England Junior National Team Coaching Staff Appointments
10th November 2015
Basketball England is pleased to announce the National Team coaching staff appointments for the 2015/16 campaign.
Steve Bucknall returns to the helm of the England Under-18 men, following a two year hiatus. Karl Brown joins him as assistant, rekindling the duo that led the squad to their best ever finish at the 2013 Division A Championship.
Emily Clark remains Team Manager, Ellen Scott will be the squad's Physiotherapist, while Andrew Langford will be providing all strength and conditioning support. Manchester Magic's Aurimas Verbukas has been appointed as Apprentice Coach.
For the Under-18 women, Great Britain Senior women's assistant Vanessa Ellis will take the reigns for the first time, assisted by Great Britain Olympian and Cardiff Met Archers' WBBL Head Coach Stef Collins. Sadie Mason will be Team Manager for the squad, Charlotte Lloyd and Claire Faquharson will share physiotherapy duties, Ieuan Alex Jones will be Performance Analyst, while Matt Smith will take charge of strength and conditioning. There will be another GB Senior player involved with the programme as Julie Page takes on the Apprentice Coach Role.
Vanessa Ellis commented: "I am delighted to be appointed as Head Coach to the Under-18 England women. I am really looking forward to working with the talented young players."
Alan Keane returns for his third year in the role of England Under-16 men's Head Coach, along with assistant Guy Coles from Bristol Flyers, who returns after a year hiatus. Pete Daines will take on the Team Manager role, Mark Dyson remains as Physiotherapist, Peter Berenyi takes on the Performance Analyst position, while Patric Waplington is the Strength & Conditioning coach. Kent Crusaders' Troy Culley takes the Apprentice Coach role.
The England Under-16 women also see a returning Head Coach, as Lee Davie continues in the position. Brixton Topcats' WBBL coach Steve Vear takes the Assistant position, while Lorraine Dagger returns as Team Manager. Samuel Heathcote will head up Strength and Conditioning, Charlie Cotteril has been appointed Physiotherapist, while Barney Blake is the Performance Analyst. Rachel Clayden is Apprentice Coach.
Lee Davie commented: "I'm really happy and proud to Head Coach England Under-16 women for this Summer European Championship Campaign. I would like to say a big thank you to Ross Knevett, Josh Merrington and Rikki Broadmore for everything they did to drive the program forward over the last two years. I'm really excited to welcome Steve Vear, Barney Blake, Charlie Cotterill, and have Lorraine Dagger, Rachel Clayden, and Sam Heathcote returning.
"We have a deep and exciting squad of players that we're all looking forward to working with and developing over the next 9 months to regain our place in Division A."
Vladan Dragosavac, Basketball England's Technical and Performance Manager added:
"I believe we have a group of Head Coaches who with their high energy will embrace the style of play we associate with our system.
"All of them have a proven ability to develop each player as an individual, whilst building great team spirit and a winning mentality. There are an abundance of talented players in the National Team programmes and I am looking forward to starting work with them."
England Under-18 men and Under-16 women will open training camp on the weekend of 21 November in Sheffield and Manchester respectively, while the Under-16 men open on December 20 in Oaklands and the Under-18 women on December 27 in Sheffield.