The VIS Wheelchair Basketball program will operate in partnership with BA and Basketball Victoria (BV) to deliver the high performance program for Wheelchair Basketball in Victoria. The program will be based primarily at the world class VIS headquarters in the Albert Park sports precinct and at identified venues in Melbourne.
The program’s aim is to maximise the development of elite Victorian wheelchair basketball athletes to achieve National and International success in line with the national program direction and targets.
The athletes will have access to training facilities and support services at the VIS with an aim to provide a world class daily training environment for them as they pursue international success.
After an extensive recruitment process involving VIS, BA, BV and Paralympics Australia, Craig Campbell has been appointed as the inaugural Head Coach of the program.
Campbell’s previous experience as a coach and sports administrator includes being the Assistant Coach of the Australian Men’s U23 Wheelchair Basketball team (winning a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships), Head Coach of the Kilsyth National Wheelchair Basketball League team and is currently the Head Coach of the Australian Women’s team, the Gliders.
For the past four years, Campbell has also held the position of Manager Clubs, Community and Sport Development at AusCycling.
His role at the VIS will combine the VIS Head Coach role, alongside the role of Head Coach of the Gliders to create the first full time Wheelchair Basketball coaching role based in Victoria.
Campbell is thrilled to be part of the team that will support the development of elite Victorian wheelchair basketballers in the inaugural VIS program.
“I’m excited to support and see the success on and off the court for our athletes that will evolve as part of the first solely Paralympic focussed program at the VIS,” Campbell said.
Dave Crosbee, VIS Director High Performance is really excited that the VIS are partnering with basketball to launch the new program as part of the expanded support the VIS is able to give sports and athletes in Victoria.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Craig into the VIS and working with him to develop the program – and especially excited that we will have a program that is exclusively focussed on a paralympic sport – a first for the VIS,” Crosbee said.
Leigh Gooding, BA General Manager Wheelchair Programs & 3X3 said that Basketball Australia are extremely pleased to be able to support Campbell as the inaugural head coach for the first VIS program for wheelchair basketball.
“We see this as a huge piece in establishing the Victorian wheelchair pathway with our partners in BV and VIS, and it will be a massive win for our national program having a full-time coach based in Melbourne surrounded by a professional services team at the VIS,” Gooding said.
