Sections   BBL Ireland Scotland NBL Men  NBL Women NBL Junior England Men ULEB Euro League FIBA Supro League Saporta Cup NEBL Olympics 2000   More..    Profiles Archive Search Features The News Wire   Interactive   News by Email  Hoopchat  Frequently Asked Questions    Front Page

Q&A : Simon Kirkland As Chief Executive of Basketball England, Simon Kirkland oversees the development and promotion of the game in England, as well as the national team programme and the running of the National Basketball League. Simon took the time to answer reader's questions in the latest Britball.com Q&A. Do you think that more money should be put in to helping British youths develop their basketball skills and then they could play in the National team, instead of Americans like Tony Dorsey? Danny Marriott SK- Thank you for your question.  The thrust of England Basketball, presently, is to invest in a structure that will provide a throughput of strong English players that will ensure that we have a strength through our cadets, juniors and senior programme that will be able to challenge European basketball.  We are investing, with the help of sponsorship and Sport England, a considerable amount of money into developing local structures and talent identification programmes to enable this to happen.  At present more money is invested into this development structure than specifically into the senior men’s national team.  With all competition we have to apply and play by the rules and FIBA’s rules now allow us for one naturalised player to play within our national team.  As all other European countries will be doing so we would be at a disadvantage if we did not get any benefit of naturalised players who qualify to play for England.  Therefore, as we are only allowed one player within the England team and Coach Laszlo Nemeth has made a decision to bring Tony Dorsey into the squad to play in the European Championship.  It has to be remembered that the quality of European competition is extremely high and we need a strong squad to maintain and improve our current position.   Simon, this sport is crying out for more TV and media coverage. When is it going to happen? Also we are getting little coverage on our national team who could possibly qualify for a major competition in the next 12 months.  Do you agree that you have to get the right balance and I know you are trying to persuade the BBC to invest in it and that's right. After all it doesn't cost  much to show and I can guarantee it will pull in audiences if shown at the right time and continuous over the period of the season?  Christopher Scruton SK- We are constantly trying to increase the television coverage for basketball.  As you may know, basketball had considerable coverage on Channel 4 in the early 1980’s, however, when the viewing figures dropped below a million and American football appeared bringing in in excess of 1.5 million viewers channel 4 decided to drop basketball.  We are constantly speaking with television companies encouraging them to take basketball coverage and the Basketball League have done an excellent job in securing regular coverage through Sky.  Without decent media coverage we are unable to secure substantial sponsorship and this is our key. We are currently talking with a number of companies to try and increase the coverage of our National team which I agree with you is the key to the future of basketball in the UK.  I appreciate your comments about ITV2, however, ITV2 is a partner with the NBA and is being seen as the channel that does promote basketball we are in contact with ITV2 attempting the receive further promotional activity on ITV main channel and ITV2 to promote the forthcoming England games.  Basketball is currently shown on the BBC, the National Cup and the finals, and viewing figures are encouraging, however, we must be able to demonstrate clearly that there is an interest and the forthcoming Olympics will be interesting to note the viewing figures for basketball both on the BBC and when the men’s final is shown live on Eurosport.  If basketball fans do not tune in and watch the basketball then we have a weaker argument when going to television companies to encourage them to take basketball.   Why for so long has the England national team been so underfunded ? I think it is right to say this is mainly your responsibility so can you tell me why this remains a problem?  Our team will never progress further without adequate preparation and funding. I think it is time to get things right or consider changing things within the organisation. This has been a constant problem for the EBBA. Will Jones, Newcastle SK- You are right in saying that the funding of the National teams has been a constant challenge for the Association. I have to emphasise that we co-ordinate eight teams, and not just the senior men’s team,. This ranges from our under 14’s who entered this Summer in the Bam Passerelle Tournament where the female team were successful in beating Italy and qualifying for the final rounds, our cadets, the boys qualified for the next round of the European Championships, our junior teams and senior men and women.  We receive £100,000 from Sport England to fund the entire National teams programme and taking into account the need to cover charges for administration and pay salaries for the National Teams coach along with team administration and management, there is little left for investment in running programmes.  The senior men’s programme, which is undoubtedly our flagship, takes a considerable share of the remaining finance.  