The Cavigal Nice Basket currently shines with the results of its girls at the highest level. Vice-champions of France and promoted to the women’s basketball league, they are the pride of the entire club. But beyond these results, the internal work done within all the components and categories of the sports structure is considerable.
Cavigal is not only the reference for basketball in Nice; it is also an exceptional training club. With a training center composed of two teams, namely a hopeful team and a junior team, the club is rather well-endowed with talent. This center has been certified by the French Basketball Federation—a way to reward the work of many volunteers.
However, President Laurence Darcourt sees further into training: “We want to attract the hopeful center to Nice. Before I arrived, Cavigal was criticized for training players for other clubs in France. Now, these girls stay in the region thanks to the fundamental work done by the educators.” An ambitious speech highlighted by Richard Papazian, director of Olympique Nice Natation, who wanted to be present at the club’s general assembly: “What we remember are not those who pretend, but those who truly act. Cavigal Nice Basket is on the right track with this training-oriented guideline.”
With 700 members, the club can boast of being the largest in terms of membership in France. 24 people work daily at the club and are directly involved in its life. But one of Laurence Darcourt’s prides lies in the 3X3 basketball project, which started in 2010 in the Vésubie Valley. The goal is to integrate all the young people of the department both socially and athletically, especially in the valleys. As its name suggests, 3X3 basketball is played with three players from each team on the court. It’s a way to reduce both travel and supervision costs: “If you have three children today, you have to make trips to take and pick them up from sports. With this basketball format, your three children will be on the same team, and you avoid extra travel costs,” Laurence Darcourt jokingly remarks.
Another section committed to the future is the French Mini-Basket School. It’s a way to support young talents in practicing basketball. There are three divisions where children from the ages of 4 to 11 evolve. And it’s a success, as after three years of existence, 237 children play mini-basket at Cavigal, making the school the largest mini-basket section in the region and the department. Thus, the Cavigal Nice Basket is committed socially, in training, at a high level, and also in integrating the disabled. Indeed, a disabled sports section has been created with the aim of uniting as many people as possible around the project. The club is therefore active on multiple fronts and integrates perfectly socially within the region and the department. Laurence Darcourt is proud of this success and wishes it to last over time: “The Sharks of Antibes have done a tremendous job this season with Julien Espinosa trained with us. We too would like to restore basketball on the Côte d’Azur by gathering as many people as possible around Cavigal Nice Basket.”
