With the 2021/22 season edging ever-closer, Bury St. Edmunds Basketball Club's National League Men's side are seeking additional volunteers to help with the gameday experience, and the overall progression of the team.
It's been quite a journey for the side over the past couple of years as the club has transitioned from local league to National League, but Head Coach Arron MacDonald believes the side has made significant progress:
"I think if anyone looked at what we've managed to achieve in terms of building a support structure around this team in such a short space of time - and during a pandemic - it's clear we've really taken some giant steps forwards. We remain the only side in our division who are 'just' a club, and don't have the financial backing of a Basketball Academy, or university. Despite that, we've secured a meal prep supplier for our side on game days at The Coffee House, we have pre-season team-building sessions with The Playground, access to discounted physiotherapy treatments with Bury Physio, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find many teams in our division with those agreements in-place. With that said - we're still working on a few more things too."
Whilst Andrew MacDonald and Lynne Quelch return to the staff this season, the loss of experienced Assistant Coach Pat Merryweather created a vacancy on the bench - which Army Head Coach Benn Wathey has filled. The side are presently also in discussions with a Strength & Conditioning Coach to join the staff, but Coach MacDonald believes there's room for more...
"We're at that stage of pre-season where we can still look at 'blue sky' solutions - and in that ideal world, I think there's room for three or four more people to come on-board, and fill roles which we'd perhaps not needed before, but would absolutely enhance what we do."
The side are presently seeking volunteers to drive the minibus for away games, to film games and assist with performance analysis with the coaches, and gameday volunteers to support with the management of the venue (and potentially a gameday shop) for home games. Additionally, if there are any more photographers or content creators who would be interested in working with the side to build their portfolio, there are plenty of opportunities across the club.
"Securing team transport for the season has been a goal we've been working towards for some time" said Coach Arron MacDonald. "After working on this for some time, and having now arranged for minibus hire, we're looking to bring on-board an additional member of support staff for the Men's side."
"Our over-arching focus is on the professionalisation of the Men's team. That starts with improving the infrastructure around the team - and that's why it's really important that we get a few more of the right kind of people involved in our side and around our staff to help us to continue to progress."
If you'd be interested in volunteering with the National League men's side (in this capacity or any other), please get in touch with us here.
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