Charlize grabbing Seahawks chances at just 16

Featured image: P2DK Photography - @p2dk_photography

The North Gold Coast Seahawks have returned to NBL1 North in 2026 and focused on backing in young, local talent and Charlize Brown continues to grab all the opportunities coming her way all the while still just 16 years of age.

While Georgia Woolley is putting up some eye-watering numbers and the likes of Antoniette Emma-Nnopu, Katie Deeble and Charlie Reece offer a bit of experience to a young group although still relatively young themselves, they are certainly veterans compared to 16-year-old Brown.

It's one thing to give a young player an opportunity just to gain experience, but that hasn’t been the case with her this season under coach Brayden Heslehurst.

Not only is Brown playing almost 19 minutes a game, but she is having a genuine impact out on the floor including a scoring best of 18 points against the Brisbane Capitals and then her first double double which came in a big win over the South West Metro Pirates.

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It's been quite the breakout season for the 16-year-old to show what an exciting future she has if she can already do what she's doing in her first NBL1 season and coming up against big name imports, WNBL players and top-quality local players.

Brown herself is just thankful for the opportunity to get out on the court at NBL1 level already.

"I’m enjoying playing NBL1 so much especially with my team and coaches," Brown said.

"I’m so grateful to be playing with all these experienced players at such a young age and I just look up to them every day and hope that their experience can help improve my game more and more."

Not just playing but having a key role

Sometimes when someone is so young, they might earn some junk time minutes just to gain some experience and a feel of what it's like to play at the next level with an eye for the future.

But that's not been the case with coach Heslehurst with Brown and he's had full faith to throw her in the deep end from the very start of the season and she continues to reward him in spades with what she's providing.

Brown played 20 minutes on her NBL1 North debut for five points and six rebounds against the Sunshine Coast Phoenix before then having 18 points and seven rebounds six days later, and she's continued to be given every chance to shine since.

Not only is she thankful for the opportunities, but her confidence is growing all the time and each time she steps on an NBL1 floor, she's feeling as though she belongs more and more.

"It really does, at first I was just happy to be a part of the training squad and was lucky enough to even suit up the first couple games when we didn’t have our full squad yet," Brown said.

"So getting the opportunity to play how I have been playing is so amazing, and if you were to compare me at the start of the year to now, my confidence has really improved in all aspects of the game."

Thankful to coach Heslehurst

While Brown is grabbing her chances with the Seahawks, you also need your coach to be giving you those opportunities. That's where she's thankful to Heslehurst for having the faith in her to be backing her in even while still aged 16.

The 2022 championship winning coach from Logan has taken over at North Gold Coast for their NBL1 North return in 2026, and Brown can't thank him enough for what he's done for her.

"I’m so thankful for Brayden, I’m really grateful for the opportunity he has given me that not a lot of people get," Heslehurst said.

"Just believing in me as a player all the time and pushing me to be better, it means a lot especially as such a young player in the league to have a coach that will give you a chance and be backing you the whole time. I really I couldn’t have gotten a better coach then him."

Having some amazing teammates too

Not only is Brown thankful to her coach, but also her teammates as well including Georgia Woolley who is in some blistering form right now including 42 points in last Sunday's win over the Ipswich Force.

She's had another three games scoring 30 or more points but then there's other Seahawks like Antoniette Emma-Nnopu, Katie Deeble, Jess Boundy and Charlie Reece who have had their moments.

But all in all, Brown is appreciative to all her teammates who have made her feel so welcome.

"It’s so amazing playing alongside all of them, at my age I would never imagine I would be playing with such high-level skilled players like Katie, Georgia and Ant," Brown said.

"It’s so good to watch them play let alone to be on the court with them!

"I think already in this short amount of time this season I have already learnt so much from them whether it be on or off the court.

"They are a great group of girls and we have formed a good relationship; they have really taken me under their wing and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to play alongside them. I couldn’t have asked for better teammates then them."

Playing against some superstars

It's not just the calibre of players that Brown is playing alongside, but there's been moments this season where she can scarcely believe the superstar players that she's coming up against.

When you think that the 16-year-old has already played against players like Mia Loyd, Leah Scott, Mikhaela Cann, Courtney Woods, River Baldwin, both Bobongie girls, the McDowell-White sisters, and Erin Bollmann, and Brown has no doubt it's hastening her learning curve too.

"Yeah it’s crazy that sometimes I’m standing on court with such high-level players and big-name superstars that one day I hope to play as amazing as they do," Brown said.

"It is so nerve racking to just see them in warm up and scout and just mentally preparing myself to be playing against them.

"I think that the idea that I am gonna be playing against these talented players really just makes me want to lock in and play the best that I can."

Having a proud/excitable mum

There's no 16-year-old that could be doing what Brown is doing without having supportive and helpful parents, and she is certainly no different.

And even if Brown herself might try to contain her excitement with what she's doing already in her career, her mum Jess is making up for it and she's rightfully equally proud and excited when she has breakout performances.

Whether it was that 18-point scoring performance against the Capitals or the double double against the Pirates, her mum wanted to scream from the rooftops how proud of her daughter she was.

"Obviously I was so happy with my first double double," she said.

"But yeah I can’t lie my mum did seem very excited, almost like it was her that got her first double double!"

The incredible family support

On a more serious front, Brown knows that she wouldn’t be where she is now with all the support that her mum has provided, and continues to do.

She's not forgetting about her dad either!

"I'm so grateful for my mum and all she has done for me throughout my basketball journey, her support throughout it all honestly just helps me every day and makes me want to pursue my dreams more and more," Brown said.

"I am so grateful for my whole family as well just supporting me everyday day whether that be watching the live streams coming to my games, taking me to all the trainings and so on.

"Also my dad being my first ever sponsor obviously i am super grateful to have his support throughout that as well.

"It feels so good to know that I have all of them cheering me on and having their and love and support alongside me and I am excited for the journey that is to come over many more years."