From shooting hoops to fighting fires

As he takes a second to ponder his greatest career achievements on a recent afternoon in Filton, Greg Streete is the epitome of the model professional.

The newly trained firefighter is dressed head to toe in the trappings of a basketball fanatic, talking through the elements of the sport that attracted him as a youngster, the reasons behind his dramatic career change and what he hopes to achieve with his upcoming testimonial game.

Having joined the Bristol Flyers – Bristol’s top basketball team who play in the top tier of men’s basketball in the UK – in 2005, Greg has accrued a series of accolades, including becoming the Flyers’ all-time leading points scorer with 1,009 from 102 appearances.

The 29-year-old gave the club over a decade of dedicated and exceptional service before retiring at the end of last season, after coming through the academy system at Filton College (now SGS College), having represented England and Great Britain at junior level.

Becoming club captain in 2009, he led the Flyers to the NBL National Cup in 2010 and the Division One title in 2011.

Streete became indispensable to the club’s success on and off the court as a captain, a community servant and an “ultimate ambassador for Flyers basketball” as his coach, Andreas Kapoulas puts it.

Growing up playing football and rugby, basketball was originally a peripheral sport to the young Streete until he discovered the bright lights and the swagger of the NBA, and inevitably the innate advantage that being a tall teenager provided.

“But I realised that there is a lot more to it than just a game,” Streete told Bristol24/7. “It’s a lifestyle; it’s about the way you perceive yourself and the reputation you want to carry.”

Greg Streete in full flow for Bristol Flyers

What began as an interest burgeoned into a career spanning nearly 20 years. But while it had the power to change his life, he feels as though basketball still “deserves and needs more exposure” on a national level.

It begins with the infrastructure: “If the hoop is there, it lasts forever,” he says.

As a teenager, Streete had never envisaged playing professionally. He played principally “as a means to grow as a person” and also to make friends and keep fit.

This was partly down to his self-effacing nature but also largely because the facilities were simply not sufficient 20 years ago. What a change to now as Greg gestures around the gleaming facilities of the SGS WISE campus.

With regards to the decision to take a break and make a career change, Streete feels that the team are in a strong position currently and their continued success has dovetailed nicely with his decision to spend more time with his family and friends.

There is the additional consideration that he is freeing up space for the next generation to naturally elect a new leader. Streete feels that by stepping aside he is providing for a younger player the opportunity he was given by previous captain Gareth Tilley, who Streete reveres as his mentor.

There then arose the question of what to do next. “I had accumulated all these skills and I didn’t know what to do with them,” he said. These were skills he had garnered in mentoring and coaching roles and in work with disadvantaged children across Bristol.

Basketballer to firefighter may not seem like an obvious transition, but as Streete explained: “Much of what they do these days is awareness-based”. It is “front-facing, community engagement” that appeals to him.

Greg (left) learning the ropes of being a firefighter

Streete is based at Southmead Fire Station. “I love my job,” he says. “I like the challenge of it, the adrenaline rush of responding on the blue lights.

“But mainly it’s the community awareness aspect that is the most rewarding and is why I enjoy it so much. I’m confident that this will be it now, from here on into retirement!”

In the short term though, there is the small matter of his testimonial match on September 15.

He admits that it will be an emotional affair: “It’s a great chance to say thanks to my peers and fans for making me who I am today. For me, the testimonial game works both ways. It’s a chance for appreciation on both sides”.

Greg Streete’s testimonial match against the Welsh national team takes place on September 15 at the SGS College Arena. For more information, visit www.bristolflyers.co.uk