BASKETBALL WALES ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 CONTENTS Chair’s Statement 03 Performance 22 CEO’s Statement 05 Tri-Nations 25 Board 08 GB 2019/20 Selection 26 Highlights 09 Special Olympics 27 Strategy 13 Coaching 28 Sport Wales & Officiating 29 Basketball Wales 14 Media & Comms 31 Finance Update 14 Commercial 35 Membership 15 Commercial Sub-Group 36 Grass Roots 16 The Year Ahead 37 School’s Report 17 NWBA 20 SWBA 21 Basketball Wales Annual Report 2019/20 02 CHAIR’S STATEMENT The Basketball Wales 2020 Annual Report would normally cover the 2019-20 basketball season within the financial year to 31st March 2020. However, the calendar year 2020 has At the same time, we have relied The resignation of Safeguarding been dominated by the global Covid-19 heavily upon the skills of our part-time Director, Melanie Hellerman, was pandemic and, since March, severely Administrator, Helen Pearce, and we also received during the past year restricted organised sport and especially thank Helen for her work and liaison and we thank her for her efforts while indoor team sports such as basketball. with the Welsh Government’s agencies. updating our resources and taking We offer our deepest sympathy and This has been vital in guiding and Basketball Wales to the next level condolences to those of you who have advising Basketball Wales and its regarding Safeguarding resources. lost loved ones, and/or suffered personal member clubs through the constantly On the plus side, Kate Gordos joined distress, as a result of the pandemic, evolving Covid-19 situation. the Board this year, in the position of Keith Mair and sincerely hope that the recent Commercial Director. Kate made an Independent Chair Recent months have seen the introduction of a vaccine will see an end immediate positive impact with her Basketball Wales resignation, due to increased work to the issue during the first half of 2021. initiatives and expertise, and these will commitments, of Mike Thomas, our be illustrated throughout this Annual Throughout 2020, the members of Finance Director for several years. Report. We are always looking for your Basketball Wales Board have Mike’s astute and conservative financial volunteers for the Basketball Wales made significant contributions to keep estimates and reporting have been Board and can accommodate anyone our organisation functioning and very much appreciated and he leaves with the appropriate skills or experience, looking ahead to the future. In particular, Basketball Wales in a sound financial and a genuine interest in assisting us we thank Gavin Williams, our Chief state, well equipped for the current set to grow, develop and administer Executive Officer, for the leadership and back in activities and prepared for basketball in Wales. direction he has provided throughout the future. To continue Mike’s role, this stressful year. Gavin is a multi- we thank Helen and Gavin for their talented and exceptionally busy person, work administering and supervising who somehow manages to keep us all the Association’s finances. going in the right direction. Basketball Wales Annual Report 2019/20 03 CHAIR’S STATEMENT CONT. “ For the next year a Your Board members have also been Meanwhile, on the international front, Finally, thank you all for your efforts priority must be the active with their support of the British after the disruption of activity for the during this difficult year. Your support Basketball Federation (BBF). Stef Collins current 2020 year, FIBA have transferred for the efforts of the Directors is greatly development of senior is now a coach (formerly a player) with our ability to participate in the U16 appreciated, whether it be for the 3x3 basketball teams, the highly successful British Women’s European Small Countries Tournaments Volunteer Awards, online quizzes, or team, while Cameron Seeley and Simon to 2021. While this is excellent news, anything else to do with Welsh basketball. as qualification and Fisher contribute as members of the we will continue to lobby and apply, You have a wonderful group of volunteer preparation for the Performance Management Group and through the BBF and directly with FIBA, Board members and I thank every one Gavin Williams is our representative for permission to participate in all of them for their contributions and wish 2022 Birmingham (Director) on the BBF Board. European Small Countries Tournaments you all the best for a new era of Welsh Commonwealth After serving a two-year term, to assist in the future, and particularly for U18 basketball, beginning in 2021. in providing stability to the BBF Board, participation in 2021. For the next year Games gathers pace.” the three home country Chairs have a priority must be the development now stood down, though I continue of senior 3x3 basketball teams, as to be a member of the BBF Finance qualification and preparation for the Committee. With the recent resignation, 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Keith Mair due to ill health, of BBF Chairman, Games gathers pace. Independent Chair Maurice Watkins, there has been a The support and continued funding Basketball