New head coaches for the United Basketball women’s line

Preparations for the new basketball season are in full swing, and so we are pleased to present the new head coaches for the United Basketball women’s line.

Mark Hooiveld new coach of Lekdetec.nl

Next season Lekdetec.nl will once again compete in the Women’s Basketball League, with 50-year-old Mark Hooiveld at the helm. The Gelderland-born basketball coach succeeds Jeroen van Vugt as head coach.

Hooiveld first got to know basketball at Basketiers ’71 in Zevenaar, where he even experienced the glory years in the Eredivisie. During his time at Basketiers, Mark got his first taste of coaching and coached various youth teams at the club. After his playing career he started out as coach of the Akrides women’s team in the promotion division. Mark then focused on developing talent, becoming coach of the regional selections in North Holland and coaching his children’s youth teams.

Since 2021, Hooiveld has been involved in the United Basketball organisation as technical manager of the United Academy, where, together with Frans van de Geer, Casper Jansen and Steven Teunissen, he is working to further build up the academy’s talent-development programme.

Mark Hooiveld on his appointment: “Basketball in Gelderland is really on the rise. It’s great to be part of that, but I noticed in myself that I had the urge to get back on the court. When I got talking with René van der Wielen about coaching Lekdetec.nl, I was immediately enthusiastic. With my enthusiasm and my fresh, fast basketball philosophy, I expect to be able to add something to the team.”

“Jeroen van Vugt has done good work with the Lekdetec women in recent years, and both Jeroen and the women are ready for a new step. It’s good that Mark Hooiveld can bring this to the women. His eye and passion for talent development in particular fit perfectly with the current situation within United Basketball,” says René van der Wielen, member of the Technical Committee.

Steven Teunissen new coach of the Women U21

United Basketball’s women’s talent team will again compete in the Women U21 Eredivisie next season. 32-year-old Steven Teunissen will take on the role of head coach of this team next season. In doing so, Teunissen succeeds Dennis van Mierle as coach of the talent group.

Steven Teunissen started out at Challenge in his home village of Beuningen, where he quickly became very active in the club, among other things as trainer/coach of various teams. After his time in Beuningen, Steven was active at Wildcats Nijmegen, Arnhem Eagles, Basketiers ’71 and Batouwe Basketball. Like Mark Hooiveld, Steven played a role in the regional girls’ selections, but in the East. In recent years Teunissen has mainly been involved in the organisation around the United Basketball teams.

Teunissen is eager to get started: “I’d had the itch for a while to work with a team again. What I do within United Basketball now is great fun, but you work less with a team towards a goal. After conversations with René van der Wielen and others, my enthusiasm only grew to get to work with this good group. René will be closely involved with the team, and I’m glad I can draw on his experience and learn a lot. I’m also looking forward to working with Mark Hooiveld to get the best out of our talents.”

“Steven has been involved with our organisation from the start and is certainly no stranger in Gelderland basketball. It’s good that we can now give him the chance to put his passion, enthusiasm and knowledge to use in developing this talented group further,” says René van der Wielen.

The search continues for a (female) assistant coach for both teams to complete the technical staff.