A FORMER international basketball player and professional coach from Seattle has re-launched Alton Sports Centre’s basketball programme – with hopes of launching a new competitive club in the town.

Matt Williams, a 48-year-old ex-Nigeria international who also teaches economics at Alton College, arrived in the area with his wife and son late last year having enjoyed a well-travelled career across north America and Europe.

He launched new basketball clubs for under-eights and under-12s at Alton Sports Centre last autumn – both on Tuesdays, lasting one hour from 4pm to 5pm for the under-eights and 5pm to 6pm for the under-12s.

But Matt hopes to add more age groups as his programme continues to attract new members – with the ultimate goal of launching a club to play competitive games “either this fall or next”.

Matt played for 15 years professionally in various leagues across Europe. And after hanging up his sneakers, has since coached in eight countries: the USA, Germany, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Canada and the UK, most recently with NBL Division 1 side the Reading Rockets.

After coming to the UK, Matt says he has been “a little bit surprised” basketball isn’t bigger in here – with fewer opportunities for coaches in the UK than in other countries he’s lived and worked in.

But he’s hoping to change that in Alton and inspire a new generation of children – and adults too – to take up his beloved sport.

Having moved into the area during the pandemic, Matt feels coaching at the sports centre has helped him socialise and “feel part of the community”.

He has started with a “blank canvas” at the sports centre, and for now wants to be “as inclusive as possible” – inviting everyone from children “picking up the ball for the first time” to those who already play with friends or at school, aged five upwards, to join the fun.

“There’s a big gap here for a sport other than football or rugby, especially with Alton growing so much,” Matt said.

“There’s huge interest in basketball locally, but kids don’t have anywhere to go to really work on their talents at the moment. We hope to change that.”

For more information about signing up for basketball at Alton Sports Centre, email Lisa Brunning, sports and activities manager, at [email protected]