Tara Murray
The time is right for new Melton Thoroughbreds women’s Country Basketball League coach Brad Dennis to return to the club.
Dennis has had a long affiliation with the club, but has been coaching at Keilor Thunder the past few years.
But the opportunity to return to Melton and help shape the club going forward was one that was too good to refuse.
Dennis said he was excited by the new role and helping the club further develop its female basketball program.
“It’s something a bit different,” he said. “I’ve been out of Melton basketball for three years and I’m now making the move back.
“It’s the right time.
“The club wants to build on a few things and good things are happening at Melton, so I’ve made the move back.”
Dennis hasn’t been involved at the senior program at Melton before having been part of their Victorian Junior Basketball League set up.
He was involved in the Keilor VJBL program as well and was assistant coach for the Thunder’s Big V youth league men’s team last year.
He has also been involved with Victoria Country state programs as well.
Dennis said one of the big things for him in coming back to Melton was helping establish the female pathways at the Thoroughbreds, including the reintroduction of a youth league women’s team next year.
The club didn’t have Big V senior women or youth league women teams last season.
He said having a good CBL program was the first step in getting Big V sides back up and running.
“We want to make sure we have female sides,” he said. “We want to be nurturing Melton talent and striving to have that pathway for them.
“We didn’t have a youth league side this year and we need that pathway for them, so we’re not blooding talented youngsters and they go elsewhere.”
This will be the second season the Thoroughbreds will have CBL sides after joining the competition last year.
Last year they finished in sixth spot with three wins and five losses from their eight games.
Dennis said this season they would aim to add a bit more experience to the group after having a really young team last season.
He said there had about 30 players indicate they were keen to trail for the side this season, with trials occurring last week.
“We’ll go and get some outside talent that needs to come into the equation and add some support to the younger girls, the younger bodies.
“We’ll look to utilise those girls and they will help with the development of our girls.
“Some of the talent that played last year were top age under-16 players coming up against grown women.
“It was a tough ask. If they’re not in the mix for the team, we’ll look at them for development players and they’ll be at every training session.”
