Scully delighted with Ireland Under-18 men’s team appointment

PORTLAOISE Panthers senior men’s team head coach, Jack Scully has been named as one of two assistant coaches to Ireland Under-18 men’s team boss, Niall Berry ahead of the national squad’s 2024/25 programme that will culminate in next summer’s European Championships.

Scully, together with his own former assistant coach at Portlaoise and current Titans BC boss, Ciaran Kiveney, will assist Berry in selecting and preparing a squad to represent the country at the Euros over the next ten months The appointment is a significant honour for Scully on a personal level and another indication of the growing stature of Portlaoise Panthers in Irish club basketball.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to get involved in and it’s something I’ve been working towards for the last couple of years” Scully told the Laois Nationalist. “This year I reached out to a few Irish coaches expressing my interest in getting involved in some capacity.

“Niall asked me to help him with the two initial trials over the last month and he then asked me would I like to be considered for assistant coach, and I said I would. He put my name forward to the Elite Performance Committee (EPC) in Basketball Ireland which appoint all Irish coaches and they then approved and appointed me.

“It’s nice to be considered, it’s nice to be appointed. On a personal level, it’s nice that people feel I’m capable of doing the job. I think it’s a good reflection on clubs like Portlaoise, that they’re starting to get coaches appointed to these national teams.

“When I was growing up, all these appointments were Dublin-based appointments or Cork-based appointments, so it’s good to see other clubs and other coaches being considered, and getting to that level where they’re being appointed to these positions,” he said.

Certainly Ireland Under-18 Men’s head coach, Niall Berry is looking forward to working with Scully and Kiveney over the coming year, telling the Laois Nationalist: “I’m delighted to have Jack come on board as one of our assistant coaches for the Under-18 men’s team this year. One of the things we look for when identifying assistant coaches is their ability to work together as a staff to support the growth of Ireland’s best young players.

“I’m very confident in the relationship I have with Jack and Ciaran, that we will provide an excellent example to our players of teamwork and support that will positively impact on the culture we’re going to build with this group. It’s a great next step for Jack as he continues his journey of coaching in Irish basketball and I’m delighted to be able to support him in taking this step.” Scully will work with Berry and Kiveney on an extended Ireland squad up until Christmas. A series of cuts will then be made to that panel in the new year, until the Ireland management have a final group of 12 that will travel to the Europeans.

There will be about one training camp run for the panel every month up until Christmas with practice games against various countries organised in the new year.

This programme dovetails nicely with Scully’s role in Portlaoise, both as the club’s senior men’s boss and posts with other teams.

“I’ve been involved with the Under-18s, Under-20s and senior men for the last couple of years, just trying to link them together and having a very clear pathway from one age group to the next,” explained Scully.

“I think it’s very beneficial to have the same coach involved in all three teams to link everything together.

“About ten years ago, we weren’t very happy with where our underage structure was at, and so we started from the bottom. That’s when I started. I took an Under-12 boys team and we built on that. From there, when we had just one good team at the time, we’re now extremely competitive at every age group the whole way up.

“On a personal level, I’ve always looked for feedback from more experienced coaches, I’ve attended plenty of coaching clinics and I’ve just been willing to learn for the last couple of years. I don’t think you’re ever fully boxed off in terms of what you know and what you don’t know. I’m still learning every week.”