University College Plymouth St Mark & St John

Formerly Tamar Valley Cannons - PM Basketball Club is a registered charity which was formed in 2000 and its primary function was to create opportunities for local basketball players from 9 years old to adults to compete to the level of their capability.

After a number of years we have created a Club which can boast it has achieved most of its aims, giving players the opportunity to represent the City, County, Region and in some cases their Country, albeit as a representative playing in Europe and America.

The Club programme is extensive and requires lots of dedication and hard work not only from the players but Volunteers, Parents and Sponsors. 

In 2007 the club gained recognition to be able to achieve Clubmark status, due to the work we carry out within the Community, together with our other partners in Plymouth and the surrounding areas. In order for the Club to carry on with this work we rely heavily on the generous support of local businesses with Donations, Sponsorship and Funding.

We currently run 8 teams, U14's ,2 at U16's, U18's and 2 at Senior men's level, all competing in National Leagues and 2 local league teams.

George Hatchell - Senior Coach Profile

Coach Hatchell Senior is the founder of the Tamar Valley Cannons Basketball Club, which he started in 2000-2001 season. He has held the position of Devon Basketball Development Officer since 2003 and at present is a Basketball Community Sports Coach employed by Devon County Council. He Tutors at The College of St Mark and St John and is the Co-ordinator and Head coach of the Basketball Academy at Marjons which is jointly delivered by the YMCA and Marjon. Having been involved since the late 1980s with the Raiders Development programme, disillusioned with the lack of true development being done at the Club he formed his own Club and as they say the rest is History.

Since the late 80’s he has been involved with County, Regional and the England South West squads. Coach Hatchell Senior has been Head Coach to the clubs Men’s team since the club was formed in 2000, gaining promotion from the National League Division Three to be where they currently are to day, National League Division Two.

Coach Hatchell Senior coached the Cannons Men’s team to the clubs first National League title, winning the Division Three National league in 2002-03 season and to runners up in the League Play-Off’s final in the same season, being awarded Division Three Coach of the Year for 2002-03. Coach Hatchell Senior is the current Head Coach to the Marjon National University BUSA team.  During the 2006-07 season he coached the team all the way to the National Finals were they eventually finished the season ranked 5^th in the country. He has strong beliefs that Plymouth can provide a National Divisional One Team from the local talent in the City. Coach Hatchell Senior’s history proves that he is not scared of giving young players the opportunity to play, early in their careers. He believes that the Club’s move to Marjon will further strengthen its development programme and produce better players and also give the Club a reputation for developing the all round person.

Matt Hatchell - Head of Junior Player Development Profile

Coach Hatchell has been involved in basketball in Plymouth for over 15 years.  He has played National League basketball from Junior to Senior age.  He has played at various levels including National League Division One, Two and Three were he was part of the Tamar Valley Cannons Division Three League Winners and Play-Off Runner Up in 2003.

Coach Hatchell started coaching basketball from the age of 17, gaining his Level Two Coach Award in 1999, since then he has coached at Plymouth Marjon Cannons at all age group levels. He has been Head Coach of the National League Un18s for the past 5 seasons, in which time his team’s have finished in the top four of the league and made the Play-offs in each of the five seasons.  In 2004 he coached his team all the way to the ‘Final Fours’ where they finally finished with the ranking of third through out the whole of the country. Coach Hatchell has coached at various camps not only within the city but he also spent six months in America coaching at a camp in Philadelphia.  As well as coach to the Plymouth Marjon Cannons Un18s he also is head of Junior Player Development at the club for the second season.  And, for their first season, will be Head Coach for the Plymouth Marjon Cannons Division Four Development team.

Coach Hatchell has also been Head Coach for the Devon National Schools Team which competes at an annual tournament.  He has fulfilled this role for the past three seasons coaching for both the un14s and un15s Teams. As well as his role as a coach for Devon, Coach Hatchell is also a Head Coach for the 1993’s born South West Area Performance Centre.  Through this role, he has coached at the Annual England Basketball Selection Tournament at Lilleishall and has coached in Tournaments in Sweden, Belgium and Prague. Coach Hatchell is currently working towards his Level Three Advanced Coach Award and hope’s to complete this by the end of the 07/08 season.

For more information please visit PM Basketball Website