BASKETBALL ENGLAND REVEALS REVAMP
Basketball England is to move its headquarters to Manchester as part of a radical shake-up.
The surprise departure from its current home within the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, which will see the regional governing body base itself at the Etihad Campus at Sport City, will take place next week as part of what is being described as a “change programme to improve the way it leads and develops” the sport.
The switch will also see a number of new roles created to develop players, coaches and officials, along with a refresh of its league structures and sport science and medical back-up.
“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 move comes as British Basketball prepares to ramp up its own pathway for the sport, including the competitive debut of the GB Under-16 and Under-18 teams, which are still overseen – for logistical reasons – by EB.
However questions have been raised about the English body’s willingness to integrate fully into a Britain-wide strategy with officials privately voicing concerns about integration and co-operation between the two.
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