Two friends revive the Force Basketball Club and become champions this season

Barely back on the floor, they are already champions! The basketball club Force, was reformed this year, after a 10-year absence. It was two young friends, from this small town of a thousand inhabitants, south of Laval, who took matters into their own hands. A return can no longer be obtained since the senior men’s team finishes champion in the second division division.

34 licensees and a promotion to a higher division

That’s what we call starting on the right foot. For this 2023-2024 season, the American Forcé basketball club has 34 members, 12 players who play in the championship, 13 in leisure and 12 people are volunteers.

On the mic as well as in front of the basket, the Timeho Veron is effective”We want to build a high level team as quickly as possible, with childhood friends“Number 5 is happy with this successful season “Doing a season like this with your friends, it wasn’t a problem, it was so good we all had fun the whole season.” Without forgetting the support of the whole community: “The families of all the guys on the team came from all over Mayenne. When we had big games, we had up to maybe 100 or 150 people upstairs! To play in atmospheres like that, in a small room and everything is really incredible.”smiles the player.

Good atmosphere is really the key word, confirms Louis-Mathis.When we blow the champagne for the last game all over the dressing room! We brought two or three bottles, we knew we were champions. We had a good laugh, of course we cleaned up when we left, but we wanted to mark the occasion of the last game of the year“.

A family club above all

The reconstruction of the club took almost a year. It was born out of the desire to play basketball again, explains Julien Boiteau (23), the co-president. Together with their friend Lucas Houdayer, they are both studying for a master’s degree in sports management.When we have a general assembly in the committee or something like that, yes, we are necessarily the youngest! But it started from a desire to create a friendly club.”
With the added bonus that you can build a club in your own image! ” As for jerseys etc. We all chose the logo and I did it. It is very nice to be able to do what you want overall.“.
The two young presidents were surrounded”We were quite well supported. The town hall followed us directly and the sports center as well. Afterwards, the departmental basketball committee also helped us very well at the administrative level and everything went well.”

Before the start of the season, they distributed no less than 2,000 leaflets and leaflets in the neighboring towns to recruit people and spread the good news. An approach that won them supporters for this first season.We had quite a few people come to watch our matches. We had around fifty people each time, we are quite satisfied!”

Another player takes a water bottle break during practice. A few battles under the clock and … a lot of sweat on the forehead”Me, it’s Bruno. Sparring partner function”, he says. Coming to 46, just for fun, that’s also the spirit of US Forced basketball! “Well actually, I was a bit fooled. I was expecting an old people’s club. When I got there I saw that there were only young people between 20 and 25 years old. So obviously it’s hard!” laughs the basketball player. “I play very few games, but at least I’m there in training, to help them or to coach or give advice“. The mission was successful this year with only one defeat in the league (and one defeat in the Coupe de France).
The club will therefore develop in division 1 next year with aims to climb to Regional 3. The presidents also have in mind the creation of a youth team.