‘Next four years are all about quality,’ says Joel
SPORT JOEL Nathan says he is driven by the recent successes of the Maccabi GB squad after being appointed General Team Manager for the European Maccabi Games in 2019 and the Maccabiah Games in Israel 2021.
Under Nathan, Maccabi GB enjoyed an incredible summer of success at the 20th Maccabiah Games. He oversaw the delegation winning 38 medals. This was preceded by him leading the squad at the 2015 EMG in Berlin, where Nathan oversaw Team Maccabi GB’s 91-medal haul.
Nathan said: “After such a successful Maccabiah, it was a great honour to again be asked to lead the Maccabi GB European and Maccabiah squads for the next four years and after some careful consideration and talking through with my family, it was something I just had to continue doing.
“The last two Games are going to be very hard to beat. That is what is driving me on and now the search begins not only for top quality managers and coaches but, more importantly, athletes that are going to represent Anglo-Jewry on the international front.”
He pinpointed the increase of female participation across all age groups in Jewish sport as one of the successes of the past four year and says it “is something that we will look to continue”.
Now he is determined to see “increased participation in minority and individual sports”. He said: “This is something we have already started working on that but if you are out there and play, manage or coach one of the sports on the European Maccabi Games application list, Maccabi GB want to hear from you. Likewise, I want our squad to be representative from every corner of Great Britain, so wherever you are in the country we want to hear from you.”
Maccabi GB chairman David Pinnick praised Nathan for “demonstrating a real understanding of ensuring the aims and objectives of the Maccabi movement are upheld”. Pinnick commented: “Joel has brought a real winning energy to the role”.