Women's basketball in Australia

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During the 1970s and 1980s, Australian women's basketball was successful in terms of attracting participants and having a competitive team on the international stages. This success did not translate into sponsorship and financial support for the sport. [1]

Contents

The WNBL was founded during the early 1980s to help improve the quality of the domestic play with the hope of providing a pathway for top Australian players to join the national team. [1]

Aboriginal women

Aboriginal women who have played basketball on a high level include Joanne Lesiputty. Lesiputty quit the sport to pursue a softball career. Laura Agius was an aboriginal basketball player who represented South Australia. Leonie Dickson and Bobbie Dillon, both Tasmanians, also represented their state on the national level. [2]

Wheelchair basketball

Women have been active in playing wheelchair basketball in Australia for several years. They first appeared on the Paralympic seen at the 1992 Summer Paralympics, despite women's wheelchair basketball being competed for at the Paralympics since 1968. [3] Notable players include Liesl Tesch and Donna Ritchie. [4] [5]

Professional basketball

Women's basketball is nominally a professional sport in Australia. In 2009, the salaries for average players in the WNBL were not high enough to allow them to play basketball full-time: They made between $5,000 - $10,000 a year. [6]

Women's National Basketball League

WNBLTeamCityArenaColoursJoined WNBLHead CoachRef
Women's National Basketball League
Adelaide Lightning Adelaide, SA Adelaide Arena Red, Yellow, Black, White1992Peter Buckle [7]
Australian Institute of Sport Canberra, ACT AIS Training HallBlue, White, Red1981Phil Brown [8]
Bendigo Spirit Bendigo, VIC Schweppes Centre Sky Blue, Gold, White2007Bernie Harrower [9]
Bulleen Boomers Bulleen, VIC Veneto ClubBlue, Gold1984 Tom Maher [10]
Canberra Capitals Canberra, ACT AIS Arena Light Blue, White, Gold1986 Carrie Graf [11] [12]
Dandenong Rangers Dandenong, VIC Dandenong Basketball StadiumBottle Green, Gold1992Mark Wright [13]
Logan Thunder Logan, QLD Logan MetroPurple, Burgundy, Gold2008 Olaf Lange [14]
Sydney Flames Sydney, NSW Sydney University Blue, Gold, White1989Karen Dalton [15]
Townsville Fire Townsville, QLD Townsville RSL StadiumBlack, Red, Orange2001Chris Lucas [16]
West Coast Waves Perth, WA WA Basketball Centre Green, Yellow, Black1990David Herbert [17]

Overseas players

Australian athletes have gone overseas to play professional sport. Amongst these are Lauren Jackson, Erin Phillips, Kristi Harrower, Belinda Snell, Penny Taylor and Liz Cambage, all of whom have played basketball in the United States. [18]

Spectatorship

During the 2010/2011 season, the Women's National Basketball League had 77,944 total spectators watch a game live. On television that season, the league had an aggregate of 1,352,096 total viewers. [19]

National team

In 1984, the national team competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics. This was their first appearance at the Olympic Games. Comparatively, their male counterparts first competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics. [20]

In 1988, the national team beat the Soviet Union's national team. This was a historic win for the team. [21] The game was played at the 1988 Summer Olympics and qualified Australia for the semi-finals. [1]

This was the roster for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [22]

Australia Women's National Basketball Team roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameAge – Date of birthHeightClubCtr.
G 4 Erin Phillips 23 – (1985-07-19)19 July 19855 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Indiana Fever Flag of the United States.svg
G 5 Tully Bevilaqua 36 – (1972-05-19)19 May 19725 ft 5 in (1.65 m) San Antonio Silver Stars Flag of the United States.svg
G 6 Jennifer Screen 26 – (1982-02-19)19 February 19825 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Adelaide Lightning Flag of Australia (converted).svg
F 7 Penny Taylor 27 – (1981-05-24)24 May 19816 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Phoenix Mercury Flag of the United States.svg
F/C 8 Suzy Batkovic 27 – (1981-05-24)24 May 19816 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Adelaide Lightning Flag of Australia (converted).svg
C 9 Hollie Grima 24 – (1983-12-16)16 December 19836 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Frisco Sika Brno Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
PG 10 Kristi Harrower 33 – (1975-03-04)4 March 19755 ft 4 in (1.63 m) Bendigo Spirit Flag of Australia (converted).svg
F 11 Laura Summerton 24 – (1983-12-13)13 December 19836 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Levoni Taranto Flag of Italy.svg
F 12 Belinda Snell 27 – (1981-01-10)10 January 19816 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Sydney Uni Flames Flag of Australia (converted).svg
C 13 Emma Randall 23 – (1985-05-06)6 May 19856 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Logan Thunder Flag of Australia (converted).svg
C 14 Liz Cambage 16 – (1991-08-18)18 August 19916 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Tulsa Shock Flag of the United States.svg
PF 15 Lauren Jackson  (C)27 – (1981-05-11)11 May 19816 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Seattle Storm Flag of the United States.svg
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phil Brown, Michele Timms, Peter Buckle
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • nat field describes country
    of last club
    before the tournament
  • Age field is age on 9 August 2008

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Stell, Marion K. (1991). Half the Race, A history of Australian women in sport. North Ryde, Australia: HarperCollins. p. 266. ISBN   0-207-16971-3.
  2. ↑ Stell, Marion K. (1991). Half the Race, A history of Australian women in sport. North Ryde, Australia: HarperCollins. p. 239. ISBN   0-207-16971-3.
  3. ↑ Australian Paralympic Committee (2008). "Basketball (Wheelchair)". Media Guide Beijing 2008. Sydney, New South Wales: Australian Paralympic Committee: 52.
  4. ↑ Australian Paralympic Committee (September 1999). "Basketball - Wheelchair Women". Annual Report. Sydney, Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee.
  5. ↑ Overington, Caroline (1996a). "Basketballers beat the US at their own game". Golden Days of Atlanta: Xth Paralympic Games Atlanta, Georgia, August 15–25, 1996. Sydney: Australian Paralympic Federation: 21–23. OCLC   222120061.
  6. ↑ Basketball Australia (2009). "Making Your Career in Basketball, A guide to the Australian Basketball Pathway (with up to date information on scholarships to both Australian and US Universities)" (PDF). Australia. p. 9. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Adelaide Link: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "AIS: History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 January 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  9. ↑ "Bendigo Spirit: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  10. ↑ "Bulleen Boomers: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "Canberra Capitals: Carrie Graf". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  12. ↑ "Canberra Capitals: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "Dandenong Rangers: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  14. ↑ "Logan Thunder: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  15. ↑ "Sydney Uni Flames: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  16. ↑ "Townsville Fire: Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  17. ↑ "West Coast Waves: About Us". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  18. ↑ Basketball Australia (2009). "Making Your Career in Basketball, A guide to the Australian Basketball Pathway (with up to date information on scholarships to both Australian and US Universities)" (PDF). Australia. p. 1. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "Basketball in Australia". National Basketball League. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  20. ↑ Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile . Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. p.  171. ISBN   0-644-03667-2.
  21. ↑ Stell, Marion K. (1991). Half the Race, A history of Australian women in sport. North Ryde, Australia: HarperCollins. p. 260. ISBN   0-207-16971-3.
  22. ↑ Basketball Australia (2008). Australian Defence Force Opals (2008 National Team). Retrieved on 25 August 2008.
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