ABOUT THE
TSK FAMILY
Team Solent Kestrels Basketball club (TSK) is renowned as one of the most popular, friendly natured and family orientated clubs in the UK. A club with committed players, experienced coaching staff, great volunteer support and a true family ethos through-out.
The club offers everything from grass roots & participation basketball, competitive opportunities for boys and girls in the National League, through to the Men's/Women's Division 1 National League.
Originally started by husband and wife, Jimmie and Bev Guymon, so their son Matt could play competitive local basketball alongside other talented youngsters, Solent Stars Juniors was formed in 1998. From a small, successful family run club (predominantly for boys/men), the Stars Juniors later rebranded as Solent Kestrels junior programme with the sponsorship of Kestrel Guards security company.
Solent Kestrels 10th Anniversary | Courtesy Vicky Milner
Then in 2015, following a formal merge with Solent University, the club became ‘Team Solent Kestrels’. Since it's grand opening in 2019, Solent University's £28m state-of-the-art sports facility, Solent Sports Complex with its FIBA level 1 performance basketball court, has been 'Home' to Team Solent Kestrels.
One of the most important elements to Team Solent Kestrels success is it’s educational player pathway. The club boasts close links with the DISE program for boys and girls at Itchen College with Team Solent Kestrels Director of Coaching, Matt Guymon (along with his assistant Jack O’Keeffe) and the club's Junior Girls Head Coach, Vicky Milner, working full-time at the college with student athletes. Following Itchen, college, the pathway continues with progression to our D1 programme headed up by Team Solent Kestrels Division 1 Head Coach, Ben Stanley.
These close links have helped Team Solent Kestrels grow to become one of the largest and respected clubs in the UK, drawing in players not only from across the south coast and UK, but also Europe & the US.
Following our educational pathway, our athletes have gone on to some of the best basketball programs/scholarships in Europe and the USA. Recent club members that have secured these places include: Ashley Briggs, Harvey Barr, Adam Riabi, Rael Williams, Jeremy Sochan, Peter Turay, Matt Hughes, Adam Wilkinson, Sam van Oostrum, Selby Hind-Wills, Ben Maranan, Will Neighbour, Jack Preston, Carl Josey among many others.
One of our big success stories is former Portland Trailblazers forward, Joel Freeland. Joel was personally coached by Jimmie Guymon and started with the club as a junior before progressing to Gran Canaria where he played in the ACB before being drafted to the NBA. He went on to feature for Euroleague power house CSKA Moscow as well as ACB side Unicaja Malaga.
More recently, in 2017 Jeremy Sochan returned to Southampton, joining Itchen College and Team Solent Kestrels Basketball Club winning first Team All Conference honours at Itchen and helping the NBL1 men win their first League and playoff title. Since leaving Team Solent Kestrels in 2018, Jeremy has continued to thrive at La Lumiere High School, Orange Academy, Baylor University, Polish senior mens National Team and in 2022 was drafted 9th overall by the San Antonio Spurs and being selected to the Rising Star game (NBA All Star Weekend).
