Knights make Simms official

The Birmingham Knights have announced that  Tony Simms has joined as Assistant Coach to Paul Douglas. Tony has been working alongside Coach Douglas since the Knights combine back in May, but officially put pen to paper on Monday.

Simms has many years of experience as a player including a four year spell in the USA college system and eight years with the Birmingham Bullets. As a coach he has been involved at school, college, university, local and National League level and has spent the last few years involved with the junior National League Programme with City of Birmingham Basketball Club.

Simms said of his appointment: “It’s a great honour to be working with my home team who are playing at the highest level of British Basketball. I’m pleased to see a number of local players being involved with the programme”. He also added “I have known Coach Douglas for many years, since we were in the Bullets Junior programme, we have a similar coaching style and ethos that I’m sure we will work well together to develop the team and get results”.

Coach Douglas added “Tony Simms was a natural choice as my assistant coach and I wanted him as soon as I became Head Coach.  He is as passionate about Birmingham basketball as I am and we are very fortunate to have him on board”.

“He has a great knowledge base both tactically and technically but the most important thing for me is he is not a yes man. We share the same vision of how the game should be played and his work with the players so far has been excellent. We have both played in this league so we understand what lies ahead for the squad and the mentality that players need to adopt to be successful”.

“I really wanted an Assistant Coach who I could trust, would work with the players one to one, create game plans, ask questions, scout etc.  Tony ticks all those boxes. He has already proven to be invaluable and I am looking forward to working the sidelines with him and the rest of my coaching team”.