One of Melton Thoroughbreds inaugural women’s Country Basketball League players Jess Kivimets will now step into the coaching hot seat.
Kivimets has been named coach of the Thoroughbreds women’s side with Ash Breukers named as assistant coach for the upcoming season.
Kivimets said she was looking forward to helping give locals a chance to play basketball at this level.
“It’s an incredible privilege to lead this year’s Women’s CBL team with my assistant coach Ash,” she said.
“This role carries a deep sense of responsibility. There is so much talent and potential in our Melton region and it’s all about giving players the opportunity to play for their hometown and provide a pathway for our junior girls.”
Kivimets said having played for the Thoroughbreds previously it made it even more special to take coaching that same team.
“I understand firsthand what it means to wear this jersey and represent the community,” she said.
“I really enjoyed my time playing in this league and to now be in a position where I can guide and support those returning players but also the next generation of players, is a real privilege.”
Kivimets said she always enjoyed learning the game from different perspectives. Two serious knee injuries led her to look at coaching more and it’s something she fell in love with.
“As a player, I immersed myself in every aspect of training and development,” she said. “Coaching, however, offered a unique kind of reward – one that playing couldn’t replicate.
“I had my first knee reconstruction at 16 while competing in VC [Victorian Junior Basketball League] and training as a development player with the [Big V] state champ women at Sunbury.
“Despite working hard to earn those opportunities, the setbacks were mentally tough. After a second knee reconstruction at 20, I returned to play state champ YL [youth league] but found my passion for playing had shifted.
“I finished the year with CBL before deciding to step away from playing. Coaching became a natural transition – one where I could still contribute to the game I love, but without the physical toll.”
Kivimets is also the girls coaching director at Melton.
She said it definitely helps make the transition into the CBL coaching role easier.
Kivimets said they were unsure what the squad would look like yet but didn’t rule out it being a young team like the past couple of seasons.
“Ash and I are huge competitors, so our hope is that we can assemble the right group and build a team that competes with intensity and purpose & can hopefully get results,” she said.
“While the ultimate goal is to make a strong finals run and win a championship, it’s equally important to build a team that highlights Melton’s local talent and inspires our junior girls to aspire to play at the senior level in the future.”
