By William Moncrieff, Communications Officer
Mark Stevenson joined the Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) team last month (March 2025), taking up the role of Regional Development Manager for Central Scotland. Mark, aged 36, is coming to the organisation with a wealth of experience, having played an integral part of West Lothian Wolves Basketball Club. It was there that he took up the role of club development officer and community coach, whilst also coaching Lothian Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball Club.
Since taking up the new post at SDS, Mark has been enjoying the variety of the tasks that comes with the job and the opportunity to work closely with SDS member branch, Forth Valley Disability Sport.
“I am loving the fact that this role has so many different ways that you can go with it, so many people you can work with, so many opportunities. I am genuinely looking forward to all of it”, said Mark.
One of Mark’s favorite elements of working in sports and Para sport activities, is the life changing effect that they can often have. “When we are in inclusive sports, we’re genuinely changing lives.” This is something that Mark has discovered throughout his time with West Lothian Wolves and Lothian Pheonix. Mark has also discovered this through coaching the Great Britain U23 Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team and being the Head Coach for Scotland’s 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball team.
Mark has often seen how sport can support athletes’ independence: “I remember one time we went to a UK School Games, back when we did 5×5 wheelchair basketball, and one of our athletes, her entire goal for that tournament was nothing to do with on court. There was a ramp covering cables (leading on to the court) and her entire goal was to get across the ramp without anyone pushing her over the ramp. Every day would come and she would roll back or fall over and someone would have to help her up, but every day she would come back. On the last day she made it over the ramp herself and there was a bigger cheer from everyone than any basket scored that week.”
“Now she’s one of the most independent people I’ve met, seeing these things are phenomenal.”
Through many years of coaching and delivering wheelchair basketball, Mark has developed many skills and a love for seeing players develop.
Mark said: “I am really player-focused first and foremost. I want to see players develop and see players stretch themselves beyond what they think is possible.”
“Nothing excites me more coaching wise than having an entire team achieving something.”
For Mark it has always been important to develop a good culture within a team. He commented, “Having those underlying things that we all believe in and work towards” helps promote and, “build up a culture.”
Mark believes that this has partly contributed to the successes that are being seen on the national stage, saying: “I think this is especially why in the last three or four years our Scotland national side has gone from strength to strength.” Ma
Last year Mark was invited to the SDS AGM and Awards. He was shocked to find out that he was the winner of the Russel Hogg Trophy.
“I wasn’t really expecting it, but it was amazing and really highlights the work that from a national academy point of view, we have been doing”, said Mark.
Mark was the award winner due to his work with basketballscotland’s National Academy. This initially started for him as a player, but since he took up a coaching role with the Scotland U18 squad, he has helped young athletes progress to represent Scotland at 3×3 basketball.
If you would like to find out about opportunities throughout Central Scotland, you can contact Mark by email: mark.stevenson@scottishdisabilitysport.com. If you live elsewhere, reach out to your Regional Development Manager to discover what opportunities are available throughout your region.
Make sure to follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, X and Instagram, as well as on the SDS website.
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