Former Opal Tully Bevilaqua is taking basketball to new heights in New Zealand

One of many greats of Australian basketball helps to develop the ladies’s recreation in New Zealand, making her mark as head coach.

Basketball champion Tully Bevilaqua has simply come off her first season taking the reins at Mainland Pouakai in New Zealand’s new-look 2022 Girls’s Nationwide Basketball League, named Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa.

The previous Australian Opal and Seattle Storm WNBA champion says “watch this house” in the case of the expansion of ladies’s basketball, not solely throughout the ditch on this new league, however because the 2022 FIBA Girls’s World Cup will get underway in Sydney.

New Zealand’s new league — the nation’s first skilled girls’s competitors — is made up of 5 regional groups that battle over an eight-week season.

This season was additionally the primary time New Zealand feminine basketballers have been paid equal to their male counterparts.

The prospect to be a part of constructing one thing from the bottom up — whereas gaining expertise on the helm of a aspect as head coach — was too tempting for Tully to cross up.

 “I felt like when this chance was introduced, it was a type of moments that if I mentioned no, I’d remorse it for the remainder of my life,” she mentioned.

‘It form of fell into my lap’

With a wealth of expertise from enjoying and assistant teaching on world phases, Bevilaqua can be at dwelling in any established league.

Earlier than taking over the problem of head coach, Bevilaqua was commentating on Indiana Fever video games within the WNBA, relishing a post-playing profession in broadcasting and private coaching.

“I by no means actually thought this is able to be a sensible alternative. It got here out of the blue, and I didn’t see it in my crystal ball in any respect.”

Bevilaqua says she’s already seeing the good impression the league is having on basketball in New Zealand.(Provided: Roshy SportFolio)

The Mainland coach might not have seen it coming, but it surely did not cease individuals within the basketball fraternity recommending her as the proper candidate for the job.

“It form of fell into my lap, my title was one of many names that have been put ahead by [former Seattle Storm coach and general manager] Lin Dunn, a few calls and emails later, I used to be instructed I used to be profitable.”

The previous WNBA champion is already seeing the impression the brand new and improved league is having in New Zealand basketball.

“The financial worth helps now that we will pay gamers, it is nonetheless semi-professional and never all gamers obtain the identical quantity, however I really feel it is simply elevated the extent of play due to the imports every workforce can get,” she mentioned.

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A top-tier participant within the New Zealand league is paid $13,000 to $16,000 a season, which has similarities to the WNBL wage.

The collective bargaining settlement confirmed the minimal participant cost for the 2021-22 Australian WNBL season was $13,500 and would enhance to $15,000 for the 2022-23 season.

The introduction of import gamers introduced into the NZ league has additionally raised the usual of basketball throughout the competitors.

“The distinction in observe when my two American imports arrived at coaching two weeks into pre-season actually profoundly affected the native gamers that I’ve labored with,” Bevilaqua mentioned.

Mainland Pouakai gamers and coaches have fun a win in spherical one.(Getty Pictures: Jackson Meecham)

“They have been seeing the imports’ work ethic and the depth of their coaching, it immediately elevated all the opposite gamers’ stage of coaching.”

Making connections past basketball

Bevilaqua’s huge resume of success within the WNBA, FIBA World Cup, Olympics and Commonwealth Video games speaks to the dependable and constant participant she was at her peak.

A number of the accolades embody an Olympic silver medal, a World Cup gold medal and a WNBA championship gained throughout her time on the Storm with teammate and fellow Aussie Lauren Jackson.

Lauren Jackson and Tully Bevilaqua have fun successful the 2004 WNBA Championship with the Seattle Storm.(NBAE through Getty Pictures: Jeff Reinking)

Regardless of all of the success, the achievement she holds in highest regard is the WNBA’s Kim Perrot Sportsmanship award, which she earned in 2007.

The accolade is awarded to the WNBA participant who most “exemplifies the beliefs of sportsmanship on the court docket — moral behaviour, truthful play and integrity”.

“My philosophy was in the event you focus extra on the statistics than you do on the general workforce side, you may have a brief profession,” she mentioned.

“I did not see myself as one of the best participant, I knew find out how to play throughout the workforce and I additionally knew I needed to get the ball to sure gamers, it did not fear me not being the highest scorer or finest participant.

Bevilaqua performed for the San Antonio Silver Stars in 2011/2012.(Getty Pictures: Christian Petersen)

“I cared concerning the surroundings I used to be in and having enjoyable and looking for my teammates.”

As a coach, Bevilaqua hasn’t forgotten her team-first values.

“An important factor to me is constructing a reference to the gamers, and dedicating time to attending to know them exterior of basketball,” she mentioned.

“I need them to know that I am approachable and that I am somebody they’ll discuss to on and off the court docket, not essentially as a coach, it would not should be in regard to basketball, however somebody they’ll belief and assist them in different methods.

Tully Bevilaqua’s workforce Mainland Pouakai got here third within the inaugural competitors.(Provided: Roshy SportFolio)

“I am a mum myself, and I had two gamers in my workforce who’ve younger youngsters, so for them to know I perceive and will help in different methods is essential to me.”

Excessive expectations for an Opals World Cup win

Now again at dwelling together with her household within the US, Bevilaqua has been maintaining a tally of former Opals and Seattle Storm teammate Lauren Jackson’s return to worldwide basketball forward of the ladies’s World Cup in Sydney.

“We have been all so anxious to see if LJ received picked, it is an unimaginable story and story of the yr,” she mentioned.

Bevilaqua performed with Lauren Jackson (centre) within the WNBA and is trying ahead to seeing her carry out within the World Cup.(AAP: Joel Carrett)

“It was so good to see her within the trial video games in New York [against Canada] hitting the scoreboard and doing her factor.”

The previous Opal is trying ahead to seeing what the nationwide aspect can do in Sydney.

“I am excited for the Australians to begin a brand new chapter.

“I really feel like they’ve simply had just a few troubled years getting that workforce chemistry proper. I really feel that is going to begin a brand new journey for the Opals to get them again on monitor to that id we used to have.”

Nonetheless, Bevilaqua’s expectations for the aspect are excessive.

“The Aussies are all the time up for medal competition,” she mentioned.

“There is no complacency on this world stage anymore. You have to deliver your A-game or you are going to end up out.”

Mainland Pouakai got here third total within the New Zealand competitors and Bevilaqua is open to poaching some Australian expertise for subsequent season.

‘”I [don’t mind the] thought of getting some Australians throughout the ditch finally,” she mentioned.

ABC Sport is partnering with Siren Sport to raise the protection of Australian girls in sport.

Sophie Fazzolari is a contract author and psychology pupil at Victoria College. She is at the moment taking part within the ABC Sport X Siren Sport Rising Sports activities Author Program.

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