Anon
Years ago

Lightning Safe

ADELAIDE Lightning have been saved.

The iconic South Australian sporting team and five-time WNBL champion — which was in danger of omission due to a $150,000 funding shortfall — will continue in 2015-16 and for the foreseeable future.

Basketball SA chief executive officer Mark Hubbard shortly will reveal the short and long-term plan which ensures the Lightning not only survives but thrives into the future.

Former four-time Lightning championship coach and Australian Opals world championship-winning mentor Jan Stirling today will head an interview panel to find a coaching successor to Jeremi Moule, with Vicki Valk and Tracy York the head-hunted candidates for the role.

Valk coached Adelaide to its last WNBL title in 2008 and York is a trailblazer as the first woman to coach a men's team in the state league and a former 36ers assistant to both Joey Wright and Marty Clarke.


The club’s plight became critical after no buyer jumped into the breach when former owner Vince Marino handed back the Lightning’s license to Basketball Australia.

BA now has the license and in the longer term, the club is expecting to link with University of SA as a major supporter.

Adelaide has been a WNBL fixture since 1993 and contested finals series in 19 of its 23-year existence, and acted as the pathway to elite women’s basketball for South Australian players.

Full details of the rescue package and plans later today.

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.  
Years ago

That is great news!

Reply #529332 | Report this post


Anon  
Years ago

It was with great pleasure that Mark Hubbard CEO of Basketball SA announced the new naming rights partner of the Adelaide Lightning to be the Motor Accident Commission (MAC).

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Excellent news for all basketball fans in South Australia ...and rest of Australia.

Reply #529346 | Report this post


Zo  
Years ago

Who will coach?

Reply #529349 | Report this post


Jack Toft  
Years ago

Great news for all fans of Basketball in SA.

There appeared to be a reluctance to get behind the team when under the previous ownership. Now is the time for all fans to put that behind them and get on board the Lightning Express

Reply #529350 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Tracey has been coaching and really developing her craft for over 25 years, I for one would love to see her given this opportunity.

Reply #529351 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Tracy or Vicki would both be good options

Reply #529352 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Yes they would, and who better than legendary women's coach Jan Stirling to lead the decision making group.

Reply #529353 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Would be good if all universities could start to get behind the sports, get it more like the American system

Reply #529355 | Report this post


'  
Years ago

would be great if tracey and vicki could make a coaching team.

Reply #529356 | Report this post


Anon  
Years ago

Hopefully they can attract a few good imports!
A lot of the good Aus players have already signed elsewhere

Reply #529357 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

They don't have any money to but imports, especially not good one's.

Reply #529358 | Report this post


Safe  
Years ago

They will be full of young local kids and will get rolled by 50 most games, but at least they will be playing.

Reply #529361 | Report this post


'  
Years ago

this was about team survival not buying the best imports.

clearly the bigger budget teams get the more expensive players.

I have related more to the lightning when the majority were local SA players in the team - which I feel is what they need - getting the grass roots support / seeing them locally / local comps / at the junior games.



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Anonymous  
Years ago

Adelaide crowds don't historically support losing teams, and this team will lose big.

Reply #529365 | Report this post


'  
Years ago

half full or half empty ?

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'  
Years ago

re 366 -was referring to previous anon post - we should be grateful to have a team, get some local strength behind the team and the support will follow.

Reply #529367 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Except the support didn't follow. Remember the Breheny team. Lot of local players. Was a terrible team and no-one went to the games.
Having said that, the team exists. That is step 1, and yes, we should be grateful. And I don't particularly care if it is all locals that gets beat most weeks. But lets not pretend that there will be a bigger support for a bad team of locals rather than a good team of imports from other states.

Reply #529370 | Report this post


'  
Years ago

we will get some imports - the situation has bottomed out and it should now slowly climb - get some quality people on board and who knows......

IMO some good points to start that ball rolling -

1) coaching staff involved with national program at some level

2) experienced players for leadership

3) quality, positive media exposure

4) interaction with the team and grassroots basketball

5) ensure our next generation have something to strive for and they are aware of that.

6) whilst it may not bring profit $ - get the focus on positives with what it brings to SA and boost that.

