“It’s our history, it’s our heritage and it needs to be in a proper place,” said Collins, who ran Northampton Basketball Club with ex-husband, John Collins, in the 1980s and 1990s, winning 14 women’s National Basketball League titles.
“My greatest wish is that we will have a hall of fame. I’ve got silver trophies in my cellar and attic, and they shouldn’t be there – they should be in a place that showcases our collective history.”
The 77-year-old’s call to arms has become even more prevalent after the passing in 2022 of her friend and revered British basketball historian, aficionado, guardian and stat-king, John Atkinson – fondly known as ‘Statkinson’.
After their experiences as basketball personnel during the London 2012 Olympic Games, Collins and Atkinson were concerned that a century’s worth of British basketball memories and memorabilia might be lost to the annals of time, and so in 2014, they began working with faculty members of the ‘The Hive’ – an archive and heritage centre at the University of Worcester – to create a National Basketball Heritage Collection, which was launched in 2016.
“With Seb Coe talking about the legacy [of London 2012], JA and I realised there was no legacy in this country for basketball, and it’s been played here since 1890 something,” said Collins.
“We started to look for people to help us create something, and I hate to say it, but Basketball England weren’t very helpful at the time. Eventually Mick Donovan, who’s got a great basketball history at Worcester, said that the university would help so we started the project there.”
Atkinson had stressed that for the sport to be truly professional its history, facts and stats needed to be recorded in a robust and consistent manner so that broadcasters, presenters, commentators and others could frame their work in the true context of the British basketball story and avoid spreading misinformation about teams, players and events.
The work has been supported by Roger Yapp, Mark Hannen, Dan Routledge, Jamie Smith and Mick Donovan, and Dr Geoff Kohe – an internationally recognised researcher with expertise in sport museums and heritage practices.
Despite a lot of British basketball heritage still being in the houses, photo albums and camcorders of the populace, Collins says that there is someone now working full-time on the project to slowly archive everything as it comes in.
“The last two years has seen some very positive progress, especially with closer links with the English Basketball Fellowship, which was born with a remit of regularly bringing together people who have given ‘outstanding services to the sport of basketball over a period of many years’.”
Born in London but raised in Manchester, Collins was first introduced to basketball in the 1960s, whilst she was at college in Hull, by Brian Coleman, who was national coach to the England Basketball Ball Association.
After moving to London to teach, Collins would then pick up basketball with Southgate College in North London.
From there she joined the London Central YMCA Bobcats, set up by Kath Collins in the early 70s, and became the team’s secretary when it entered the Women’s National Basketball League – the frontrunner to the Super League Basketball Women - in 1975.
Collins says she enjoyed playing but also found a natural affinity for the organisational roles that basketball can offer, holding positions as chair of the successful London Ladies League and as the women’s rep on the London Area Committee before stepping back to have her first child, Matthew, who went onto play for England and GB students, as well as professionally overseas and domestically.
In the 1980s, ex-husband John was headhunted to coach the women’s programme at Northampton Basketball Club – originally set up Geoff Boulby and then taken on by Mark and Sue Newton, who entered the team into division two of the national league and secured sponsorship from Avon Cosmetics – and Collins became club secretary.
For 20 years they ran the club, racking up 14 titles and procuring further sponsorship from the likes of British shoe brand Dr Martens, as well as expanding the club’s provision to cater for men’s, juniors and wheelchair basketball.
Collins would also act as a commissioner for the national league and would chair the Northants Area Association and the East Midlands region and was elected on the Board of England Basketball Association.
And in 1993, she became the first director for women’s basketball on the National Executive Committee, implementing a development plan to push the women’s game forward, something she remains steadfastly proud of.
Candidly, Collins says that running a commercially viable club across two-decades is expensive business. But across all her roles, she's been kept motivated to champion the game.
“It’s hard work, especially when you’re doing a full-time job and raising three children. It’s a lot of juggling balls. We ran it properly and then in 2000 we made the decision to fold the club.
“I just love the game. It’s inclusive and it’s a family; we are a family. I’ve made so many friends over the years. It’s the camaraderie that makes it more than just a game.”
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