1968 Ken Charles came to Royston to open Hertfordshire’s first Middle school, Greneway. Basketball in any form was non-existent. Ken, however, came with a pedigree of coaching successful schools, clubs, the English schools and England Juniors (under 19s), so no wonder basketball was to become a big feature of Royston Sport.

Corvus Cornix grew out of the Greneway Mini-Basketball both boys and girls. In fact, the girls whilst at Greneway were coached by Ken to win the English Schools under 16 championship and representing Hertfordshire the English Inter-Counties title.

Both young men and women then figured well in local leagues and the women became the number two team in the country.

It has always been the policy of Corvus to encourage players to assist with coaching and several have gone on to qualify as teachers and coaches.

Since the opening of the Royston Leisure Centre basketball has played a key part in the programme training on a Thursday from close of school ‘til 10.00 p.m. - at first the 7 & 8 year olds, 9 & 10s, 11 and 12s and then from 7.00p.m. the Under 18s, before the adult men and women take to the court from 8.30 p.m.

Every one is welcome and very many have taken up the sport in mid teens and made a success of it. A more recent initiative has been the women’s sessions at Greneway on a Monday evening.

Coaching Staff – Ken Charles, Di Charles, Grant Gifford, Terry Graves, Hannah Gifford, Rachel Smith, assisted by a corps of potential coaches of the future.

Greneway School has always had a special affinity to Corvus Cornix. Over the years it has won many of the North Hertfordshire schools championships, under the coaching of Ken Charles and, in more recent years, exclusively under the special qualities of Terry Graves.

March 2007