Five-year-old Caledonia Gladiators super fan Rory Kennedy impresses team with Lego arena

A five-year-old Caledonia Gladiators super fan has impressed the team by showing off his Lego replica of their stadium.

Rory Kennedy, from Elderslie in Renfrewshire, created the masterpiece which includes the club’s mascot as well as cheering home fans and a disappointed away support.

He also included the ice cream and hot dog stand to represent his favourite part of attending games at the PlaySport Arena in East Kilbride.

Rory Kennedy: Five-year-old super fan. Caledonia Gladiators

Players were left in awe when the primary school pupil, who hunted high and low for the perfect Lego parts to recreate matchday, presented them with his work.

As part of his creation, Rory also added the club’s iconic sword to the creation, which is used to symbolise the true Scottish heritage of the country’s professional franchise.

He was invited along to meet the men’s team on court ahead of their 68-57 win against Bristol Flyers on Sunday.

The victory marked the team’s first home win since Jonny Bunyan became head coach in January.

Earlier that day, the women’s team also triumphed at home with a 47-38 win over Manchester Basketball.

To show appreciation for Rory’s unwavering support, the club gifted him a hamper full of Caledonia Gladiators merch, including a signed foam finger from his favourite players and a basketball to continue his own training.

Speaking after meeting his heroes, Rory said: “I love coming to the games and making different things from Lego, so I wanted to make my own arena.

“I get a hot dog at every game, so I made sure I could find one for my Lego character to eat in the stand and I even found all the parts to make Maximoose.”

A huge fan of basketball, the five-year-old is a season ticket holder and also plays in the 5-6 year-old club, which is part of the community outreach programme, allowing children the opportunity to learn to play at the home arena.

Rory’s mother, Emma, said: “Rory is such a big fan of the game, and seeing his Lego arena come to life and sharing it with the team was an unforgettable moment for us.

“He was very particular about the details, from the sword and shield to the hot dogs and ice cream. It was amazing to watch him meet his favourite players and tell them all about his design – and even more special that the team won.”

Tony McDaid, CEO of Caledonia Gladiators, added: “Our fans are the heart and soul of the club, and seeing our youngest supporters channel their passion into something so creative is the highest form of appreciation we could hope for. Rory’s Lego masterpiece was nothing short of impressive, and it truly captured the spirit of a game day here at Playsport Arena.

And Fraser Malcolm of Caledonia Gladiators men’s team, said: “It was incredible to see Rory’s Lego version of our arena.

“The level of detail he put into it was amazing, and it really shows the passion and creativity of our youngest fans.

“It’s moments like these that remind us why we play the game – not just for the victories, but for the fans who support us every step of the way. We’re grateful for Rory’s support, and we’re thrilled he had the chance to share his creation with us.”