Image credit: RBC Köln 99ers / Gero Müller-Laschet
BWB announced the appointment of the Team England wheelchair basketball coaches who will lead the men’s and women’s squads during the historic inaugural Commonwealth Games for the sport.
Making history at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games wheelchair basketball will make its debut appearance in the competition as the first ever para team sport for Team England, and the first time the sport has been included within a Games.
Experienced wheelchair basketball coaches, Mat Foden and Lucas Warburton, have been named as the Team England wheelchair basketball coaching team. Between the pair, they bring to the team a wealth of knowledge and experience of coaching at all levels of the game from domestic club environments through to school games, professional teams and national squads.
Alongside the Team Leader for wheelchair basketball, Foden and Warburton will commence preparations for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games on the 27th of March at Leeds Beckett at the North Trials, with South and Midlands scheduled over the coming months. Information on how to sign up for a Men’s and Women’s 3×3 trial is available below.
On his appointment, Mat Foden commented:
“3×3 is a relatively new format for wheelchair basketball and brings its own challenges, compared with the 5v5 game, for players and coaches alike, so to prepare the English teams for a Commonwealth Games will be an exciting and new experience I look forward to being a part of.”
“It will be great to work alongside a talented young coach such as Lucas who has always had a good feel for the game and will bring lots of fresh ideas and value to our preparation and teams.”
Joining Mat is Lucas Warburton, a young coach with plenty of experience in the domestic leagues.
Commenting on his appointment, Lucas said:
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for wheelchair basketball, making its first appearance at a major multi sporting event alongside non-disabled sports, hopefully bringing a greater spotlight onto wheelchair basketball and the incredible sport that it is.”
Commenting on their appointments, Team Leader Justine Lucas said:
“I am really excited to have Mat and Lucas as the coaching team for the Commonwealth Games. They both bring something a little different, but I have no doubt they will work really well together to ensure we can show Birmingham what 3×3 is all about! I can’t wait to get working with them and to build towards the Games over the next 6 months.”
Selection for the Men’s and Women’s England 3×3 squads will be based on trials. Sign-ups for these trials is now officially open via Playwaze– see below for more information:
North trial – Leeds Beckett – Sunday 27th March 2022 – https://bwb.playwaze.com/team-england-3×3/83bzhmo1wnqun/session-display?eventid=PhysicalEvents/16577-A&d=null
South trial – Stoke Mandeville Stadium – Friday 15th April 2022 – https://bwb.playwaze.com/team-england-3×3/83bzhmo1wnqun/session-display?eventid=PhysicalEvents/16609-A&d=null
Midlands trial – University of Nottingham – Sunday 5th June 2022 – https://bwb.playwaze.com/team-england-3×3/83bzhmo1wnqun/session-display?eventid=PhysicalEvents/16578-A
You are only required to attend one trial.
Please join the Playwaze 3×3 England Community and sign up to a trial by 5pm on Sunday 13th February.
You will then be sent information on how to get accredited through Commonwealth Games England, which needs to be completed by Sunday 20th February.
N.B. We will be unable to select you if you do not complete your accreditation by this cut off.
For further information, contact Justine Lucas: j.lucas@britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk
