TOP OF THE COURT, TOP OF THE CLASS: BAMFIELD’S DOUBLE TRIUMPH
Article by : Akshat Kandya
Signaling a transformative and bright future ahead for Welsh Basketball, James Bamfield, the present head coach of the Welsh senior men’s basketball team secured a Top 10 spot in the graduating class of this year’s elite FIBA Europe Coaching Certificate program (FECC).
Running over a span of two years, The FECC is one of the most prestigious coaching programs in European sport offering coaches from around the globe the opportunity to learn and work under some of the best minds in the business with activities like group discussions and workshops along with assignments and homework, hence developing and building skills they need to work with young talent.
Speaking on his time at the program, James who attended three different programs between 2019 and 2021 mentioned “I attended the U16 Championship in Udine in 2019, the U18 championship as well as the U20 championships both in 2020 in Turkey and Greece and have a clear understanding of where our athletes have to be at ages- 15,17 and 19.”
He further said “attending all three age groups really allowed us to see the development of the players from a Technical, Tactical, Psychological/Social and Physical perspective. I loved the FECC experience to be around that level of knowledge of the tutors but also other coaches who are working at an elite level around the world. So, being amongst the top 10 participants in the class was a tremendous honour.”
He signed off saying “The tutors were fantastic at stressing not just the what but the how and when of player development from every pillar. To have renowned world class coaches such as Pablo Laso (Baskonia/Real Madrid/Bayern Munich), Stanislav Pesic (Barcelona/Serbia Men NT), Marco Ramondino (Weisenfells), Erden Cam (Turk Telecom) and many others come and deliver sessions for us was an amazing experience and opportunity to learn.”
Gavin Williams, Chief Operating Officer of Basketball Wales, praised James’ commitment and impact on Welsh basketball:
“We are really proud of James for achieving this qualification. The FECC course requires a great deal of sacrifice, dedication, and commitment, and these are the qualities that James has displayed for many years as Head Coach of the Wales Men’s Senior National Team. Over the past two summers, our men’s national teams have taken significant steps forward with on-court results, including series wins against both Malta and Gibraltar, who compete in the FIBA Small Countries competition.”
James’ accomplishment marks another step in Wales’ basketball development journey, reinforcing the country’s growing influence in both coaching and competitive play on the international stage. Basketball Wales would like to thank Sport Wales and The National Lottery for their continued support in developing our performance and coaching pathways.
Photo : James Bamfield (left) Coach Pablo Laso (Right)
