Team Solent Kestrels

What Team Solent Kestrels does

Team Solent Kestrels Basketball Club is a UK-registered Community Interest Company (CIC) and non-profit basketball club headquartered in Southampton (Eastleigh mailing), founded in 1998 by Jimmie and Bev Guymon. The club runs a vertically integrated basketball programme spanning Mini Ballers (ages 4-8), community academy sessions, National League teams (U12-U18), senior NBL men's and women's squads, and an elite DiSE Academy delivered in partnership with Itchen Sixth Form College — one of only 14 such centres approved in the UK. It operates from Solent Sports Complex at Solent University, a £28m facility opened in 2019 with a FIBA Level 1 performance court, supplemented by a network of school and leisure-centre venues across Southampton and Eastleigh.

The product portfolio includes community academy sessions, competitive National League teams, the DiSE Academy (two-year programme with strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, video analysis, and NCAA/Europe pathways), holiday camps, a schools outreach programme, the annual Bev Guymon Memorial Tournament, and ticketed senior fixtures. Underlying technology is intentionally light: a Wix-hosted website, Coacha for member registration, Class Forkids for camp bookings, FIBA LiveStats for game data, and iOS/Android mobile apps. Coaching staff are Basketball England licensed (minimum Level 2), DBS-cleared, and safeguarding-trained.

The business model is multi-stream and non-profit: subscription-style membership and registration fees across programme tiers (e.g., ~£275/year for Mini Ballers, ~£650/year for U12 National League Boys), recurring camp and holiday programme revenue, transactional ticket sales for home fixtures, small local/regional sponsorships (Kestrel Guards, Itchen College, Southampton Communications, Piccolo Mondo, LW Insurance, Agabis, Purition, individual sponsor Samir Aziz), donation-based fundraising through the easyfundraising platform, and nominal merchandise sales. GTM is community-led and event-driven: free school PE delivery, grassroots academy trials, public D1 tryouts, and competitive events feed a documented pipeline that has produced NBA alumni Jeremy Sochan and Joel Freeland.

Name

Team Solent Kestrels

Legal name

Team Solent Kestrels Basketball Club

Website

https://solentkestrels.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Team Solent Kestrels is a UK Community Interest Company running a vertically integrated basketball programme in Southampton, serving youth through senior players via community academy, National League teams, and a DiSE Academy at Itchen College.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Basketball Club Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Sport Skill Academies (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, etc.) (MPAKAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team & Club Coaching (seasonal team coaching) (HSADAEAF), Youth & Junior Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAL), Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs) (MPAKAFAF)

Keywords

• Community basketball programs
• Youth basketball training
• National league basketball
• Basketball coaching services
• Sports academy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Eastleigh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership and Registration Fees: Annual and seasonal registration fees for various programs including National League teams, Junior Academy, and senior programs. Fees vary by program level from community participation to competitive national league.
2. Camps and Holiday Programs: Revenue from school holiday camps and summer basketball sessions offered throughout the year for players of all ages and abilities.
3. Ticket Sales: Game day tickets for home matches sold in advance for Division 1 Men, Division 2 Women, and other senior fixtures at Solent Sports Complex.
4. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors including Itchen College, Kestrel Guards, Southampton Communications, Piccolo Mondo, LW Insurance, Agabis, Purition, and individual sponsor Samir Aziz provide financial and in-kind support.
5. Fundraising: Registered with easyfundraising platform enabling donations from online shopping through partner brands. Additional fundraising activities and donations from supporters.
6. Merchandise Sales: Online shop for club merchandise though currently shows no active products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Team Solent Kestrels delivers basketball coaching, training, and competitive league programs from grassroots entry-level sessions for children aged 4 through to elite senior NBL Division 1 and women's competition, supplemented by school outreach, holiday camps, the annual Bev Guymon Memorial Tournament, and the DiSE Academy in partnership with Itchen College. Membership, registration, and ticketing are managed through the Coacha member platform, with camps booked via Class Forkids and games scored through FIBA LiveStats.

