Basketball England has announced the 10 Regional Chairs and Regional Talent Managers, with Magic and Mystics’ Tom Stansfield appointed as the North West Regional Chair, joined by Nick Ibberson of Lancashire Spinners who has been appointed as North West Regional Talent Manager.

Basketball England’s new Operating Model for Regions has been taking shape for some time in an effort to help support the sport’s grassroots. The Model focuses on improved collaboration, a single unified approach and better two-way communication between Basketball England and the 10 Regions.

A more defined role for regions with clearly established responsibilities should enable the sport to have a more joined up approach across key activities with consistent communication across the country. In turn, each region will act as an arm of Basketball England, delivering the same objectives and shared goals.

Basketball England’s Senior Relationship and Coordination Manager Jon Stonebridge said, “The new and existing chairs offer a wealth of basketball experience that will help shape and implement Basketball England’s strategies and programmes at a local level. The roles will also provide valuable insight from within their Regions that will help to frame future basketball initiatives.  We are very pleased to be working with all the Chairpersons enabling Basketball England to helping drive the sport forwards with together.”

Basketball England’s Programme & Pathway Integration Manager Charlie Ford said, “The Regional Talent Managers have an important role in landing the soon to be launched ‘Player Development Framework’. They will primarily be involved in mentoring coaches within the Talent Pathway and clubs but also coordinating all local Talent programme activity and integrating with the existing England Development Programmes.”

With the ten Chairs helping to pull together the efforts of clubs, coaches and volunteers in each region, Talent Managers will primarily support Basketball England talent plans on a local level. This will involve helping with the implementation of the Player Development Framework and the programmes within the Talent Pathway.

For the full list of appointees read the announcement here

Basketball England has announced that it has successfully recruited 5 members to its new Case Management Group (CMG), with Magic and Mystics’ Gary Williams one of the 5 selected.

Gary is currently the safeguarding lead at Manchester Magic & Mystics Basketball Club where he leads on all safeguarding matters, complaints and writing policy for the club on safeguarding, child protection and social media. Through his professional career he has worked in Early Years education and now Further Education where he has been involved in Case Conferences and Child in Need Meetings. Gary has been involved in basketball within the North West Region since 2005.    

The purpose of the CMG is to ensure that all allegations, incidents, or referrals related to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk are dealt with fairly and equitably within appropriate timescales. They will ratify and challenge any actions taken by Basketball England’s Lead Safeguarding Officer, advise on outcomes & decisions that need to be made following the investigation of any safeguarding allegations or referrals and ensure that the management of cases by Basketball England are appropriate, within reason and follow correct procedure.

The CMG will also advise on Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) disclosures that are received through GB Group Online Disclosures (GBG).

Basketball England’s Safeguarding & Compliance Manager, Ross McGowan, has commented on the group, “I am  excited to announce this group of experienced individuals who are well versed in safeguarding and child protection. Having this group in place will ensure that Basketball England’s duty of care to all individuals and their welfare within the sport is met at all times and in turn, I hope it gives confidence to all of those involved in the sport that any concerns raised will be taken care of in a fair and equitable manner, allowing natural justice to be followed”.

The CMG were appointed after a round of interviews completed in September, whereby a shortlist was drawn up of preferred candidates and approved by Basketball England’s Chief Executive Officer.

The CMG will be supported by Basketball England’s Customer Service Executive, Emma Connolly, and will meet for the first time on Monday 15th October at Basketball England’s Head Offices in Manchester.