The Team Solent Kestrels Senior Management Team have taken their time to decide and have explored various options, but have reluctantly decided that, for now, the best option for the club is to step back from NBL Division 1 for the upcoming season, but will continue in NBL Division 2. At this current time the TSK Women’s team will stay in WNBL Division 1, however is under review by Basketball England pending availability in WNBL Division 2.
Whilst this will come as a disappointment to everyone involved with the club, the decision is part of a long-term strategy which we are confident will allow us the time to formalise our new model, in order for us to return to the top-flight with a competitive NBL Division 1 offering in the future.
Due to the need for change in our long-term strategy a new model of club management has been created to allow us to take the opportunity to rebuild, refocus and grow for the future. This has come about in a short period of time but allows us a much greater focus on being a community-based club, offering the usual high standards of training and support to junior players across the region with a clearer pathway for our club players into the senior programme. Having worked closely on our previous strategy with Solent University, we will continue to utilise their Performance Basketball Facility for our NBL Matches & Academy sessions, however there is no longer the financial support from them as in previous years.
The change will also allow new pathways to be developed to entice players to come through our programme and enter into a national league role from all over the Solent region which is an exciting prospect and will widen our reach on and off the court. So far in the short time since the end of the season we’ve re-constituted as a CIC and have a new website and new club player management system along with new financial systems so whilst there is still a lot to do, we are on the right tracks.
The club has a great relationship with Basketball England and appreciate their continued support whilst we roll out our community programmes and re-build our club development plan.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our #KestrelsFamily for their continued support, players, staff and fans and hope that you’ll all continue to follow and support our club throughout 2023/24 season and beyond.
“We have been fortunate over the past 8 years to build one of the most successful senior programmes in the country, which has been an inspiration to our junior program and community. We have worked tirelessly over the last 18 months to navigate these significant challenges and we feel confident that building a community based model will allow us to create a sustainable future for basketball in the Solent area.”
- Matt Guymon Director of Coaching