A leading Middlesbrough basketball coach and community activist has been recognised for his work.
Tony Hanson was honoured at the Town Hall where he was presented with a Middlesbrough Mayor’s Award at a special ceremony.
Following a spell with New Orleans Jazz in 1977, Tony played professional basketball in Italy, France, Northern Ireland and England.
The sport eventually led him to the Tees Valley Mohawks, where he became head coach during the very successful years 2000 to 2010, with the Mohawks being crowned England basketball national champions five years in succession.
He is currently the chairman of Tees Valley Mohawks Basketball Club who compete in the top tier of the England Basketball National League.
After retiring from playing, Tony set up Hoop Dreams Social Enterprise, putting his degree in special education to use in co-ordinating a community-based sport and educational initiative to help young people with educational problems, using basketball as a vehicle to address teenage health and community issues.
Doug Moody Photography 
The Mayor of Middlesbrough Ray Mallon presented an Elected Mayor's Award to Tony Hanson
He is also the current chairman of Middlesbrough’s Black & Minority Ethnic Network, championing community issues and support for under-represented ethnic groups in the town and the wider region.
Tony said: “To be acknowledged for the kind of stuff that we do without looking for it is always a very big surprise but I was just so glad to share it with so many important people in my life.
“I love to work with young people. I think the community falls right into that. Having an opportunity to be involved in the black and ethnic minority community in Middlesbrough has been very rewarding. I am able to actually do some of the things that support a lot of the ethos and philosophy that I think is very important for our community to succeed.
“I have been fortunate to have some fantastic people around me from my immediate family to my basketball family to important people around the basketball that have been supportive of us and obviously the community side. We’re very fortunate to have the support of the local authority here so for them to acknowledge a little bit of what we do is very humbling and rewarding.”
His charitable work also led to the award of an MBE in 2007 in recognition of his contribution to sport and community work in Teesside.
Doug Moody Photography 
Tony pictured with his wife Sandra, sons Alex (2nd left) and Greg (right) and Ray Mallon (left)
Middlesbrough Mayor, Ray Mallon, said: “After an international basketball career, Tony chose to settle in Teesside and dedicate his time to improving the lives of some of our most vulnerable young people.
“He has brought his vast experience, commitment and hard work to bear on a number of community initiatives which have made a real difference to the lives of countless people.
“He has made an important contribution to the life of the town and the wider Tees area and is a thoroughly deserving recipient of this Mayor’s Award.”
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