CITY OF EDINBURGH BASKETBALL
CITY OF EDINBURGH BASKETBALL

Toni Szifris

Toni Szifris

(Inducted 2018)

Toni Szifris was instrumental in the creation of City of Edinburgh Basketball Club. He alongside Brian Findlay, created the ‘Jack Kane Kool Kats’ during the teacher strikes in 1985 when unions would not allow after school activities.

He went on to coach the women’s team for a number of years, winning the Club’s first Scottish Cup in 1991. He would later move to coach the Men’s team before being recruited to be assistant coach of the newly formed professional team, the Edinburgh Rocks, with some Kings players joining him in the professional ranks.

Toni was head of physical education at Portobello High School and played a pivotal role in building that relationship between the school and the Club. Toni’s daughter Kara and son Ross played for the Kats’ and Kings’ respectively for a number of years, both winning numerous titles at under age and senior level.

Toni also coached the Scotland Senior Women’s team before moving to coach the Scotland Men’s team for several years culminating in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.