However, if we withdrew the senior men’s team we would be fined in excess of the costs that we incur to participate in European competition. We have therefore entered into a arrangement with Coventry Sky Dome to take up the accommodation, transport and venue costs for the forth coming Men’s Internationals and this has allowed us to free-up funding for the other teams and also a preparation tournament for the senior men’s team. The history of funding of the England teams has been a constant challenge to the Association as I stated earlier some 4 years ago a plan was submitted to Sport England for World Class Performance lottery funding and unfortunately my predecessor’s application was unsuccessful, as basketball does not meet the criteria laid down by Sport England of being a realistic medal chance.  This criteria is extremely harsh on a strong European sport such as basketball and benefits individuals sports such as athletes, swimmers, table tennis players for example, and also those team sports that are predominately Commonwealth and therefore have less countries participating – netball, hockey, rugby for example.  We do not decry those sports funding, however, in comparison with football we stand with our senior men’s level 17th in Europe and the soccer team lies 14th with considerably more than £100,000 worth of funding. Therefore, through coach Dr Laszlo Nemeth and a considerable amount of volunteer support and fund raising we do believe we give excellent value for money to Sport England for the £100,000.  We do have a strategy, one is to seek and lobby for further funding with Government and you may have noticed recently both myself and Betty Codona OBE met with Sport Minister Kate Hoey. We are also seeking commercial funding, both in the form of sponsorship and other forms of income streams.  These are being set in place; however, a strong media partner is needed so that we gain greater exposure for the senior men and also the other teams.  It is sometime perceived that we do have a choice to either put funding into the senior men or other areas of funding – we do not.  Considerable amounts of our funding is drawn from either sponsorship or from Sport England funding and this money ring-fenced for specific programmes and initiatives. The Executive Board are wishing to put a greater resource into the national teams, however, we do not have a choice of further allocating resources to the national teams programmes.  This was the case last year, however, budgets this year will not allow further extension of funding for the national teams.  There is a constantly challenging programme and we have a considerable number of staff and volunteers who put in an enormous amount of time to support the national programme.   What changes are envisaged for the structure of the Women's game in this country? How do we attract athletes from other sports to take up basketball? Should all EBBA member clubs be encouraged/enforced to have Women's Teams? Richard Moor SK- This is a subject dear to my heart as a former National League Coach for senior and junior women,  I do believe strongly in the importance of a well structured female game.  The fundamental difficulty to holding back the development of the female game is the traditions within schools, a high percentage of basketball is played with girls in years 10 and 11 as an option. However, structured teaching and coaching is limited within our schools, therefore, the enthusiasm generated by teachers is diminished.  We are still suffering from traditions of English sport within schools, particularly on the female side of hockey, netball etc. Programmes, such as the Millennium Youth Games, drive further development and the need to ensure that younger girls get enthused about basketball and make a choice earlier to play basketball.  The Millennium Youth Games led to approximately 3,000 girls participating at under 13 level in a national competition.  Clubs and other organisations now have an enormous opportunity to pick up on these participants and grow an enthusiasm into our exciting game.  However, our second challenge is the number of coaches and volunteers in the female game and this is a constant challenge, more on the female side than on the male side.  However, through our Active Sports programme, a National Sport England programme, are targeting both boys and girls into regular venue league participation. Associated identification and coach development will build a sound base.  What is pleasing is our National BAM Passerelle team participating at under 14 level in European competition beat Switzerland, Italy and Andorra to qualify for the European finals.  We are also, during this coming year, planning a re-structure of the women’s national league to further promote and market the elite end of the women’s game and would envisage that this would further promote positive role models for the female game.     I understand that you are to introduce basketball coach validation in January 2000 which I believe is long overdue - well done! Could you tell me what the EBBA are doing about two other areas of coaching concern. 1.    Have you any plans in mind to ensure that Local Authorities use  only qualified coaches in their sports development programmes? 2.    What are the EBBA doing in terms of recommending realistic hourly rates of remuneration for coaches at the various award levels. Basketball coaches in particular seem to get a raw deal from local authorities and educational institutions! Alan Barber (Secretary - Basketball Coaches Association (BCA) SK- I know that coaching is dear to your heart and the services etc. and quality of coaching is vitally important to ensure that our sport progresses.  We have given all Local Authorities through the former Champion Coaching Scheme and now through Active Sports a structured framework that gives the qualification relative to the appropriate sports development programme being conducted.  It is for the Local Authority sports development programmes  to monitor the qualification of these coaches, along with other aspects such as Child Protection.  We issue guidelines on the appropriate level of qualification and if there are queries we do review these with our internal system.  In relation to recommending realistic hourly rates this again is in the hands of Local Authorities and we have recommended rates associated with our particular levels of qualification.  However, these are not in a similar line to other sports such as tennis.  Thank you for your question and if there are any examples of where Local Authority basketball programmes have unqualified people or that there is clear discrimination against basketball coaches in comparison with other coaches and schemes I would be very pleased to hear about them.   Why have Taunton Tigers been relegated to Div 2, when last year they reached the play-off's in their first season in Div 1? Relegation came despite beating teams like Coventry and Cardiff Clippers home and away, these teams have respectively been rewarded for their "fine = performances" by promotion to the Super League and retention of Div 1 status respectively!!!  Confused and disappointed Tiger. Mike Johns SK- We appreciate that the re-organisation of the National League has had some criticism and also has had some winners and some losers.  However, the clubs asked us, some 2 years ago, to apply the standards and rules across the leagues.  We applied four key criteria – administration, playing strength, promotion and facilities.  Unfortunately a number of teams, and Taunton were an example, their present facilities did not meet  the requirements for both the NBL Conference or division 1.  We have been very clear over the past season that we would be making standards clear and unambiguous.  In Taunton Tigers case there was considerable sympathy as their playing strength is of a significant high level, however, facilities are not suitable. That led to the decision by the National League Committee, who are elected from the clubs.  I do understand that Taunton Deane Council are building a new facility through Lottery Funding and this should give an excellent opportunity for Taunton to progress through the leagues. We are also planning to instigate a standard for the Development of the game through National League clubs.   Has they're been any positive response to your comments in The Times recently? Niall Gray SK- I was very pleased to have the letter to the Times published and have received considerable support from the sport of basketball and other minor sports who are seeking to get further exposure on television.  We are currently talking to a number of television companies about televising England and National League programmes and we hope that this will bear fruit in the medium term.   Football has huge amounts of money at its disposal.  Recently they are to be given £100M for Wembley from the FA and a further £3M from the lottery for the abysmal World Cup bid.   Why are sports like basketball, which is hugely popular world-wide and especially here given so little money compared with the sports who seen to have mega bucks? Should we be making special representations to Kate Hoey for the cash we need to build the facilities we so desperately need for our sport? Mike Brady SK- Following the time of your writing Betty Codona OBE (Chairman) and myself have met Kate Hoey and discussed this specific issue where sports that do not need lottery funding are receiving both lottery and exchequer funding to support their facility development.  I have raised this and this was and issue that the Minister listened sympathetically to and has asked for various reports following our meeting.  We would hope that this will be able to move us forward strategically to enable funds to be sought to develop further facilities.   Instead of pursuing the never-available funding for three home international teams, why can't the United Kingdom side be restored This would increase exposure across the whole country for the sport as happened to ice hockey and allow more players to aim to play at the highest level. Dan Wilcox SK- We have been reviewing this with the other home countries recently and there are some delicate negotiations taking place at the moment.  It is also clear that England, Scotland or Wales teams cannot enter the Olympic tournaments and we would have to amalgamate as Great Britain, however, the only qualification through to the Olympics is through  European championships. We are aware that FIBA are looking closely at how we licence players through our passport system and FIBA may only in the future recognise British passports and therefore we will have to redress this situation.  It is also important that within Britain players within England, Scotland and Wales are able to play for their respective home countries and this is the dilemma that we have.  If we seek as we are trying to entry into the Commonwealth games for 2006 we would therefore have to play as home countries, however, Olympic and European competition is on a Great Britain basis and we would therefore have to amalgamate for any assault on Olympic games qualification.  Once again it is a matter of funding and this is the critical element to the development of our sport. Our thanks to Simon Kirkland for answering your questions - look out for the next Q&A soon on Britball.com   Hoopchat What do you think? Submit your reaction to Hoopchat. Name: City / Country: Email Address: Your Comments:

Copyright Britball. Download is subject to Britball's Terms of Service.