JASON Kyle is the man entrusted to lead the Mandurah Magic into the future after he was appointed as the new men’s head coach last week.
Kyle replaces the sacked Jason Chalk who had coached the side since 2007 and taken them to their first finals appearance in close to 10 years.
Kyle, a former Canterbury Rams player in the New Zealand National Basketball League, would be known to the Mandurah Magic basketball community having coached the Magic women’s team for three years during the late 2000s.
Kyle also spent time as an assistant coach with the Perth Lynx in the Women’s National Basketball League before spending time away from coaching.
“I had a year or two off [coaching] to spend more time with my family,” Kyle said.
“My son plays for the Mandurah Pirates and I coached one of the junior sides there.”
Kyle said the Mandurah Magic position provided a good opportunity to get back into coaching.
“I love to coach,” he said.
“The [Magic] program has potential with the current player base.
“I’m under no elusions that a lot of hard work has to be done but I’m excited to be given this opportunity.”
Kyle has wasted no time with the side hitting the court for a training session on Tuesday night.
“We will be having two sessions a week to get them running and playing; nothing to structured,” he said.
“I want to bring the best out of every player; empower all the players to be the best they can be and develop a system that best suits the playing group.”
Kyle said he hoped to have the team locked in early in December and tackle pre-season training after New Years.
“None of the guys are over 30; there’s real potential,” Kyle said.
“[We will] develop some of the up and coming guys and get it heading in the right direction.
“There will be a lot of hard work but we will be chasing results just like the other sides.”
In other news for the Magic Alistair Chegwidden has been appointed the new development officer for the Mandurah Magic.
Chegwidden has previously worked with the Lakeside Lightning in both coaching and development.
