Posted on 18 October, 2017

The Cobras VYC Head Coaches have been announced for the upcoming Big-V season, with Mark Landells set to lead the reigning champion Men while Claire Knight will make her VYC Head Coaching debut with the Women in 2018.

After leading Kilsyth to a thrilling three game series win over Nunawading to claim the 2017 State Championship, Mark Landells will return to the helm of the VYC Men for a third season. Finishing the regular season with the league’s second best record in 2017, Landells and co turned it up a notch come playoff time, culminating in a deciding Game 3 Finals victory on home court to cap one of the most exciting finals series in recent memory.

Landells’ development of his young group saw Mitch Dielemans and Jorden Adnam named to the VYC Men’s All Star Five, while Jamie Ahale was awarded the league’s rising star award for 2017. Ahale and Ben Ursich also made significant contributions with Schueller’s SEABL Men over the second half of the season, and with Landells clearly maximizing the ability of the players around him, he was rewarded by being named the VYC Men’s Coach of the Year in September.

Kilsyth Basketball Manager of Basketball Operations, Mark Watkins, is thrilled to have Landells back on board, with the former SEABL championship winning Coach now paving the way for the Cobras’ next crop of future SEABL stars.

“Mark will return to defend the VYC Men’s title after winning the championship in a classic and high standard three game finals series,” Watkins said.

“Having such an experienced, successful and well respected coach looking after our future SEABL players is terrific for the club.”

Claire Knight has been appointed as Coach of the VYC Women, with former Head Coach Brett Spicer announcing that he will step down from the position as he enters retirement.

Claire has a long-standing history with Kilsyth, having played her junior basketball with the Cobras while previously serving as an Assistant Coach with the Big-V (formerly known as VBL) and SEABL Women’s teams. A former Scholarship Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport, Claire was most recently the Head Coach of the Under 20 Cobra Women in 2017.

“We’re excited to have Claire on board to lead the VYC Women’s program,” Watkins said.

“Her knowledge, experience and passion for Kilsyth, along with the drive to want to work with players and push them to be the best they can be, will be a valuable asset to the club.”

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