The Ulster Elks and Strangford Lough Brewing Company
The University of Ulster at Jordanstown Men’s Basketball Club was founded in 1984. In the 90’s, UUJ were included in the Irish Varsity Championships and the Club dominated in this forum with 5 titles (1991,1992,1994,1995 & 1997) over a period of seven years. In 2005 the Club made its first ever entry to Nation basketball competition by entering Basketball Irelands men’s Division 1 league and cup.
In 2006 the University of Ulster launched a new Ulster Sports Academy dedicated to achieving the University’s strategic vision of becoming the leading University for sport on the island of Ireland. In response to this strategic initiative University of Ulster Basketball became a focus sport for development at the University on the Jordanstown campus.
In 2007 the Ulster Elks was awarded a Super league license for five years and has just finished its second year in top flight basketball in Ireland. A Super league licence requires clubs to develop the sport and its infrastructures to the benefit of the sport and the community.
The Elk was chosen as the team emblem to represent ‘strength and agility.’ Legend has it that the last sighting of the now extinct Irish Elk was in Co Antrim, this makes it a perfect emblem for the University of Ulster and indeed their Basketball Teams. Elkman was developed as a mascot, making appearances at all home games and leads the range of child friendly activities that take place as part of the pre-game festivities on Super league event nights.
The scholarship programme offers a chance to study and play basketball in Ireland. The programme pays for the scholarship students fees throughout their under/post graduate courses and provides training and competition at a top level. The scholarship is open to candidates internationally particularly NCAA students and provides an ideal stepping stone onto the professional basketball ladder, or the business world depending on where they want to go at the end of the year.
The Ulster Elks Basketball was launched on 19th June 2009. They have already achieved massive hits and their promotional campaign for the new launch hasn’t even begun yet! Mr Bob McKillop attended their launch event as part of his coaching event in Ireland and will be the ambassador. The programme offers young athletes a fantastic opportunity and a unique stepping stone onto the European/ worldwide professional basketball ladder, or indeed into the world of business. The Ulster Elks also have a presence on Facebook and Twitter with regular blogs from the players allowing prospective scholars the chance to get a glimpse of what the experience has been like for current and post scholarship students.
The Ulster Elks Scholarship programme has certainly hit the high notes as doors are opening across North America and indeed across the World to be a part of the programme. Strangford Lough Brewing Company felt they simply had to get involved as their core values are extremely similar to those of the Ulster Elks programme. Promoting Northern Ireland as a tourist destination is paramount for both organisations with less than 5% of American tourists coming north of the border. SLBC's beers are currently available in 20 North American States; with such a strong basketball following throughout North America, the Ulster Elks management team felt that this was an opportunity where they could benefit from the existing contacts and channels provided by SLBC.
