Veteran guard Steven Gayle might be proving himself as a coach – but he isn’t ready to give up his top-flight playing career just yet.

The former Manchester Giants youngster, who also starred for Magic, has helped St Peter’s  RC secondary in Belle Vue become one of the country’s top school teams in his role as head of basketball.

And he was on hand to help visiting St Columbs College from Northern Ireland aspire to new heights during a voyage of discovery to Manchester last week.

But after three ‘frustrating’ BBL seasons at Cheshire Jets, the 31-year-old is seeking a new challenge in the country’s top league.

He won’t be back at Chester when the BBL season starts this weekend after largely warming the bench for them last season.

“I feel like I have under-achieved there to a degree,” he said. “I am out to prove that I can still do what I do to win a game. I have been around for a few years now but I am still quite young. There are a couple of clubs out there that I have had contact with, so we will see what comes up.”

Not many school sports teams have a veteran professional player as their coach. But the boys of St Peter’s do – and it’s doing them the power of good. Gayle has led the year 10 and 11 lads to the national schools finals for the last three years. Such has been the school’s success that they welcomed St Columbs of Derry – and their former St Peter’s teacher James Green – to Manchester to help lift the Irish lads’ game. James, who led a 26-strong party of 16-18-year-old boys, said: “From the time I was at St Peter’s I have seen the difference Steven has made to basketball in the school.

“It’s great for the boys there to see Steven as a role model and benefit from the coaching he has given them.

“It’s a great opportunity for our lads to motivate them and see how a top-class school team works. And a chance for us to meet people from other cultures.” Tweet