The final NBL Weekend Takeover for 30/31 March will see Nottingham Hoods take the reins of the NBL Instagram story.
We caught up with Hoods' Coach Ryan Westley ahead of their takeover weekend, in our final Coach Spotlight feature.
COACH SPOTLIGHT
Name: Ryan Westley
Team: Nottingham Hoods - NBL Division One (Men)
What brought you into coaching?
I was too graceful on the court and wasn't fair on the others to have to compete against me. No, I fell into coaching after an injury when I was in University
What did you find most interesting to learn as a coach?
The dynamics of a team and it's chemistry more complex and impactful on a teams performance then I realized as a young player
What was the most rewarding part of your coaching journey so far?
Seeing the values taught in basketball transfer to other aspects of life in a positive way.
Which parts of coaching do you like the most?
I really like the “X&O” elements of coaching, seeing the team execute and getting a score or a stop.
Where are you now? How are you using your coaching skills?
I am head coach of Nottingham Hoods in NBL 1 and of Nottingham Trent University, who play in BUCs 1a.
What is your coaching niche and why did you choose it?
Probably in increasing player IQ and their cognitions during performance, due to my background in neuropsychology and NeuroRehabilitation
What is your coaching vision for the next 2 years?
Increase my experience coaching around the world, and bring further success to the Nottingham basketball programme, and making it a programme that is a positive influence on it's community
What is your favourite coaching question from athletes?
“Why”
What advice do you have for those coaches currently in training?
Be proactive in finding opportunities to develop and watch as much basketball at all levels as you can.
What legacy would you like to leave behind you?
A winning legacy, where players and coaches can look back and be motivated to keep improving then sport in this country to deliver on it's potential.
You can follow Coach Westley's progress this weekend when Nottingham Hoods takeover the NBL Instagram story!
