Ireland U16 MNT head coach Emer Howard accepted into prestigious ICAB programme

Ireland U16 MNT head coach Emer Howard has been accepted into the prestigious International Coaching Apprenticeship in Basketball (ICAB) programme, becoming the first Irish coach to do so.

ICAB is a programme run through the University of Delaware in co-operation with FIBA, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), the World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC), USA Basketball, Washington Wizards and Mystics, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, NBA, WNBA & G League and leads the way in developing elite level coaches around the world.  The six month programme is targeted at National Team level coaches with the aim of enriching their basketball coaching skills and efficiencies as well as providing a 23 day in-person apprenticeship with an NCAA D1 programme, providing an opportunity for Howard to shadow, observe and interact with the coaching staff at the highest level of collegiate basketball in the United States.

Howard is a former Irish international who featured at every age level during her career. She played for four years at NCCA Division 1 programme Fordham University, spending two seasons as a team captain, before going on to play professionally in the BBL.

 Emer Howard coaching the Ireland U16 MNT during FIBA Youth EuroBasket 2025.

As a coach – she is in her second season as head coach of Ireland’s U16 MNT programme, leading the side to a 12^th place finish at FIBA Youth EuroBasket 2025 in her maiden campaign. Previously, she was an assistant coach on the Ireland U18 MNT as they recorded a 5-3 record and a historic 11th place finish at FIBA Youth EuroBasket 2024. Howard has also been an assistant coach on the Ireland U20 WNT during their FIBA Youth EuroBasket campaign in 2017, as well as coaching underage basketball at clubs including Tolka Rovers, Drogheda Wolves and Swords BC over the last 17 years. 

Speaking ahead of participating in ICAB, Ireland U16 MNT coach Emer Howard said: "It’s a real honour to be selected on the ICAB program, and I am excited to get started. I’ll be in the company of some incredible basketball minds from both Europe and the USA, and I plan on getting as much from the experience as possible."

Basketball Ireland’s Senior Technical Officer Matthew Hall added: “This is fantastic news for Irish basketball. Emer (Howard) is an exceptional coach with great experience at all levels of the game in Ireland. It’s an ongoing target of the federation for our coaches to gain exposure to the highest levels of basketball through initiatives such as ICAB. I look forward to seeing Emer bring the experience of the next six months back to her U16 MNT programme and beyond. The level of coaching in our international pathway has never been stronger and an Irish coach being accepted into a programme such as this is a testament to the work being done across the board."