Women's basketball in Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
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 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
Sharon Slann at the 1996 Summer Paralympics
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
| WNBL | Team | City | Arena | Colours | Joined WNBL | Head Coach | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's National Basketball League | |||||||
| Adelaide Lightning | Adelaide, SA | Adelaide Arena | Red, Yellow, Black, White | 1992 | Peter Buckle | [7] | |
| Australian Institute of Sport | Canberra, ACT | AIS Training Hall | Blue, White, Red | 1981 | Phil Brown | [8] | |
| Bendigo Spirit | Bendigo, VIC | Schweppes Centre | Sky Blue, Gold, White | 2007 | Bernie Harrower | [9] | |
| Bulleen Boomers | Bulleen, VIC | Veneto Club | Blue, Gold | 1984 | Tom Maher | [10] | |
| Canberra Capitals | Canberra, ACT | AIS Arena | Light Blue, White, Gold | 1986 | Carrie Graf | [11][12] | |
| Dandenong Rangers | Dandenong, VIC | Dandenong Basketball Stadium | Bottle Green, Gold | 1992 | Mark Wright | [13] | |
| Logan Thunder | Logan, QLD | Logan Metro | Purple, Burgundy, Gold | 2008 | Olaf Lange | [14] | |
| Sydney Flames | Sydney, NSW | Sydney University | Blue, Gold, White | 1989 | Karen Dalton | [15] | |
| Townsville Fire | Townsville, QLD | Townsville RSL Stadium | Black, Red, Orange | 2001 | Chris Lucas | [16] | |
| West Coast Waves | Perth, WA | WA Basketball Centre | Green, Yellow, Black | 1990 | David Herbert | [17] |
- Canberra Capitals vs Townsville. 15 October 2011.
- Several players warming up for the Canberra Capitals before a 15 October 2011 game against the Townsville Fire.
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]
