Erynn (Top Left)
Erynn Selected for FIBA‘s Coach Mentoring Programme after success at their Women’s Basketball Summit
Basketball is more than just a sport; it’s a community, a journey, and a place for growth. Erynn Legge, who served as an assistant coach for the Scotland U16 Women during their 2023 Home Nations tournament, was recently selected to participate in the FIBA Women’s Basketball Summit.
Erynn and 19 other coaches from across Europe gathered in Postonja, Slovenia for the three-day summit, which aimed to provide opportunities to female coaches and up-and-coming female referees with professional aspirations as part of FIBA’s Women in Basketball strategy. Distinguished coaches Silvia Font and Janez Drvaric were in attendance to share fresh insights on coaching the game for young female players.
The Summit also introduced the inaugural FIBA Women in Officiating Global Camp, where 16 female referees were in attendance as well. This provided Erynn and her fellow coaches with a unique opportunity to discuss how the two different roles view basketball. “There were lots of debates, but it really helped the coaches understand the rules more.” Off court, the participants had time to socialise and create connections. Activities ranged from hiking up Postojna hill at night to enjoy the picturesque town view from the top to Erynn’s personal highlight: a discussion among a group of coaches at a local coffee shop, sharing insights about basketball in their home countries and their individual experiences.
During the summit, the coaches and staff selected six participants whom they believed embodied the characteristics and knowledge required for participation in the FIBA 2023-24 Coach Mentoring Programme. Erynn’s dedication and enthusiasm at the summit did not go unnoticed, and she was among the chosen six. Erynn expressed her gratitude and excitement, stating, “I am extremely grateful and excited [to be selected]. When the names were getting announced I never would have thought I would be on the list. It is an opportunity I could not say no to! I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with the other mentees and to gaining knowledge from the mentors throughout the upcoming season.”
As part of the Coach Mentoring Programme, which is set to begin in Septmeber, Erynn will have the Serbia National Team head coach, Marina Marković, as her mentor.
“I think I am going to learn so much from her sharing her experiences with me. She is such a big name in women’s basketball and has a great basketball academy set up in Serbia.” commented Erynn as she shared her thoughts on being mentored by one of the biggest names in women’s basketball “Having the opportunity to have 1-on-1 conversations with her is something I would never be able to do without selection into this programme. I will hopefully have the opportunity to travel out the club she will be coaching this season to see how she runs things over there and attend one of her games.”
“The FIBA Women’s Basketball Summit was a great experience for Erynn to be able to continue her development as a coach, and we couldn’t be happier that she’s been selected to advance into the FIBA 2023-24 Coach Mentoring Programme.” Commented Emma Edwards, basketballscotland’s People Development Lead “This opportunity is a testament to her commitment to growth and excellence as a coach and we are confident that she will continue to excel, not only in her coaching skills but also as a role model for aspiring coaches.”
You can find more information about the summit here
