• Home
• News

29 January 2026  3 min read

Luton Basketball Club driving its girls' initiative

The funding has enabled the club to establish weekly drop-in sessions specifically for U10 and U14 girls, and it is gaining momentum within the local community.

Running every Friday from 6-8pm, numbers for the session are steadily increasing, with interest also emerging beyond the junior age groups, with sixth-form students, college players, and women expressing a desire to get involved.

Leading the initiative is Wayne McGhan, a former player who coached girls’ basketball from 2020 to 2024. However, increasing work commitments meant he was unable to continue in a lead coaching role. But he still wants to help shape and mould the future of girls’ basketball in Luton.

“We can put on a session for any particular age group for boys, and there will be an abundance of players, but for the young girls, there was always an apprehension for them to come and play despite there being a lot of keen players,” said McGhan.

“We have that scenario within the local Luton area, having been involved in the girls’ programme a few years before, I could see that there's definitely an appetite for it.”

Luton's weekly drop-in basketball sessions for girls

Great deal of support

Rather than stepping away from basketball due to work commitments, McGhan shifted his focus to governance, funding, and long-term planning, ensuring the programme could be built on sustainable foundations.

A key factor in securing the funding was the club’s partnership with Basketball England (BE), supported by Club and Volunteers Development Manager Nick Holloway.

The link proved instrumental in unlocking community funding, demonstrating the value of strong relationships with national governing bodies in grassroots development.

“We had a conversation when he was talking about funding and support for that,” McGhan recalled.

“One thing led to another, we had a meeting, a discussion, and he gave me a great deal of support, which has helped us to obtain some funding with a specific focus on basketball within our community.”

McGhan brings considerable experience to the role. He previously served for three-and-a-half years on the East Region Committee from May 2013 to December 2016.

During that time, he contributed to talent identification processes, shared best practices across counties, and supported the coordination of regional programmes, an experience that now informs the club’s strategic direction.

Young women at Luton Basketball Club are being developed as its next generation of referees

Develop exceptional players, refs and coaches

Looking ahead, Luton Basketball Club has an ambitious 8-10-year vision, offering a complete participation pathway from age five through to senior and elite levels.

The plans also include wheelchair basketball provision and early-age referee development.

“There’s a bigger picture with this and setting up and growing the girls’ sessions is one thing, but we want them and for basketball in Luton to continue to grow,” said McGhan.

“We want to establish ourselves as one of the main hubs where we develop exceptional basketball players and highly skilled referees and coaches, too, with hopes of entering a team in the national leagues as well down the line.”

Exploring entry into U12 and U14 Central Venue League competitions, with the possibility of National Basketball League participation in the future, is a major goal. Together, these developments signal a long-term commitment to building a comprehensive and inclusive basketball pathway for girls and women in Luton.

Get Involved - Clubs