Over the weekend, we were pleased to confirm the appointment of three new staff members who will be accompanying GB Maxibasketball teams to the XI FIMBA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP MALAGA 2022 
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.First up, we are delighted to announce that Roger Payne has been appointed as M35+ Team Manager! Based in the Midlands, Roger is a Level 3 basketball coach, but has played three different sports for Coventry and the Midlands region (Basketball, Rugby and Athletics), making it to the Junior Olympic Athletics team back in the day. He has coached several National League programmes in the early 2000s, and was agent to more than 20 British Basketball League players from 2009 – 2014. Over the past eight years Roger has placed over 40 kids in schools on scholarships in the States and continues to do that year upon year through his organisation ‘Ballers Heaven’. In the past 12 months alone he has opened doors for kids from Barbados, Spain, St Maarten and the U.K. Roger has already attended two training wekeends as TM, and has fitted into his role nicely.
Secondly, we are delighted to announce our second new GB Maxis family member! Please meet our new Strength & Conditioning Coach Michelle Ortega. A multilingual 1st class honours Sport & Exercise Science graduate from Loughborough University, Michelle has extensive experience as a S&C coach in a range of different sports, such as basketball, cricket, tennis and football. Her broad sporting background stems from her early beginnings as a youth tennis player in Portugal; a basketball scholarship to play in the UK followed soon after and is currently engaged as a powerlifter. She is also experienced as the Senior S&C Intern for Leicester Riders and has supported the Charnwood College basketball programme. She has already made a successful debut at our women’s camp last weekend!
Last, but by no means least, we are thrilled and pleased to introduce our third voluntary staff member. Proving that age is no barrier to inclusion – either as a player or manager – at age 75 years, elder statesman, John Hollis-Davies will be joining the GB Maxibasketball programme as the Men’s 45+ Team Manager, replacing our other John (Dwan) who stepped down to manage a fast-growing community bike project in his local area. We sincerely wish him well with the project. Also known as ‘The Legend’, John Hollis-Davies is from the North West, and comes to us as founder of Liverpool Ajax Basketball Club. He also instigated the creation of Everton Tigers, a project created to counteract perceptions of racism at Everton. He was also their General Manager.
Roger and John will join current Team Managers, Paul Openshaw (Mens 50+) and Louisa Smalley (Women’s TM), whilst Michelle joins Alexandra Reid and Anthony Reed in the S&C team.
Welcome to the GB Maxibasketball family Roger, Michelle and John, we are delighted to have you supporting the GB Maxibasketball programme in the UK and in Malaga! 
