Exeter Wheelchair Basketball coach announced as finalist for UK Coaching award

A wheelchair basketball coach at the Exeter Otters has been shortlisted for the Adult Community Coach of the Year Award by UK Coaching in recognition of their work helping to develop wheelchair basketball in the southwest of England.

The UK Coaching Awards is a national celebration event, regarded as the most prestigious within the coaching community and created to celebrate the remarkable contributions coaches make – from delivering high quality and technical coaching, to supporting participants both physically and mentally.

Jack Davey is the head coach and chairperson at the Exeter Otters wheelchair basketball club and has been playing basketball since the age of 14. From the moment he first sat in his sport chair, he fell in love with wheelchair basketball – a journey that has taken him all over Europe and given him the opportunity to play professionally in Germany.

He moved back to the UK in 2019 to help develop wheelchair basketball in the southwest and help create opportunities for all in the community. As part of his mission to get more people active, Davey also works as a mobility advisor, travelling all over the south of England and Wales to help build wheelchairs bespoke to people.

On their nomination, Davey said: “I am extremely honoured, and I was very surprised when I found out I had been nominated. I’ve always had an interest in helping other reach their potential not only as a player but also a person and I know first-hand the power that wheelchair basketball can have for someone with a disability.

“As a wheelchair basketball player myself, I know the impact the sport has both physically and mentally. Wheelchair basketball was my proper first experience of other people with disabilities playing sport, and fell in love with it right away.

“The fast pace, the tactics but also the fact everyone was learning off one another and having fun together rather than someone who had a disability on the side. The most important thing as a coach is to enjoy it, and make sure everyone is having a good time.”

With previous award winners including Sarina Wiegman, Jane Figueiredo, Judy Murray, and Ben Stokes’ coaching chain, the awards celebrate the best of the UK’s Coaching workforce, the unforgettable moments they deliver, and the profound impact at every level of sport and activity.

UK Coaching’s CEO Mark Gannon congratulated Davey on their nomination, and reflected on the huge variety of coaching talent announced:

“We are delighted to announce our finalists for the 2023 UK Coaching Awards. Across the board we have seen so much talent, passion and commitment amongst our amazing coaching workforce, and this year’s finalists represent the best of our nation’s coaches who do so much to support people through sport and physical activity.

“All of our finalists should be extremely proud of what they have been able to achieve and fully deserve this recognition. We are very much looking forward to celebrating together at our UK Coaching Awards ceremony, bringing together the coaches that are going above and beyond to deliver outstanding experiences and make a real difference in their community.”

The awards will be held on 5 December at the Queens Hotel in Leeds.

Find out more about this year’s finalists and the awards by heading to www.ukcoaching.org/uk-coaching-awards.