Maccabi GB have appointed Daniel Collins as Head of Delegation and Joel Nathan as General Team Manager for Maccabi GB at the forthcoming European Maccabi Games in Berlin in July 2015.
Collins, who is the MGB Vice-Chairman, has been involved with the Maccabi movement for a number of years. He was appointed Maccabi GB’s Head of Sport in 2008 before moving into the position of Vice Chairman in July 2011 and has also been involved with Brady Maccabi now Maccabi London Brady for 25 years.
He has also represented MGB at a number of international events including the 17th and 18th Maccabiah Games as part of the Master’s Futsal teams, winning a silver medal in 2005.
Collins was Senior Team Manager at the 2011 European Maccabi Games and also part of the Organising Committee for the 19th Maccabiah Games this summer, as well as representing the Over 45’s Football Squad as assistant- player-manager.
Speaking about his appointment, Daniel Collins said: "Following on from the success of Maccabi GB at this summer’s 19th Maccabiah Games, we are keen to take the best sporting talent to Berlin to showcase the British Jewish sporting Community.
"To represent your country is one of the greatest honours an athlete can have and it makes me proud to oversee the experience for everyone.
"I am sure that, whoever is selected, will have the time of their lives, playing sport and meeting other Jewish competitors from around the world."
Newly-appointed General Team Manager Joel Nathan won a bronze medal as manager of the under-18 football squad in Israel two months ago. He also has a strong affiliation to Maccabi and Jewish sport and has been a member of Brady Maccabi now Maccabi London Brady since the club’s doors opened in 1979 representing them at football at every age group.
Nathan joined the Club Council in 2005 and became Club Chairman in 2008, overseeing the merger between Brady Maccabi and London Maccabi. On an international level, he represented Maccabi GB at the European Games in Amsterdam in 1995 and, in 2009, was asked to coach the under-16 football team at the 18th Maccabiah Games.
This was followed by a gold-winning performance as the under-16 Football team manager for the 2011 European Games in Vienna, before another medal win in Israel this summer.
Joel Nathan said: "It is a great honour to be asked to be Maccabi GB’s Team Manager at the 2015 European Games in Berlin, which I think will be an amazing experience for everyone involved.
"We aim to put together a team of Chairs and Managers who will then select the best athletes available to them to participate in the Games, making sure that all of them understand the importance of being a Jewish sportsperson representing Team GB."
The Great British Delegation returned from Vienna two years ago with a fantastic medal haul of 78, and the Management Team will want to continue the ‘Golden Bounce’ of this summer’s 19th Maccabiah Games.