The Tralee Imperials Senior Ladies team with from left, Sandra Lynch, Manager at Garvey’s Supervalu Tralee; Jim Breen, Financial Director at Garvey’s Supervalu; Ger Tarrant, Head Coach and Kevin McCarthy, Managing Director of Garvey’s Supervalu. Photo by Dermot Crean
TRALEE Imperials will have three separate teams competing in the National Cup campaign this season.
It is the first time in the history of Tralee basketball that a club has had both male and female teams competing at National Cup Level.
On Friday night last, in the Mercy Mounthawk school gym, Imperials officially announced their new sponsors for the senior ladies team, Garvey’s SuperValu.
“The team will now be known as “Garveys Tralee Imperials” and we are very pleased to be associated with this very local sponsor who are so well known in local community and sporting circles,” said a spokesperson for the club.
Managing Director of Garvey’s Supervalu, Kevin McCarthy, said it continues the company’s long association with basketball in Kerry.
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The boys Under 18 team with from left; Kevin McCarthy, Managing Director of Garvey’s Supervalu; Jimmy Diggin, Asst Coach; John Dowling, Head Coach; Sandra Lynch, Manager at Garvey’s Supervalu Tralee and Jim Garvey, Financial Director at Garvey’s Supervalu. Photo by Dermot Crean
“This is our first year involved with Tralee Imperial, but Garvey’s Supevalu has been involved in basketball for over 30 years in Kerry. With Tralee Tigers for many years in the Superleague and then for the past 10 years in Castleisland with St Mary’s.”
“We’re delighted to get the opportunity to sponsor the Imperials Club who have enjoyed so much success in the past few years,” said Mr McCarthy.
The strength of the Senior Women’s, U18 Women’s and U18 Men’s teams show how the club has grown over the last few years. Imperials have previously had three teams compete in the Cup but all to date have been female.
The Womens U18 team is coached by Jimmy Diggins and John Dowling and the Mens U18 by John Dowling.
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The girls Under 18 team with Head Coach John Dowling and Asst Coach Jimmy Diggin. Photo by Dermot Crean
Imperials are hosting the Womens U18 opening cup round on November 8th and 9th, whilst the boys will be travelling to Belfast.
Garveys Tralee Imperials will this year compete in their fourth National Cup and National League season of basketball.
The team will hope to defend their National League title and add the elusive Cup title as well this season. The team has displayed remarkable consistency over the past three seasons since they first embarked on the journey of Senior Women’s national basketball in 2011 and will feel that a Cup triumph is well within their capabilities at this stage.
They welcome five new players to the team as well as a new head coach, Ger Tarrant, and are looking forward to seeing the interaction of this new lineup.
Ger Tarrant, from Listowel, is one of the most experienced and successful international coaches in the country having coached through all the underage levels as well as senior.
The Assistant Coach is Gavin Daly who has brought tremendous success and organisation to the Ballybunion Wildcats Club over the past few years.