Wales move, led by Basketball England, to from Sport Wales is again appreciated, 9th December 2020 review the BBF structure. We will keep and we thank Richard Lawrence, Sports members informed of developments. Wales Senior Investments and Support Officer, for his ongoing assistance. The efforts of all within Welsh basketball have been recognised and we understand that the sport may well benefit further from Sport Wales investment, especially if we can demonstrate sustainably increasing participation and good governance. Basketball Wales Annual Report 2019/20 04 CEO’S STATEMENT The 2019/20 Welsh Basketball season was cut short in March 2020 when the UK government announced its first national lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Across Wales, Scotland, England and Our national team age group squads As the pandemic worsened the indeed the rest of the world all Basketball that held their trials in September 2019 inevitable news arrived that FIBA came to an abrupt stop and since had been training on a monthly basis cancelled all their youth tournaments then we are all trying to overcome the working hard and focusing on attending for the summer of 2019. This meant challenges that this his brought about. a number of national and international that our U16 Men and Women missed trips that had been planned by their out on the opportunity to represent Our domestic league seasons were coaches and team managers. European Wales at a FIBA European competition. in the final stages of their competitions trips to Paris, Spain, Austria and national looking to crown the winners of the A number of these U16 players had events in Scotland for the U14 Humph Gavin Williams North and South Wales basketball been building up to this event, some Long tournament and the 2nd Annual Tri- Voluntary CEO leagues to find out which clubs would since they were U12s in the Welsh Nations GB tournament in Manchester. Basketball Wales advance to the Basketball Wales national team programmes, so for National Playoff Final Fours. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them the news must have been very all our volunteer coaches for all their disheartening and disappointing. Over the past two seasons, the Final hard work and dedication during the year Fours at Aberystwyth have been a along with the group of dedicated team focus for our top Senior Men’s and U18 managers overseen by Rachel Symons and U16 teams to see who would be who all worked tirelessly to fundraise crowned Welsh Basketball champions. and prepare these exciting tournaments for our players to attend. Basketball Wales Annual Report 2019/20 05 CEO’S STATEMENT CONT. “ It’s a great testament Whilst on-court activities came to a stop, The lockdown period also saw the Following on from last year’s AGM and to our local clubs plenty of off-court activities started to introduction of the Basketball Wales the discussions around FIBA competitions emerge to keep our members active and Big Quiz. This has been a great for our Junior and Senior players, and coaches that we involved in the sport during the pandemic fundraising opportunity for our national I can confirm that Basketball Wales has are able to produce – all via the means of Zoom or Microsoft teams and I’m sure that this is something written to FIBA via the British Basketball Teams! For our referees, we held a that we will continue to develop further Federation to ask for special dispensation talented players that series of monthly online meetings with once the national team programmes are to continue to participate in the Small have the capability assistance from FIBA and our national back up and running. Thanks to Nick Nations and Division C competitions. instructor from Poland, Mr Grezgorz O’Leary, our quiz master extraordinaire We realise that these events for the of being selected to Ziemblicki. Our referees looked to and Rachel Symons for all their efforts in majority of our players are the highlights play for GB at FIBA improve their rules knowledge and play making these events fun and enjoyable and pinnacles of their international calling by discuss clips, plays and even for all participants. careers and having the ability to compete tournaments.” sitting an online rules test! annually in these competitions is vital This year we have continued to develop to the development of our elite athletes. Our Coaches developed a series of our positive working relationship with online CPD workshops where we brought Sport Wales. Basketball has so much We continue to fully support the work together coaches of all levels from across potential to grow further in Wales and of the British Basketball Federation Wales to help develop their knowledge I’m confident that in the next few years and the GB national team squads and and listen to talks and exchange ideas as we continue to work closely with Sport I was proud to see that a number of our with a number of high profile coaches Wales and develop our new strategy and junior players were selected for the GB including coaches from within the GB exciting initiatives, great things can be squads for the age group teams this year.