Hemel Storm are glad to announce the return of Michael Darlow and Jake Rothauge to the team helping Head Coach Mark Clark, while Tom Frederick will turn his attention to assisting the Hemel Storm Women side.
Into his 14th year at the club, Michael Darlow rose through the junior ranks as a player before injuries curtailed his time on the court. He made the decision to focus on coaching in 2019 when he became assistant to Dru Spinks, becoming a formidable partnership that led Storm through a period of great productivity, including the unbeaten season of 2022/23. Working with coach Clark from last year, the duo saw instant success when they became Playoff champions at the first attempt.
When asked about his ongoing commitment to the club, Michael told us “I said back in 2017 ‘why would anyone want to leave this club?’ and my stance remains very much the same. It’s a club I continue to fall in love with, the people behind the club are some of the best people I’ve come across and the fans are unbelievable. You’re part of something that’s continually growing and providing incredible experiences for all involved. We go again!”
American Jake Rothuage remains a new face to the coaching setup, joining last year. Jake has a wealth of coaching experience, having worked at home in the USA, here in the UK and around Europe in a coaching career spanning over 15 years.
Having played college basketball at Concordia University in Oregon, Jake went on to begin his coaching life at high school varsity level before progressing to NAIA Collegiate level for a further two years. Here, he developed personal management skills and helped to push many of his talents into established overseas playing careers.
He then moved onto starting his own basketball academy and has run several coaching camps since; attaining his Level Three qualification and is now ready to work within the Storm setup.
Hemel Storm are confident the strong wealth of coaching experience alongside Mark Clark will help galvanise the best out of a talented roster and are hopeful the team can lead the side to further success this year.
Written by Callum Humphrey