Geelong Venom has bolstered its coaching group ahead of the 2026/27 WNBL season, welcoming Jess May as Assistant Coach and Nathan Morgan as Player Development Coach, while Simon Nicholson returns to the club as Technical Coach.
The trio brings a wealth of experience across high-performance coaching, technical development and athlete progression, adding valuable depth to the Venom program as the club prepares for the new campaign.
Venom Head Coach Cheryl Chambers said the appointments would strengthen the club’s focus on developing its playing group.
“We’re really excited to welcome Jess and Nathan to the program and to have Simon back with us,” Chambers said.
“Each of them brings something different, but they all share a genuine passion for helping athletes improve. Having that depth of expertise around our group means we can give every player the individual attention they need to grow, both on and off the court.
“It’s also great to have strong local connections in our coaching group. Simon’s work with Geelong United Basketball and the pathways he’s helped build in this region are a huge asset to the Venom.”
May joins the Venom from Darebin Basketball Association, where she has worked as a Performance and Development Coach and Youth League Men’s Head Coach. Her work in athlete development has earned Coach of the Year honours in both 2025 and 2026, including Youth League 2 Men’s Coach of the Year this year.
Morgan has developed athletes from junior pathways through to WNBL and NBL1 level. He holds a Bachelor of Psychology from Monash University and a Basketball Australia Level 3 Performance Coach accreditation, and currently leads a Basketball Victoria High Performance Program Hub. He was previously Head Coach at Maribyrnong Sports Academy.
His coaching achievements include guiding Vic Metro Orange to gold as U15 Head Coach at the 2026 Southern Cross Challenge, along with roles at the Nunawading Spectres and in Basketball Australia’s National Performance Program.
The appointments reflect Geelong Venom’s commitment to building a strong coaching environment that prioritises individual development, technical excellence and high-performance standards.
Nicholson returns with extensive experience across athlete and coach development, scouting and video analysis. He is currently Coach and Athlete Development Manager at Geelong United Basketball, overseeing programs that span grassroots participation through to high performance, and serves as Lead Assistant with the Geelong United NBL1 Women. He also brings previous experience within WNBL programs.
With May and Morgan joining Nicholson, the Venom will enter the 2026/27 WNBL season with an experienced coaching group that combines fresh perspectives, established relationships and a shared focus on helping athletes reach their potential.
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