UK Coaching has launched the second ever Coaching Week this week by making a #GreatCoachingPledge to help coaches across the nation benefit their communities. To help celebrate, we asked some of the UK's best basketball coaches and players to answer some coaching questions. With the GB Women's EuroBasket campaign fast approaching, we spoke to Sheffield Hatters and GB Senior Women's coach, Vanessa Ellis.
COACHing week SPOTLIGHT
Name: Vanessa Ellis
Team: Sheffield Hatters / GB Senior Women
Tell us a little about your coaching background?
I played basketball and my club coach encouraged all players to do coaching and referee awards and I really enjoyed the coaching. I helped in the club with younger teams when I was still playing. My England coach also said that I should coach and when I finished playing so I decided to pursue it
What inspired you to get into coaching?
My love for the game, encouragement from two key coaches and wanting to give something back. I have gained so much from basketball that I wanted to give other young players an opportunity to do the same and have the same opportunities. It is a great sport and I love being involved
What were your original thoughts when you moved into coaching?
It is a lot tougher than you think. I didn’t know anything but I just made sure I went on every course and took up every opportunity offered so I could get better. I am still doing that
What have you found most interesting to learn as a coach?
That its more than just the X’s and O’s. A coach needs to now lots of stuff about lots of stuff!
What has been the most rewarding part of your coaching journey so far?
There’s lots of things. Players on my team enjoying playing, one of my first teams at the Hatters making playoffs, winning the 3 titles the first year in the WBBL, qualifying for Eurobasket, wining a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and working with such great people
Which parts of coaching do you like the most?
Training sessions
What is your greatest strength as a coach?
Wanting to know and learn more
What advice do you have for those coaches looking to get started and those already on their coaching journey?
Do it and keep learning!
For coaching week, we are asking coaches to make a pledge. What is your coaching pledge?
To continue to develop as a coach
For more information on Coaching Week, follow the link below:
