It’s an exciting time at Nottingham Wildcats, with new changes and structures in place for 2018-19 and beyond – including Great Britain and England player Siobhan Prior being appointed as Director of Basketball Operations.

With new structures, come new roles and responsibilities, which will see new coaches and employees take the hilt of the programme and drive it forward to new heights.

The Wildcats Trust, the charitable organisation that owns and operates the Nottingham Wildcats Arena and the WBBL franchise, have recently partnered with the Nottingham Academy School. The partnership covers many remits. One of the areas that have been under discussion is the operation of the Academy’s basketball provision by the Nottingham Wildcats.

There has been a basketball programme at the Nottingham Academy for the last 5 years. However, the Academy were looking towards a basketball provision that had a Community approach, as well as maintaining and expanding participation elements of the existing programme and also extending the performance provision for the gifted and talented basketball players within Academy.

These recent discussions with the Academy have been led by Ged Rae, Lead Principal of the Nottingham Academy and Siobhan Prior, former Nottingham Wildcats Trustee.

And, after a recruitment process that included the Trust and the school, Prior has now been appointed to the post of Director of Basketball Operations.

A qualified teacher, WBBL stalwart, Level 3 and RPC coach, Prior is also a current GB player and Commonwealth Games Silver Medal winner. She will manage new systems and structures put in place that directly affect the Academy basketball provision, as well as manage coaches employed to the Academy programmes.

Her role will also see her acting as liaison between the Trust and the Nottingham Academy and she will be at the forefront of building community relationships and partnerships within Nottingham City.

Along with other staff and Trustees, Prior will project the future direction of both the Nottingham Academy basketball provision and the WBBL franchise.

“I am extremely excited for this amazing opportunity to grow basketball in the City I love,” she enthused.

“It is a perfect alignment of my interest in education and basketball, driven by my passion for working with and guiding young people.

“Nottingham is a great place to be and the Wildcats Club has been at the heart of my growth as a basketball player and a person for most of my life.

“Being able to give back to this organisation and the young people it reaches is a dream come true,” concluded Prior.

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