Announcing Youth League Coaches

Basketball Ballarat is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Kyle Slack as the Youth League Men’s Head Coach and welcome Richard Morin as the Youth League Women’s Head Coach.

Slack has been a part of the Youth League Miners Men’s program for the last two years initially as an assistant coach in 2021 before taking the head coach role in 2022 where he led the team to the Victorian Youth Championship Division Championship defeating Ringwood in straight sets.

Slack is excited to go again saying “Last year was epic, I couldn’t be prouder of the squad we put together and how they came together to win the Championship.”

Slack added “Our strength again will absolutely be our depth and again is a credit to our team that they can buy into sacrificing for the team to put us in a position to hopefully be contending again this season”

Basketball Ballarat’s Director of Coaching Luke Sunderland said "It’s great to have Kyle back for season 2023 after his outstanding work in the program over the last two years. Winning the Championship last year was the icing on the cake for his efforts in helping build the program which has great links between the junior and NBL1 Miners.” 

While Morin will make the move to the senior program in 2023 having been a part of the junior program since 2018. Morin has experience at State Level having been a part of the Under 20 Basketball Victoria Country State Teams as well as through the Country pathway having been involved as the Central Academy Administrator role looking after the under 12/14 programs and development of these athletes.

Morin had originally been appointed the Under 18 Girls coach but after careful consideration Basketball Ballarat made the decision to not enter under 18 Girls into VJBL for the 2023 Season.

The club made this decision to future-proof our women’s program where the 2023 under 18 Girls will make up the core of our Big V Youth Championship roster whilst also representing Ballarat in several tournaments in under-18 age groups throughout the season including the Basketball Victoria Junior Country Championships.

Sunderland said “Adding Richard to the senior program helps to link the women’s program in a similar light to the Men’s. His extensive work with Basketball Victoria Country programs and the State Teams as well as his enthusiasm for the program makes him a great coach and person to help us solidify our Youth League Program.”

Sunderland added, “Richard did an outstanding job last season assisting the U18 girl which is evident by the players' already exhibiting enthusiasm to be a part of our Youth League side for season 2023."

Morin is eager to get started with the Youth League group saying, “I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with such a young group of athletes, who are fully dedicated to wanting to improve their game and hope of one day reaching the NBL1 Miners.”

Morin added “There is a long road ahead in developing these athletes, however just in this short period of time they are showing great promise at training in their willingness to improve and get better. The playing group has bonded well with older athletes challenging the younger athletes and encouraging each other which has been great to see.”

The senior Ballarat Miners men and women will kick off pre-season this November before taking a break over Christmas and New year with both the Youth League and NBL1 seasons due to start in March.