Basketball: John Ireland appointed Thunderbolts head coach once again

That has been his solace, he said, for 25 years - ever since he first started as a coach.

It seems obvious that the Ireland possesses an instinct for imparting knowledge, whether it be in the classroom or on the court.

He does, however, take a markedly different approach to both tasks.

"I'm certainly a very different teacher and principal than I am a basketball coach," Ireland said.

"I'm quite an intense character when I'm coaching. I hold guys accountable for their behaviour, like I do with kids I suppose, to build that mutual respect and try to get the best out of them.

"But the intensity with which I coach a basketball game is certainly not the way I speak to primary school kids (laughs)."

That intensity will be on display again next season, as Ireland was recently appointed the head coach of the Tamworth Thunderbolts senior men's team for 2024.

It is the first time the veteran coach has taken up the role since 2019, when the Thunderbolts lost to Canberra in the state league grand final.

Ireland's absence since then was due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and personal circumstance.

"When COVID hit, I had been appointed again in 2020," Ireland said.

"So I had a couple of years off with that, then went back and worked with a couple of junior teams. I looked at doing the senior men again last year when they were coming back into the league, but it just wasn't the right time.

"I was getting married and wanted to spend time with my new wife."

The team was led this year by Kane Butler, who Ireland encouraged to apply and said he was "very proud" of Tamworth's efforts under the first-time men's coach.

Having overseen Tamworth's under 16s and under 18s boys teams in recent seasons, Ireland said that working with junior teams had helped reinvigorate his passion for coaching.

This, he said, was why he knew 2024 was the year he wanted to return to the men's team.

"[My love of coaching] has been refreshed," Ireland said.

"I'd worked with the seniors from 2006 to 2019, so 13 years of coaching with the seniors, and across those years there were times where I coached a junior team as well as a senior team.

"Going back and doing junior basketball was quite refreshing. It takes you back to the roots of why you coach, to develop kids and help them progress."

The Thunderbolts men and women will begin their trials this Sunday at the Tamworth Sports Dome from 3pm to 4.30pm.

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