Product overview

Team Solent Kestrels is a basketball club structured as a Community Interest Company (CIC), offering a comprehensive basketball programme spanning community participation to elite performance. The portfolio includes entry-level Junior Academy sessions (Mini/Midi Ballers, KCL leagues), competitive National League teams (U12-U18), senior men's and women's NBL teams, and the elite DiSE Academy partnership with Itchen College. Additional offerings encompass holiday camps, schools outreach, the annual BGMT youth tournament, and club membership management through Coacha platform. The club competes at Solent Sports Complex, home since 2019, and has produced notable alumni including NBA player Jeremy Sochan and former Portland Trailblazers forward Joel Freeland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Junior Academy (Mini/Midi Ballers and Kestrels City League) Entry-level and participation basketball programme for children aged 4-16, structured as Mini Ballers (ages 4-8), Midi Ballers (ages 8-10), and Kestrels City League (KCL) sessions at U12, U14, and U16 levels. Designed to introduce basketball fundamentals in a fun, safe community environment and provide a stepping stone into competitive National League play.
• National League Teams (U12-U18) Competitive junior basketball teams fielded at U12, U14, U16, and U18 age groups for both boys and girls, competing in the National Basketball League (NBL) under Basketball England governance. Players pay a £130 registration plus £65/month for an 8-month season (e.g., U12 NL Boys), with the programme acting as the elite junior performance pipeline.
• Senior Basketball Programme (NBL Division 1 Men, Division 2 Men and Women) Senior competitive basketball teams for adults including NBL Division 1 Men, NBL Division 2 Men, and NBL Division 2 Women, playing home fixtures at Solent Sports Complex. Public tryouts are conducted for Division 1 Men at £5 per session. The programme has achieved multiple league, cup, and playoff titles including a historic 2021/22 treble.
• DiSE Academy (Itchen College) Two-year Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme delivered in partnership with Itchen Sixth Form College, one of only 14 approved DiSE centres in the UK. Provides 14 hours per week of elite basketball training alongside A-level studies, with strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, and video analysis support. Targeted at student athletes aged 16-18 with realistic potential to achieve excellence, creating a pipeline to NCAA scholarships, European professional basketball, and British university basketball.
• Schools Programme School outreach programme delivering free basketball opportunities to primary and secondary schools, including PE lessons, after-school sessions, basketball-themed assemblies, and girls basketball festivals. Acts as a top-of-funnel acquisition channel for the Junior Academy and broader club programmes.
• Basketball Camps Holiday and summer basketball camps offered throughout the year for players of all ages and abilities. Led by Basketball England-licensed head coaches (minimum Level 2 qualified, DBS cleared, safeguarding trained), with registration managed through the Class Forkids booking platform.
• Bev Guymon Memorial Tournament (BGMT) Annual youth basketball tournament honouring co-founder Bev Guymon, with categories for U10 Mixed, U12 Boys, U14 Boys, and U14 Girls. Serves as a competitive showcase and community engagement event for the club's junior pathway.
• Game Day Tickets Advance sale game day tickets for home fixtures at Solent Sports Complex covering Division 1 Men, Division 2 Women, and other senior matches. The club's game day experience won the NBL Best Game Day Experience award in 2023.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Solent UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Formal merge in 2015 created 'Team Solent Kestrels'. Solent University's £28m state-of-the-art sports facility (opened 2019) serves as home venue with FIBA Level 1 performance basketball court. University partnership enables educational pathway integration.
• Itchen Sixth Form CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItchen College is one of only 14 approved DiSE (Diploma in Sporting Excellence) centres in the UK. Club coaches Matt Guymon (Director of Basketball) and Jack O'Keeffe work full-time at the college. DiSE Academy offers elite basketball development alongside education for student athletes targeting NCAA, European professional, and British university basketball.
• Kestrel GuardscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOriginal sponsor that enabled the rebranding from Solent Stars Juniors to Solent Kestrels. Security company providing ongoing sponsorship and club kit branding.
• Southampton CommunicationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring partner providing financial support for the basketball club.
• Piccolo MondominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor providing club sponsorship.
• LW InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance broker sponsor supporting the club.
• AgabisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor supporting Team Solent Kestrels Basketball Club.
• PuritionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth and nutrition sponsor providing product support for athletes.
• Samir AzizminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndividual sponsor backing the club through personal investment.
• easyfundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline fundraising platform with 7,000+ partner brands enabling the club to receive donations from everyday online shopping purchases at no cost to supporters.
• Basketball EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governing body for basketball. Club is registered with Basketball England, coaches are BE licensed, and team competes in NBL (National Basketball League) under Basketball England governance. Holds public liability insurance through Basketball England.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• London Lions: The London Lions are the UK's flagship professional basketball franchise competing in the British Basketball League (BBL). They operate professional and academy pathways, comparable to Team Solent Kestrels' performance arm, with substantially greater resources and national reach.

Direct peers

• Manchester Basketball: Manchester Basketball operates BBL and academy programmes with a player pathway and community outreach across age groups. Mirrors Team Solent Kestrels' integrated community-to-elite model at a different UK region.
• Leicester Riders: Leicester Riders run professional BBL squads alongside well-developed junior and academy programmes, making them one of the closest UK analogues to Team Solent Kestrels' full-pyramid basketball operations.
• Newcastle Eagles: Newcastle Eagles are a long-established BBL franchise with a multi-tier academy and community programmes, providing a comparable structural model: senior professional teams feeding from junior and community initiatives.
• Cheshire Phoenix: Cheshire Phoenix compete in the BBL and run junior and community pathways in the North West. They offer a useful comparison for Team Solent Kestrels on regional talent development and sponsorship monetisation.
• Bristol Flyers: Bristol Flyers operate professional men's and women's BBL squads alongside academy and community programmes, comparable to Team Solent Kestrels' senior and DiSE structure with a college partnership (University of the West of England).
• Surrey Scorchers: Surrey Scorchers are a BBL franchise with community and junior programmes, providing a comparable senior-plus-pathway business model to Team Solent Kestrels in Southern England.
• Sheffield Sharks: Sheffield Sharks run senior BBL teams and a longstanding community/academy setup. Similar organisational structure to Team Solent Kestrels in combining competitive basketball with grassroots outreach.
• Caledonia Gladiators: Caledonia Gladiators field BSL and BBL squads with academy and community programmes in Glasgow, comparable to Team Solent Kestrels' integrated pyramid model with both performance and grassroots arms.

Regional players

• Plymouth City Patriots: Plymouth City Patriots are a South West BBL franchise with junior community programming, serving a similar regional basketball ecosystem to Team Solent Kestrels and overlapping in geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SolentKestrels
• Facebookfacebook.com/TeamSolentKestrels
• Instagraminstagram.com/solent_kestrels
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solent-kestrels

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Team Solent Kestrels