Geelong United basketball (GUB) is pleased to announce our Head Coaches for our 2027 Women’s & Men’s BigV Youth League teams.
After taking his squad to finals for the first time at VYC level, Luke Beard is back at the helm once again for the Men’s squad, while Patrick O’Neill will bring an exciting new dynamic as the head of the Women’s team.
GUB BigV VYC Women’s Head Coach – Patrick O’Neill:
Following his role as Geelong United Basketball Women’s Assistant Coach during the 2026 NBL1 South season, Patrick joins our Big V Youth League program at a pivotal and exciting time for women’s basketball in Geelong.
Patrick brings 25+ years as a head coach across club, university and national team basketball in Ireland and Australia. From 2010 to 2024 he built the women’s programme at Ulster University in Northern Ireland from local league to the Irish Superleague: conference titles, National Cup finals, and a Centre of Excellence that made the university a genuine destination for the country’s best young players. Over the same period he coached the university men’s side to multiple Premier League titles and back to back National Intermediate Cups, and won Intervarsity and college league titles with both the men’s and women’s programmes.
At national level he coached Ireland’s U17 and U18 women’s teams, the U18s competing in FIBA Europe Division A. He later led the Ireland and Northern Ireland 3×3 women’s programmes, taking senior, U23 and Team NI squads through Commonwealth Games qualifiers, FIBA 3×3 Nations League and FIBA European youth championships.
Speaking on his new role, Patrick is looking forward to what the 2027 season will bring, “I’m really excited about this appointment. I had the chance to be around this team last season and the talent level is genuinely high. I’m looking forward to helping this group take the next step after their first season at Championship level.”
Having successfully led both men’s and women’s programs throughout his career, Patrick’s expertise will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen and develop our GUB Women’s pathway.
GUB BigV VYC Men’s Head Coach – Luke Beard:
Luke has been a cornerstone of the Geelong United family for many years, making a lasting contribution to our club through his wealth of experience, leadership, and commitment to developing young athletes.
In just their second season competing at Victorian Youth Championship level, Luke guided his team to its first finals appearance in the division – A remarkable achievement that reflects both his coaching expertise and dedication to player growth.
Renowned for fostering a strong team culture and a winning mindset, Luke’s impact extends far beyond game day. He is a respected mentor, motivator, and leader whose influence is felt throughout the program.
Off the back of a big 2026 campaign, Luke is excited to build even more in 2027, “I’m incredibly excited and honoured to continue as Head Coach of our Youth League Men’s program. I’m committed to building on the strong foundations that have already been established and taking the next step by pushing deeper into finals. At the same time, my focus remains firmly on developing the next generation of talent within our playing group and creating an environment where players can thrive. My goal is to achieve sustainable success at the highest level, both on and off the court and continue to build something our club and community can be proud and excited of.”
With a clear vision for the continued success of our Youth League Men’s program, we are excited to see what Luke and his team can achieve in 2027.
