BARNSLEY’S junior basketball teams will be without their popular and influential coach Aivaras Vosylius for the coming season after he returned to his native Lithuania following almost 20 years in the town.

Aivaras came to Barnsley with family members aged 12 and attended Holgate School then Danum College Doncaster and Sheffield Hallam University before becoming an economist in the civil service. He played and coached with Barnsley basketball teams throughout his team in England.

Aivaras, who was also a fan of Barnsley FC, has returned to Lithuania to work in a national bank in Vilnius.

He said goodbye to his players and fellow coaches at a well-attended social event at Barnsley College.

Last season, Aivaras coached two Barnsley Metros under 16s teams, one in the national BE Conference and one in the BE Regional league – finishing eighth and five respectively. Veteran Barnsley coach Bert Beaumont said: “This is the first time that Barnsley has entered two under 16 teams in national competitions in the same season – a tremendous commitment from a coach. Aivaras has made a great contribution to basketball in Barnsley which will be long remembered by all those he coached. He enjoyed his life in Barnsley but decided, as he neared his 30th year, that it was time to experience life in his native Lithuania.”