Des is the International Head Coach, committee member and Head Coach of the +55 Men.
Des started his playing career in Northampton, surrounded by a group of incredible supportive people where he learned to love the game. His youth career was spent in Milton Keynes and Hemel before a stint at St John’s University in New York on an academic scholarship. Upon returning to the UK, Des played was offered a contract at Birmingham where he unfortunately suffered a career ending injury and with it his dreams. After a traumatic few years, and having hit rock bottom, Des’s GP suggested a hobby to motivate him and so he started his coaching career with the u16 Leicester Riders team. Having moved to North Wales, Des took over coaching a failing University that had won just 1 game in the last 40. His impact was immediate, flipping the run on it’s head winning 31 of their 32 games and reaching the BUCS National Conference Finals. Another university came calling and the same results, turning a 1-19 BUCS team to an 18-1 team, earning promotions for both the men’s and women’s teams. Having stepped away from basketball for a few years, Des was coaxed back to scrimmage with the FIMBA GB +55 Men and made the team to go to the European Championships.
The basketball world is a huge family, one that is there for a lifetime and you can either embrace it and be active or sit on the sidelines and not get the benefit of the lifestyle, fun and friendships being made around you. When the opportunity to coach the +55s came up, I threw my name into the hat, having been a part of the FIMBA Family, and I’m honoured to be the Head Coach of the M55’s it’s an honour that 40 years ago, when I first started playing, I would never have dreamed of. Friendships are difficult to maintain at the best of times, but being part of an organisation that embraces friendship, a sport that knows no age limits and being able to combine a recreational environment within a professional atmosphere is something that rekindles the competitive spirit and overflows into your personal and business life. We all need an outlet and being part of the FIMBA Family is the outlet I’ve needed.
Des Williams
