Basketball Tasmania: Nic Martin steps up to head coaching plate

Nic Martin, 27, was appointed the top job after former head coach Mark Radford accepted a position as an assistant coach for the Tasmania JackJumpers.

"I've been here in Tassie for three and half years, some of that has been working towards the position," Martin said.

"[I'm] Really excited and grateful for the opportunity - it's been pretty humbling to receive so much support from everyone in the first week."

Martin has about 15 years of basketball experience under his belt, through development programs in the South as well as his previous home in Cairns, which included work with the Taipans.

More recently, Martin was the coach of the Tasmanian women's under-20 state team.

"I've been working in basketball basically my entire adult life," he said.

"I feel like, despite my age, what I lack in worldly experience I definitely make up in my basketball experience."

"They're definitely big shoes to fill without a doubt because Mark's done such a fantastic job across the last seven or eight years."

But Radford won't be too far away in Hobart, something Martin hopes to take advantage of should he need a tip or two.

"I'm going to be really fortunate - I'm stepping into a role that's already established; our programs, how we like to operate," Martin said.

"So for me, it should be easier to build on all the work he's done ... I'm gonna have him [Radford] to be able to lean on for support and guidance at times which I'm definitely going to do."

But Martin was under no illusion that it's his team now, and hoped to add his own personal detailing to the teams' play styles moving forward.

"How we play as a state is nationally recognised as one of the best styles in Australia," he said.

"That's definitely something I plan to continue, [and] put my own stamp on it - maybe we play a little faster in transition.

"But I think it's really important that we continue our roots as a tough state, particularly on defence in being really tough and hard to play against. That's a real strength for us and it's something I'm going to try and build upon."

Like many basketball stakeholders in the state, Martin was excited to see how the JackJumpers would work as a pathway for young talents to aspire towards.

"That's something I want to build on to make sure we [Tasmania] have many more JackJumpers in the future," he said.

Do you know someone who is contributing to Northern Tasmanian sport, whether through participating or assisting?

The Examiner's Junior Sports Awards, sponsored by Woolworths, provide acknowledgement of accomplishments by players, coaches, volunteers, teams and clubs across the region.

Nominations are open from Wednesday, April 14, and will close at midnight on October 4.

Entries must include a photograph of the entrant.