Like father, like son
A YEAR Five pupil at Carr Green Junior School, Rastrick, is following in his former England international father's footsteps in the sport of basketball.
Eisley Swaine, 10, who is also a notable football player, has just been selected for the Yorkshire Youth Games West Yorkshire Under-13 squad and is easily the youngest member of it.
His selection comes after his performances for his club Bradford Dragons and for Kirklees last week in a competition against the Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield U-13 sides at Leeds Carnegie University Sports Hall.
Eisley, who is a point guard, was then hand picked with 14 others to make up the squad for a competition in May against North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.
From there the best players will be selected for Yorkshire in the England Basketball Association National Tournament at Lilleshall.
Eilsey, who has a six-year-old sister Elias who is into gymnastics and also attends Carr Green school, is also a prolific goalscorer with Dalton Dynamoes U10s, having netted 35 times already this season.
He is also a budding pianist, taking piano lessons and then practising and playing at his home in Bradley Road.
Dad Jason, 34, a former student at Rastrick High School and now a teacher at Ravenshall Special School, Dewsbury, videos his sons basketball and football matches which he attends with his wife Gail.
Jason was a full-time professional basketball player with Manchester Giants, Sheffield Sharks, Chester Jets, Teeside Mohawks and England as a guard before going part time with English Division Three team Sheffield Sabres.
On his son he says: "He is doing very well as he is playing some three years below the age group but is very keen and dedicated to the game. That also goes for his football, his music and anything else he puts his mind to."
Mum and dad have purchased him a full-size basketball frame and net which sits outside the front door and he practises a lot plus playing with his mates "slam dunk", putting the ball in the net from various angles.
Besides club training sessions and matches he now has the West Yorkshire sessions to fit in before the tournament and it means a lot of running around for mum and dad but they don't mind one little bit.
"I think it is superb when your offspring take to a sport or hobby as it is a great discipline in life and keeps them focused and not wanting to do aimless things and getting nowhere," added his proud dad.
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Weather for Halifax
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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