Kieran and Ryan open new community basketball court
The brothers, both former Coleg Menai students, were invited to open the new court following their success in para sports
Former Coleg Menai students Kieran and Ryan Jones opened a new community basketball court which they hope will help future generations pursue their sporting dreams.
Kieran is targeting a place in the F34 shot put at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, while he and younger brother Ryan have both represented Wales at wheelchair basketball.
They were asked to open the new court in their home village of Valley, Anglesey, after the local community council approached them for ideas on redeveloping the space.
Kieran said: “They contacted us to ask what would we recommend for the community, and I said, what about a basketball court?
“Sport has changed my life and it’s important that we start at grassroots level. I’m 23 now, but when I was growing up there was nothing like that nearby. I had to travel everywhere, you had to book a court - so it’s great that it’s just there on your doorstep.”
Kieran, who studied Level 3 Sports Coaching at Coleg Menai, recently won the British Universities F34 shot put title and is the reigning Welsh champion. He missed out on last year’s Paralympics in Paris, having struggled after his coach unexpectedly passed away, but hopes to qualify for LA in three years’ time.
“My head went and I wasn’t trying as hard, but I’m back on track now,” he said. “The goal is to get to LA, which would be amazing.”
He is also preparing to return to wheelchair basketball with Cardiff Archers, having taken a few years off from the sport. Kieran previously captained Wales Under-15s on his way to representing his country at senior level.
Ryan currently plays for North Wales Knights, and played alongside his older brother for Wales U15s and U18s.
“That was great for the family,” said Kieran. “I think it was the first time two brothers played for Wales together in wheelchair basketball.”
He and Ryan both have hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), a rare, inherited neurological disorder that produces progressive weakness in the hip and leg muscles. Their father - a talented basketball player in his youth - also has the condition.
Both brothers attended Coleg Menai’s Llangefni’s campus, with Kieran studying from 2020-22, while Ryan completed his Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair studies last year.
Kieran said of his time at college: “The course was brilliant, and the staff were even better. They were very supportive and adaptive in the sessions.
“My personal tutor was Jenny Davies, and because she was a rugby international and a coach, she understood and was very accommodating if I needed to train or if I had competitions.
“They were great with Ryan too - they made sure he was able to do vehicle repair and he has some good stories from his time at college.”
Kieran is now studying for a BSC in Sports Coaching at Cardiff Met University. Having completed his first year, he returned home so he and Ryan could cut the ribbon on the new basketball court in Parc Mwd, on behalf of Valley Community Council.
At the official opening, the council’s chairman, Councillor Neil Tuck, thanked stakeholders who made the project possible through their support - which included grant funding from the National Lottery Wales’ Awards for All, the Anglesey Charity Trust, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, and the Bro Llynnoedd Alliance.
He also extended special thanks to G L Jones, the project’s builders, and Lagan Aviation Infrastructure Ltd, who provided all the infrastructure free of charge as a gift to the community.
Swish Coaching Ltd were also at the ceremony, providing a free coaching session for young people.
Kieran is glad children in the community will benefit from the court, and hopes his own journey will help inspire others to achieve their goals.
He said: “The amount of setbacks I’ve had, the amount of times I’ve cried to my parents… setbacks make you stronger, but barriers are there to be broken, not to stop you. You’ve got to push through that and you’ll achieve what you want to if you keep going.”
Do you want a career in the world of sport, exercise and fitness? Grŵp Llandrillo Menai offers a range of courses from Level 1 to Degree level. Learn more here