It has been on again off again for the Maitland Mustangs in recent times but in 2013 they will field a women’s team in the Waratah Championship League.

But now they are back in business and many of the players in the top flight squad have progressed through Maitland programs.

Kellyann Grayson, Jessie-Ann Baldwin, Emily Richards and the Fox sisters, Amy and Kellie, will form the core of the squad while youth league converts Emily Keith, Kaitlyne Watson, Lara Pilton and Rebecca Gallego will step up to open grade, along with under-18 players Victoria Unicomb and Hannah Fox.

Mustangs women’s coach Stu Hancock said his young team would be trying to find their feet in 2013.

“It will be a bit of a developing year for us,” he said.

“We have a very young team and our average age is only 22.”

Hanock said it was vital for women’s basketball in Maitland to have a team contesting the Waratah Championship League.

“Now we are back in we want to build from this,” he said.

“We want the girls in our junior and youth programs to have something to strive for and to have the opportunity to play at that level here.”

This will be Hancock’s first crack as head coach of the Mustangs women after assistant roles to Jim Noud and Matt Payton previously.

Hancock, who recently returned with a bronze medal from nationals as assistant coach of the NSW women’s 20s, has mentored many of the Mustangs in junior roles at the club.

The season starts on March 16.