The Penrith Basketball Association has announced its coaching line-up for next year’s Basketball NSW Waratah Championship and Youth League competitions.
Four experienced men will take the reigns of Penrith’s four senior representative teams, with Jeff Kilbourne and Rod Miskell looking after the Championship Men and Championship Women teams respectively.
2018 Youth League Men’s Coach of the Year Steve Sardi will return to his post, while newcomer Adam Reid will assume the Youth League Women head coaching role vacated by Leonie Moore.
Speaking with the Weekender, the Penrith Basketball Association General Manager said she is stepping away from coaching next year to focus on other aspects of basketball.
“I am moving away in 2019 to try and concentrate on assisting all of our girls programs and athletes with skills etc,” Moore said.
“This will allow others the opportunity to develop as head coaches.”
Moore has thrown her support behind her successor Adam Reid, who assisted her on her title-winning Youth League women’s teams a number of years ago.
“Adam is very passionate and dedicated and will give 100 per cent to the program,” she said.
“He will have quite a few new faces in 2019 with the loss of several girls to the Championship program and College in the US, however the Association is pleased to be able to continue to provide a pathway for female athletes in this program.”
Moore added it was “pleasing” that Miskell and Kilbourne were returning to their respective Championship League roles to help with stability.
Moore expects many of last season’s players to return next year, with perhaps a few fresh faces.
“So far the enrolments indicate we will be able to have the bulk of the leading Championship men return pending the selection process along the way with any Youth Men who are elevated to the top level,” she said.
“As for our women’s teams, we will still be without three players who are currently at College but we are hopeful of a more consistent 2019 season, with the availability of our SEABL players and also the inclusion of two former NSW juniors to the program.”
Nathan Taylor
Nathan Taylor is the Weekender's Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.