GAME CENTRE
NEWCASTLE Basketball would like to express our sadness and extend our sympathy to family and friends of Mark Gledson, who died last night after a three-year battle with illness.
A former Newcastle and NSW junior representative guard, Mark coached the Newcastle women’s team to the 2016 Waratah Basketball League title. Culminating in a 55-50 victory over Illawarra in the grand final at Terrigal, Newcastle lost just one game all season with a team that included Sophie Kleeman, Susannah Walmsley, Alison Ebzery, Charlotte Bull and American import Shannon Novosel.
In recognition of that championship-winning season, Mark was awarded Newcastle and Basketball NSW Coach of the Year and Newcastle were named 2016 BNSW Team of the Year.
Mark Gledson with 2016 BNSW Team of the Year award on behalf of Newcastle’s championship-winning Waratah League Women.
Mark played with Stockton, now known as Port Hunter, in the 1960s and 70s, and represented Newcastle and NSW as a junior. In his first year of coaching, he guided Newcastle’s Under-12 girls to a state championship in 1973.
He represented foundation NBL club City of Sydney Astronauts in 1979 and 1980, coached Sutherland in the 1982-83 South Eastern Basketball League, and captain-coached the NSW Police basketball team from 1981 to 1989 while working in Sydney.
Among his coaching achievements was a stint as an assistant on the Sydney Kings’ bench alongside former Newcastle Falcons player and coach Bob Turner. After he retired from NSW Police, Mark returned to live in Swansea Heads and commuted to Sydney to coach at Scots College.
When the Newcastle women’s coaching job became vacant at the end of 2015, Mark put his hand up to continue his passion for basketball in his home town.
Mark Gledson
“Coaching is a passion of mine, and I enjoy the game. Other people always helped me along the way, so I wanted to pay back to the sport, and I just kept on paying back to it,” Mark told the Newcastle Herald at the time of his appointment for the 2016 Waratah League season.
“It’s a bit like people who collect stamps or that sort of thing. They get involved in something because they love to do what they enjoy, and that’s what I do with basketball.”
Aged 70, Mark is survived by his wife, Tracey, and three children, Rian, Kurt & Courtney.
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Mark’s life at Pettigrew Belmont at 10am on Monday, November 20. Casual, colourful clothing is encouraged.
