The GB Masters Wheelchair squad hosted their final open trial session, with a new head coach, new home venue but the same intensity and excitement.
The Magnus Community Sports Centre in Newark and has been confirmed as the new home venue for the GB Masters Wheelchair programme, and will form the training base for all future sessions, with Newark Jaguars Coach, Ian Brown, also stepping up to take the Head Coach role.
Having a home venue is fantastic for the programme, so huge thanks to Ian and the Newark Jaguars for making it happen. It means our wheelchair players know what to expect in terms of accessibility and can plan their journeys with confidence every month. We’ll also have branding around the centre, helping to create a real home court feel and inspire players, both current and future, to feel part of the team and be motivated top get involved.
Bruce Lauder – Head of Wheelchair
As this was the final open trial, the session was focused on drills and skills to allow the coaching and management team to assess the players as individuals and within the team. The first set focused on shooting, starting with layups before gradually increasing the range to the 3 point line, before the group was split into 4 for some mini-games where the players were not only being assessed on their individual points classification matchups , but also on their communication.
Teamwork and chair positioning are key to the success or failure of a wheelchair team, so the next set of drills saw each team have 14 seconds to “run the gauntlet” and get at least 2 players past their opposition at each line on the court. The drill really focused on spatial awareness, working together and communication and highlighted some areas for development as the squad moves forward
Some final game style positioning and shooting drills showed the chair control, speed and attitude before some final competitive games where the coaches worked on some different combinations to see how certain players worked on court with each other.
I can’t believe how far this programme has come in the past year, since we started it. What started as a group of individuals looking to continue playing at a higher level has grown to a level now where we have to select a competitive squad to move forward with. The players really stepped up to the challenge today and pushed themselves and each other hard, giving us a lot to think about, which is all we can ask. The future is exciting for this programme and other nations are beginning to see what we are building and replicating it themselves, which can only be good for the growth of the Masters game internationally.
Bruce Lauder – Head of Wheelchair
Next up, the final GB squad will be selected from which the teams for the upcoming HISTORY Games in Nottingham and FIBA European Championships in Munich will be chosen.
