In 2021 the Huish Tigers Basketball Community were rocked by the news that a former academy graduate had taken his own life. Jack was a valued member of the Tigers family and aged just 29 years old, it sent shock waves through the community. The Huish Tigers community rallied around Jacks family and friends hosting a basketball reunion in his memory which raised over £1000 for Somerset MIND.

As with any major events in life, one questions what could have done differently. Did we do enough historically to support players? Moving forwards, can we support players with more than just their physical wellbeing?

With the growing number of young people playing sport, not only under the Huish Tigers umbrella, but also across the county and region a gap was identified in the safeguarding of the young people involved. It was clear that we could offer greater support when working with young people. Whether its football, basketball, rugby, or another sport we have a responsibility to ensure that these young people we are working with are mentally healthy as well as physically.

In late 2022 several ex-Huish Tigers players gathered to expand on the proposal of starting a charity, with the main aim of supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Initially this charity would be specifically aimed at young people involved with the Huish Tigers players but has scope to reach so many more lives. The enthusiasm and passion of this group to support young people and leave a legacy for the sporting community has led us to the creation of The Roar Trust , who will go on to deliver many educational workshops. We need help to get the ball rolling.