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Chizik joins Opals as an assistant coach
CHIZIK JOINS OPALS COACHING STAFF
Renowned women's basketball coach Lori Chizik has joined the Jayco Australian Opals program, appointed as an Assistant Coach as the team prepares for their upcoming camp in late March.
Canadian-born Chizik has made Australia her home for more than 25 years, making her name as one of the premier coaches in women’s basketball.
After playing three seasons in the WNBL, Chizik led the Nunawading Spectres to the 1989 WNBL Championship - beginning a successful career from the sidelines, winning WNBL Coach of the Year in 1996 while in charge of the Bulleen Boomers.
Chizik served as an assistant/selector to Tom Maher at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games as part of many national team roles she would serve – currently as the Assistant Coach of the Jayco Australian Under 17 Women’s team.
The NBL came calling, with Chizik creating history – becoming the first woman to coach in the league, as an Assistant Coach to legendary NBL and Australian Boomers Coach Brian Goorjian at the Victoria Titans in 2000.
Away from the national and international scene, Chizik has spent more than a decade coaching in the SEABL and Big V competitions, while staying heavily involved in Victorian state representative teams, leading the Under 20 Women’s team for seven years.
Excited to work with the Opals on their journey to the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women, Chizik said she was looking forward to challenges ahead.
"It’s a really exciting time to be involved with the Jayco Australian Opals and I’m honoured to be working with Brendan (Joyce), the Opals and the rest of the staff," Chizik said.
“When I got the phone call from Brendan I was just over the moon. As a player your dream is always to represent your country and as a coach that is no different.
“It’s always been my dream to be a coach with Australia at an Olympics or World Championships, so to get that opportunity now is fantastic.”
Opals Head Coach Brendan Joyce said Chizik brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the program that will prove invaluable.
“We’re really excited to have Lori involved in the program leading into the World Championships and I think she’s going to be a great addition to our staff,” Joyce said.
“She brings a lot of coaching experience and knowledge of the game and has a really good understanding what the role of an assistant coach is which is important.”
Chizik joins Assistant Coach Damian Cotter and Technical Assistant Coach Scott Butler as part of the women’s national team coaching panel.
The Jayco Australian Opals head into camp on March 23 at the Basketball Australia National Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Canberra.