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Hamza Malik coaches basketball and martial arts, he's also studying to be a physiotherapist. He believes broadening access to sport can improve opportunities for disadvantaged kids

Alongside studying for his degree Hamza Malik coaches kids in the sports he loves: martial arts and basketball. He's based in the Mandela Centre in Leeds and since lock-down he's seen kids go one of three ways: sticking with the more limited fitness opportunities online; just dropping out altogether; or rising to the challenge and securing opportunities they couldn’t have foreseen. But he believes it didn’t need to be such a lottery and especially one that falls so heavily on those with so little.

Across the UK kids sports have suffered, from swimming lessons through to basketball, which is now suspended – Hamza says there is still no guidance on when players can get back into training. He's worried that mixed messages, stop start regulations and the long periods of absence, will permanently set back a lot of what had been achieved. He speaks to youngsters who have embraced these disruptions and made the best of the situation; with one securing a place at a prestigious prep school and with eyes on the NBA.

As well as the success stories, he's seen the impact of youngsters deciding not to continue and he worries about what will happen. Some of those hardest hit had used sport to stay engaged. They don’t have the facilities available to private schools and with most leisure centres closed or access restricted there’s a big loss on many levels. Hamza is keen to pursue those in a position to help in an attempt to secure the kind of funding and commitments necessary to really ensure that talent and potential won’t be lost forever.