In the dynamic world of FIMBA GB Basketball, the +50 and +55’s have witnessed a seismic shift with the addition of seasoned national league player Mark Taylor to the coaching staff.
As the team gears up for the FIMBA European Championships, Taylor’s arrival promises a transformative touch, injecting a wealth of experience and strategic prowess into the coaching team. Like a well-executed pick-and-roll play, Taylor’s experience seamlessly meshes with Head Coach Dom Short’s dynamic, well organised and professional approach and looks like promising an elevated level of strategic finesse and court mastery.
His presence alongside +50 Head Coach Dom Short will be akin to watching two coaching maestros orchestrating a basketballing symphony. Taylor’s basketball acumen, honed over years of navigating the hoops landscape, brings a strategic edge that complements the team’s existing strengths.
Coach Short recently held his first +50 training session in Nottingham, alongside the +55’s, and was impressed with his guard line up but needs height, which is the opposite to the +55’s who have height but not the guards.
When I heard that Mark was interested in joining the coaching set up, I invited him in and he took to the session very well. I’m looking forward to working with him and having him part of my coaching line up
+50 Men Head Coach, Dom Short
Both coaches Short and Taylor will also form part of the coaching line up for the +55’s alongside Head Coach Des Williams and Williams will be available for the +50’s when needed as an assistant.
Mark brings a wealth of experience and a desire and hunger to compete and he fits in really well with both Dom and I. The 50’s and 55’s now have a coaching line up that will see them through to the 2025 World Championships and our support network of captains, physios, analysts and sponsors means we can be more professional in approach and have the flexibility in recruitment we desperately need
+55 Men Head Coach, Des Williams
Mark was introduced to Basketball when he was 12, he’d always loved seeing the Harlem Globetrotters on TV but his Dad wanted him to be a swimmer. (Both parents were professional Ballroom Dancers so could have been a lot worse!) Mark had fallen in love with the game and knew that was where he needed to be.
By 14 Mark was making his debut in the Men’s league for the Swindon Rakers against “Cat” Johnson’s Calderdale Explorers,
I learned fast not to trash talk a legend whilst trying to defend him … .needless to say Coach Doug Watkins sat me back down quickly. I played the next 12 years there alongside and under some of the greats of the game, Hungrecker, Shackleford, Modzelewski, Lawrence to name a few.
Coach Taylor
When former Swindon Sonics coach Alan Hunt moved to the newly formed Division 1 Oxford Devils, Mark followed. Under Bill Baker he won the National Trophy Final, erasing the heartbreak of a Wembley loss with Swindon a few years earlier. After a couple of seasons he returned “home” to the Sonics, playing his final game in 2000 before 5 more years of local league.
A chance call this year drew me back out of retirement and into coaching, getting to work with the Warwickshire Hawks relit the fire and I was right back in love with the game. Now having the privilege to work alongside Des and Dom with the FIMBA GB +50’s is like a dream and I don’t want to wake up! I’ll be drawing on every single coach I’ve played for and every player I learnt from to bring the best to the squad we have.
Coach Taylor
Welcome to the FIMBA GB Family Mark!
