Roger Payne
Having started playing basketball in 1979, Roger became one of the region’s most well known players and coaches after representing Coventry as a point guard. His national league playing career was cut short by injuries, and in the 1990s he decided to turn his hand to coaching.
Roger won total of 11 WBA league titles, two as a player and nine as a coach, including six championships in a row, with two of those title seasons being without a single loss. After being a joint owner of Watford and Edmonton Storm, and taking over at the Coventry Crusaders, he coached at Leicester Warriors and steered young players through the national league at a senior level.
He has coached many of the country’s top players and in 2016 he was invited to travel around the USA and to be a coach for NBA star George Hill’s camps. He is also arranging for several NBA players to come to the UK to play and run camps in 2019.
Bryce Payne
Bryce is a Level 2 coach with many strings to his bow and will be the assistant coach for the Men’s National Basketball League Division 3 team.
Being part of a well known sporting family, Bryce grew up travelling the country with his father watching and learning the ropes. Having been asked to represent Coventry and Warwickshire and two different sports Bryce decided to concentrate on his academics throughout school and set about securing a masters degree thereafter.
Having attended the University of Worcester, Bryce would regularly take his basketball knowledge to help the university team players and give one-to-one training.
In 2019, Bryce gained his MSc in real estate and at the same time took talented British talent to Valencia, Utah and Cleveland.
Impressed with his knowledge he was offered to return to the States to help coach high school Elite programmes.
Bryce said: “I love the game and would love to explore the American circuit in due course, perhaps whilst studying a PhD.”
This season, Bryce will be developing the British talent here at home and taking the Ballers Heaven brand to the next level.
Devan Bailey
Devan has had a standout professional career playing all round the world. He has represented England and Great Britain at every level and is currently playing in France. Devan Bailey loves running camps for the youth and giving back to the community.
Pierre Henry-Fontaine
England international and Midnight Madness star, Pierre has played for many years on EBL teams in the UK, and in the BBL. He is a great favourite with the kids and has run successful camps with Ballers Heaven. He is a great personal trainer and works closely with budding young athletes as they push to achieve national honours.
Omar Beauperthuy
Omar has worked hard over the last year to bring talented youth players to the UK and will be running a Ballers Heaven exposure camp in May 2019 that will see talented players enrol in to Ballers Heaven’s Basketball Academy, due to start in September 2020.