Basketball England Announce Restructure, Office Move & ‘Game Plans’

Basketball England (BE) has announced the first phase of what it is referring to as ‘a change programme’ to improve the way it leads and develops the sport in partnership with its members, supporters and key stakeholders.

Following on from an extensive period of research, including the Basketball Development Model and roadshows, the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport has revealed they will be relocating from Sheffield to Manchester, undergoing an internal restructure with a number of new positions, and publishing their ‘Game Plans’ for how they intend to overhaul the sport in October 2017.

“After receiving a lot of opinion from within the game, we wanted to reflect on past approaches to address current issues,” said Basketball England CEO Stewart Kellett.

“Based on our own research, as well as information from international sources, we now have a huge bank of opinion that points to real solutions. That includes growing basketball, developing talent to compete at world level and supporting the volunteer and paid workforce in the game.

“In turn, we feel this will raise standards and improve our standing in the eye of the nation as a valued sport. That should carry a knock on effect internationally in terms of our ability to compete and be recognised as a basketball nation.

“All our research and opinion is now being put together into various four year plans and it’s time for us to communicate these developments. What is emerging will support everyone in basketball and we can’t wait to start acting on the plans and working with the basketball community to make the change happen.”

The NGB will be moving to Manchester’s Etihad Campus within Sports City next week, on June 26, which is largely a cost-saving move, but also allows them to be within closer proximity to the National Basketball Performance Centre which has become a hub of focus for the sport since its opening in 2016.

New roles being recruited for include a Business Operations Manager, Customer Service Team Manager, four Customer Service Executives – indicating a more public facing focus moving forward, a Personal Assistant & Senior Administrator, and then a Digital Marketing Manager and Digital Project Manager (see more info on positions here). A new digital platform is being worked on, and further details on this restructure will be released in July which BE say is to “improve our customer service, development support and response to the things that are important to the sport from a young person perspective.”

Finally, BE will be publishing and activating new ‘Game Plans’ for basketball in October. These plans aim to show how people can get involved in the sport and progress to reach their full potential as players, volunteers or professionals.

The plans are based around five different focus areas, with BE describing them as follows:

The Player Pathway: a player led model, from participation to developing talent. This will give clear guidelines on what is required at each age and stage of a player’s interest and ability.

Coaching: a plan to retain more coaches, grow the number of coaches at all levels and provide new education and development programmes. Based on our research we plan to raise standard and improve how we develop talent to support the coach network, the needs of young people and their clubs.

Officiating: similar in design to the coaching plan above, we want to retain more officials, grow the number of officials at all levels and provide new education and development programmes.

League, Competition and Event Structures: a four-year plan that shows what new structures are required to support participation and progressive competition opportunities. We also want to make competitions more accessible wherever possible and look at the prospect of new formats, including 3on3.

Sport Science and Medicine/Player Support: this plan will create a stronger focus on player welfare. Included will be the fundamentals of player health and well-being at all levels, injury prevention, strength and conditioning, nutrition, psychology and lifestyle management. Information and education programmes will be developed for players, coaches, officials, clubs and parents.

BE added they will also be publishing plans to grow and improve facilities and venues, along with a new approach to club development.

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