Positive Reviews: Gav Menzies

Recently we received a great review on one of our coaches at our U8 & U10 session which runs at Tynecastle High School on a Monday night 6-7pm. We would like to take some time out to celebrate this and congratulate the coach, Gav Menzies, on all his hard work.

Gav started coaching at the club when we approached him in 2017 shortly after our rebrand from “Edinburgh Sharks” to “West Edinburgh Warriors” and asked if he would like to work in partnership to grow the game of basketball in Edinburgh. He own and runs a club called High Flyers and specialises in coaching the Primary ages, and like ourselves has very similar beliefs when it comes to coaching.

He has been coaching for 17 years along with playing for 27 years. Many of Gav’s values and the way he coaches stems from his first ever basketball coach, his mum, who herself played at a high level. This all started at age 7 for Gav, when a primary team was formed in his school by his mum who was already working at the school as both a dinner lady and cleaner. This is what started Gav’s basketball journey, from the grass roots all the way to the high level of coaching and playing that he has achieved in his career.

Below is the review we received from a parent at one of these U8/10’s sessions:

“Our 8 year old is son new to basketball at Tynecastle High School on Monday nights and has now completed his first term and just signed up for next term. He absolutely loves the session and can’t wait to attend each week. We sit and watch the session and would just like to say how impressed we are with Gav the Coach!

The way he interacts with the kids is very special and goes way beyond teaching basketball and weaves essential life skills into each session… teamwork, perseverance, discipline, self confidence, determination, respect and just his overall manner when talking to the kids as if they were small adults pitched in just the right way is great.

I realise now that this is club culture but on attending the first session and watching from the sidelines it was obvious that Gav’s approach was something out of the ordinary!

We highly recommend Gav and Monday night basketball at Tynecastle!”

This partnership between West Edinburgh Warriors and High Flyers has been hugely successful and fruitful for both clubs allowing everyone to find the most enjoyable basketball experience possible. Many of the High Flyers at U16 level transition into the Warriors pathway to allow continued growth and development. It’s great to see Gav passing on so much of his experiences and knowledge onto the new generations of both players and coaches alike at both clubs.