the planning of the course, the training sessions and the matches to be played.
Reviewing the team’s history, we highlight:
· The friendly matches held during the first two years of life.
· The competition in the Catalan Preferential Basketball League organised by the Catalan Federation of Sports with People with Intellectual Disabilities, making trips all over Catalonia, since 2015.
· The Covid pandemic put an end to the competition in the league.
· During last season 22-23, the team played different friendly matches with inclusive teams from Central Catalonia and Cerdanya.
· The IX Triple National Basketball Tournament in Parets del Vallés.
The team recently played a leading role in the friendly match organised by the Manresa City Council and the Catalan Basketball Federation between Catalonia and Argentina held this summer in Manresa.
It is worth mentioning that the basketball team has been awarded 3 times in the annual Manresa Sportsman’s Night.
AE Salle is an example of inclusion and a refrence because it has been able to maintain and nurture the commitment it made in 2013. It is now celebrating its tenth anniversary and we hope that it can celebrate ten more, being just another team in the club. These lines serve to pay tribute to its promoters, the professionals who accompany the team, the players and their families for their commitment to supporting a great team! Congratulations to everyone for ten more years!