The Central Coast Academy of Sport continues the ‘Our People Series’. A series of media alerts designed to shine the spotlight on the amazing work done by a committed group of highly qualified individuals, today we shine the spotlight on Will Granger the Head Coach of the Central Coast Granite Basketball Program.
Will Granger- Head Coach Basketball
For Will Granger or ‘Grange’ to most, a young man who has over 22 years of active involvement in the sport, not bad considering he isn’t yet 28 years of age! Like other in the series before him experience is a value that should never be taken for granted, experience is a commitment to the sport that those who receive expert coaching should be most thankful for. Will Granger’s 22 years in the sport have been both as a player and the last 11 years as a coach. Will first took up the sport at the tender age of 5 and since that time has enjoyed some remarkable success. As a player he has won a NSW Championship in the Youth League division, and as a Coach a winner of a NSW Championship in the junior U18 division. His success is not surprising, Will is a qualified teacher and that surely is one of the great benefits his vocation provides the athletes with whom he coaches. His empathy, understanding and knowledge of the classroom is easily transferred to the coaching seats at Terrigal Stadium.
As a player Will is an unrelenting competitor, he has won numerous awards based on his defensive commitment and his own style of play filters onto the teams he coaches. When you understand Will Granger you gain a far deeper appreciation of his own coaching philosophy. His philosophy is built around building robust personal relationships, where the ability to have frank and open discussions is important, as is the continued development of fundamental skills regardless of the age and ability of the athlete.
“In a team or squad environment, I believe in adapting, experimenting, disrupting and pace. I encourage the repetition of basic skills in a variety of settings regardless of the level of the athlete. Above all else, building positive relationships and trust with everyone involved in a team/organization is paramount. Knowing your community beyond basketball will allow further growth and give coaches a greater opportunity to build resilience and toughness within athletes”.
Will has been coaching with the Central Coast Academy of Sport for 7 years and prior as a scholarship athlete for 2, so when aggregated his involvement spans nearly a decade. He is charged with the responsibility of overseeing everything basketball, as the program head coach he oversees the structure, content, style of play and delivery of weekly training sessions and he has over 10 coaches under his guidance. As a mentor he works with a number of trainee coaches and utilises the high level of expertise within the coaching ranks to have built a highly effective coach development program. His involvement at the CCAS has seen him awarded an Office of Sport Coaching Scholarship and his success at the ClubsNSW Academy Games set a new standard in 2018 when both the boys and girls teams won gold medals against more fancied opposition. As a potential spokesman for the CCAS this commentary is extremely pleasing to read:
“Being involved in the CCAS program both as a player and a coach I hold the Academy in extremely high regard. The academy has provided me with mate ship, opportunity, guidance, mentorship, love and respect for the sport and a true sense of belonging. I have had the privilege to mentor young aspiring athletes, and I myself have been mentored by highly accomplished players and coaches. I would not change a single moment of my time with the Central Coast Academy of Sport”.
When you understand Will’s commitment to the game of basketball, it is easy to understand the Central Coast Granite Basketball Program will remain as one of the highest performing programs in the suite of sport program offerings delivered by the CCAS. His reflection on where the sport is heading is also an interesting insight to his knowledge of the industry:
“I see basketball becoming a major focal point in Australian sport. Basketball in Australia will become a more streamlined pathway for athletes to progress professionally in the sport. I see an Olympic medal in the next 10 years”.
Congratulations and thanks to Will Granger for his support of the CCAS and the many local athletes who have been supported by his genuine care and commitment to the sport of basketball.
