Congratulations Dee Butler
Our very own SCW coach Dee Butler has been selected as the head coach of the Australian U19 Gems team and we couldn't be happier for Dee. We were able to catch up with Dee to ask her a few questions in regards to this great opportunity.
How does it feel to be named the head coach of the Australian U19 Gems team?
I feel extremely privileged to be named Head Coach and excited to work with such a talented group of athletes. I certainly have very big shoes to fill after Paul Goriss was named on the Opals Staff, however I’m ready for the challenge and looking forward to the opportunity of gaining further international experience.
What is involved with preparing the team?
We have just held our first selection camp at the CoE (Centre of Excellence) in Canberra where we reduced the squad to 15. We will then hold the final selection camp from the 4th - 7th June to finalise the 12 athletes that we will take to the World Championships in July.
Where and when are the qualifiers for the World Championships?
The Oceania Qualifiers were held in Fiji in early November last year. We played off against New Zealand in the grand final which qualified us for the World’s in Italy this year from the 22nd - 30th.
How do you think the team will go?
In terms of the World Championships, we will be concentrating on one game at a time and having the goal of finishing 1st in our pool. After that, then obviously we would love the opportunity to make the medal rounds. Each and every game will be tough so we will need to make sure we are well prepared and play to our strengths. The athletes are extremely talented and I know they will compete and showcase an exciting brand of basketball.
Who will be your biggest competition at the championships?
USA and Russia will certainly be expected to be there at the pointy end of the tournament. Italy have a strong 17’s group that have come through so no doubt the home country will be very tough to beat and wanting to be in the medal rounds. Spain are always a strong outfit so they will certainly be tough competition for us.
We will be keeping up with the team’s progress throughout the championship. We are very proud of the opportunity that Dee has been given and we will be wishing her the best of luck for the championship.
Last Modified on 20/05/2017 14:45
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