‘Slam Dunk’ Funding For Teenage Basketball Star
 
A Glengormley teenage basketball player selected to be a part of the Ireland U16 basketball squad at this year’s European Championships has been named as the latest recipient of the Rainbow Communications Sports Award in partnership with the Mary Peters Trust.
 
15-year-old Connor McCann was chosen to receive this prestigious Award to help fund his international team training as he prepares for the European games in Macedonia this summer.
 
The St Malachy’s College pupil trains six days a week to ensure he continues to progress as a player:
 
“I started playing basketball when I was just five-years-old. I was given my first basketball net for my birthday and I couldn’t stop playing outside in my garden!
 
I train almost every day before school and at lunchtime. I also do weekly structured circuit training and am a part of a running club to keep my fitness level at its peak.”
 
Connor continued:
 
“My next big competition with my club will be the All-Ireland Club Championships (AICC) in April and then international warm-up matches before the European Championships in August. I’m delighted the Rainbow Communications Award will help me do this.”
 
Monthly candidates are chosen by the Mary Peters Trust to receive the Rainbow Communications grant.
 
Stuart Carson from Rainbow Communications, which is Northern Ireland’s largest independent business telecoms company, said:
 
“To train six days a week shows how devoted to the sport Connor is. It goes without saying that not many young people would train before school and give up their lunchtimes to practice, but Conor is obviously very committed.
 
“The Rainbow Award is presented to those who go above and beyond in their sport. Connor not only attends his school, club and international training camps, but he also takes every opportunity to attend other camps to improve his game. We wish him well this summer.”
 
Chairman of the Mary Peters Trust, Eilish Rutherford, said:
 
“Connor has already won a range of different cups and leagues and has the ability and desire to be a great player of the future.
 
“He has helped out coaching with primary school basketball when he is not competing so is a wonderful role model for aspiring young players.”
 
To find about how you can apply for the award, visit www.marypeterstrust.org.
Rainbow Communications provides calls and lines, mobiles, broadband, systems, cloud telephony, IT services, data and more to over 5,000 businesses throughout the UK and Ireland.
For more information on Rainbow Communications services, visit www.rainbowcomms.com