Brad George - Ipswich Force
With his team sitting on a four-game winning streak having not dropped a match since facing Gladstone in Round 4, and continually producing strong results against their opponents, Ipswich Force’s Brad George is the QBL women’s team Coach of the Month. Ipswich defeated Bundaberg by 26 points in Round 5, with Nadeen Payne swing earning the Player of the Week title for her effort of 33 points at 60.9% in the field and 12 rebounds in the win. Round 6 saw the Force fight off a tenacious South West Metro Pirates, trailing at halftime before putting the pressure on to eventually take the eight-point victory. In Round 7 Ipswich faced off with Brisbane in the only match for the round, and came away with a six-point win during a close battle which saw the Capitals lead for most of the match, with Nadeen Payne hitting 13 points in the final 10 minutes to help get her team out in front and eventually seal the win. The Force again took on South West Metro in Round 8, and this time held the upper hand throughout the match and dominated across the court, to come away with a solid 17-point victory. The team has taken to the court and won their last three matches without the services of WNBL player Emma Langford due to her commitments with the Australian team for the World University Games, with Nadeen Payne, Peta Eddington, Meg Essex and Stacey Howard contributing big points to help get the Force over the line in their recent encounters.

It’s George’s third season as Head Coach of the team, the high school teacher stepping into the role prior to the start of the 2011 season, having previously coached the women’s Development League team. The Force’s line-up has undergone major changes under George’s charge, with Langford making the move to the Force in 2011 and Payne coming into the side in 2012, while this season has seen the team pick up the services of former Bundaberg player Stacey Howard, in addition to existing and young local talent. Last season saw the Force make it through to the quarter finals, before being knocked out by the Bundaberg Bears. The team is on-track this season to have another successful campaign, with the Force currently sitting in third place on the league ladder, and well ahead of their Pool C counterparts. 

Other contenders for this month’s Coach of the Month award include Jess Bibby from the Gladstone Power, with her team sitting on nine wins, with their winning streak coming to an end in Round 8 against Mackay. Last month’s Coach of the Month Mick Virgo has maintained his team’s dominance in the league, with the Mackay Meteorettes sitting on 10 uncontested wins heading into Round 9.