Reply #529375 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Dream of what may have been if this was sorted earlier

Erin Phillips
Laura Hodges
Jenni Screen
Natalie Novosel could have signed here not up North to finish what she started.

to mention a few... if only ...

Reply #529377 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

There is always the potential for SA grown players to return to a good program and culture in the future.

For now Home grown kids with perhaps some external cheapish experienced players will me more competetive than some may think.

They would win a few but yes perhaps not compete for grand finals for a while.

Still a very valuable platform for the states young athletes

GREAT news!

Whoever coaches must be developers

Reply #529381 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Hire The Count of Hoops - his time has come!

Reply #529394 | Report this post


POP  
Years ago

I'm very pleased that the team has [apparently] survived, but wonder where they are going to find players.

Looking at who has signed elsewhere [whether SA players or not] and who is going around at Premier League level, I fear the next 12 months will be VERY tough.

That said, I trust the decision-makers will use this to really start afresh.

Specifically, while Jo Hill continues to be probably the best player in the Premier League comp, I really hope they will cut themselves free of players like Hill, Marino, Ireland ...

If it has to be a year of hurt - as I suspect it will be - let's really focus on fresh young faces with real talent. There are a few of those, though to me they seem a long way from WNBL standard at this stage.

Reply #529396 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

with basketball of late and the lightning I wonder whether it was true or not, the whole scenario of 'daddy buying a team for Angela' kept the crowds away. especially with the sackings of Lucas and Buckle and the perception that daddy's little girl had her way. As I said whether it was true or not it was the perception and many may have thought they weren't supporting lightning rather they would be supporting the Marino's. It may have turned people off, connect with grassroots bring Mahoney back, Ortlepp, Amy Shaw, Perkas, give some of the younger ones a go give them a few level older heads like Mahoney and bring an import they might not be too competitive this year but maybe next year. As a state we have developed, Flannagan, Newley, Madgen, Francis, Woosnman, Sporn, Nykiel, Hill, Brogan, Bishop to name a very few of top level female basketballers we can continue to do it. Look at the positives not the negatives. We have a team, we have pathways it is now for those girls to grab their opportunity and run with it. And for us the basketball public to support them we lamented their potential demise we can't be apathetic to their future now.

Reply #529401 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

At some stage every club needs to go back and play a lot of young local talents. It happens to every club as nobody have the money all the time to just buy premium players. Look at some of the SEABL teams this year .. and even in the WNBL there will be clubs who have to play young talent mainly ...

Reply #529406 | Report this post


'  
Years ago

would great to see good, marino, harrington, scheer, mijovic, langford back + new ones

Reply #529410 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

do not hire the count of hoops. notice how fire went from 3rd place to champs when he left and boomers went from the playoffs down to 6th when he arrived. red flag! hire vicky she has the background and experience and is local.

Reply #529411 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Please not Mijovic. For a player on the cusp of opals I was very disappointed in her intensity on the defensive end. Langford yes and there is some more local bigs worth a try.

Reply #529452 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Agree with the post above that don't go anywhere new the Count of Hoops ! Absolute trouble and nightmare behind the scenes. Hugh ego to add to that !

Reply #529461 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

#529411 what an ignorant comment.

Reply #529478 | Report this post


Boomers fan  
Years ago

Can't believe the above comment re Count of Hoops. He is a very nice, respectful, team orientated person. Comments like he has an ego has to come from someone that has no interaction with him. Couldn't be further from the truth.

Stick with positive comments about the resurgence of the lightening and leave individuals out of it.

Reply #529480 | Report this post


we're back  
Years ago

Back on topic here, would they consider bringing Dickel back? Giving him a full pre season to put his stuff in etc

Reply #529486 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

who is Count of Hoops ?

Reply #529495 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

dickel let's hope not

Reply #529652 | Report this post


Anon  
Years ago

Boti tweeted saying:


Expect Tracy York to today be announced as the 8th coach of one-time @WNBL pacesetter @Adel_Lightning

Reply #529718 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Best of luck to Tracy.

She'll need it!!

Reply #529723 | Report this post


donnahue  
Years ago

we are all very realistic on the season results, lucky to have a team

Reply #529746 | Report this post


Anon  
Years ago

Now that the Lightning has been confirmed for the 2015/2016 season, nyone know when the draw will be released?

Reply #530275 | Report this post




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