Sixty players took to the court this weekend for the first men’s selection camp of the new season, as the road to GB Maxibasketball’s 2027 championship teams officially began.
GB Maxis men’s season-opening camp took place this weekend at Nottingham Wildcats Arena, with 60 players in action as they began their journey towards selection for the programme’s 2027 championship teams.
The weekend was opened by GB Maxis Programme Director, Sadie Mason MBE DL, who welcomed players to camp with a message centred on the programme’s team performance ethos and what to expect from camps across the season.
The camp also marked the first appearance for two new additions to the coaching team: Coach Luke Dowding and Strength & Conditioning Coach Oktay Huseyin (shown below) alongside the return of Coach Danny Byrne after a three-year break from the programme.
In his first camp as the new Men’s Coaching Programme Lead, Ally Sinclair reflected on the journey of his bronze medal-winning team, highlighting the selflessness shown by individual players in pursuit of team success.
S&C Coach Oktay Huseyin led players through warm-up and cool-down routines incorporating real-time feedback on range of motion, flexibility and agility across the age groups.
With players ranging from 35+ to 60+, the majority were new to the performance programme but brought energy and enthusiasm throughout, with both days featuring extensive 5v5 play giving players the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities individually and as part of a team.
Following this first selection camp, players will be notified over the coming week as to whether they have progressed to the second men’s selection camp in October, where they will be joined by up to 60 players from the six GB squads that competed in Greece this summer.
Looking ahead, GB Maxis women’s and men’s final team selections will take place following the final camps of the year in November and December respectively, when players will learn whether they will represent GB Maxis on the international stage next year. The selection pathway for the programme’s inaugural male and female FIBA Masters Open 3×3 teams will also be confirmed at this stage.
October camp dates:
- Women: 3–4 October
- Men: 10–11 October
GB Maxibasketball is a governing body recognised Great Britain national masters basketball programme, entirely volunteer-led and self-funded, fielding teams across men’s and women’s age categories from 35+ to 65+.