Coaches Corner Grand Final Edition

Ahead of tomorrow night's VJBL VC reserve grand finals, we caught up with U14 & 16 girls head coaches Rob Cooper & Jodi Impey as they review the season and road to the grand final. 

Rob Cooper - U14 Girls

SEASON SO FAR:

As with any other team, injuries have played a big factor throughout the year for us, especially losing key components and rotations coming into finals. Our tallest player unfortunately broke her leg during an earlier game at the start of the year, resulting in her season as an on-court athlete sadly being cut short and ending. However, this has not stopped Ella; you will still find her on the bench cheering and supporting her teammates, how she has handled her long-term injury has been simply amazing.

What we lack in height we definitely make up for in heart, effort and hard work. This group of athletes is such a competitive team from player 1 through to player 10, giving up is not in this group of girls DNA. They attack the game with the same level of energy on both ends of the floor, regardless of the result I never see them taking the foot off the pedal. Each athlete brings a different set of skills to the team and our games, they have all stepped up at various times when we have needed to get the job done. This is a really special group and have been an absolute pleasure to coach.

Our pathway in making it to the Grand Final has been amazing and achieved through victories in an Elimination Final (55-42 vs Kilsyth 2), Semi-Final (51-41 vs Eltham 1) and last week’s Preliminary Final (58-48 vs Bulleen 1). The girls have been playing their best basketball of the season, bringing it altogether when it counts. They are always looking out for each other and have been supporting one another all season. We are excited to take on Casey in tomorrow night’s Grand Final, coming in with confidence after a close victory against them earlier in the season.

NOTABLE RESULTS THROUGHOUT 2023:

Bendigo Junior Classic Tournament: Runners Up

Country Champs: Division 1 Semi Finalist (Losing to the eventual Champion)

Ballarat Tournament: Runners Up

Results Vs Casey (Grand Final Opponent): WIN 58 – 56

 

Coaching Staff:

Head Coach: Rob Cooper

Ass. Coach: Paul Rundell

Team Manager: Bec Moore

 

Athletes:

Ashlee Beseler

Ella Smyth

Emmerson Moore

Keely Geljon

Lena Wiltshire

Madison Edwards

Milla O’Donohue

Milla Rundell

Sienna Baldwin

Zahra Winduss

Absent: Keely Geljon

 

Jodi Impey – U16 Girls

SEASON SO FAR:

We started the year with a full team of 10 available athletes and in the earlier part of the season we managed to make it to the semi-finals of the Australia Day Bendigo Classic, and with a few tweaks made to our game, we backed that result up a few weeks later, with the Division 1 Country Championships Title, defeating Geelong in the final 45-37.

 Fast forward through to grading where we qualified for VC Reserve Division, narrowly missing out on making the top 10 VC Championship Division. With a few issues mid-season, a loss of two players and a change of coach, there was also a change in focus. We regrouped, discussed our goals and what we wanted to achieve for the remainder of the year, everyone was fully on board and committed to one another as a group, and as a team.

Throughout the final 10 rounds of the VJBL regular season, week in week out we battled with injuries, some weeks playing with only 6 players. To their credit, all the girls really dug deep and worked together, the team chemistry was incredible, and the girls have played some awesome basketball. To end the regular season our team finished on top of the ladder with an 8 win - 1 loss record.

As their Coach, it has been an absolute pleasure watching each and everyone of the girls build on their confidence and the belief that they can compete at this level.  They are a fabulous group of hard working, fight till the end ballers, the talent in this team is next level. Every week we have numerous players contribute big numbers on the scoreboard. We are a very well-rounded team who compete hard at both ends of the floor.

 Our pathway in making it to the Grand Final has been outstanding and achieved through victories in a Qualifying Final (82-62 vs Diamond Valley 1), giving us a week off before last week’s Preliminary Final victory (57-55 vs Melbourne Tigers 2). Our team are confident that if we continue our style of play and everyone plays their role, we can match our result against McKinnon earlier this season and take home the title.

NOTABLE RESULTS THROUGHOUT 2023:

Bendigo Junior Classic Tournament: Semi Finalist

Country Champs: Division 1 Champions

Ballarat Tournament: Champions

Results Vs McKinnon (Grand Final Opponent): WIN 81 – 53

 

Coaching Staff:

Head Coach: Jodi Impey

Ass. Coach: Lucas Impey

Team Manager: Karen Ashby

Athletes:

Audrey Murnane

Ebony Porter

Eliza Ashby

Ivy Roberts

Lilly Impey

Milly Shortal

Nethmi Rodrigo

Zayah McNamara

 

Grand Final details 

Ballarat U/14 Girls 1 v Casey - 7:30pm, Keilor Stadium, Court 1 

Ballarat U/16 Girls 1 v McKinnon - 9:10pm, Keilor Stadium, Court 1 

We wish both teams all the best in tomorrow night. Follow our social media stories for score updates.  Go Ballarat!