Promising basketballers chosen

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 38

Promising basketballers chosen

PA Wellington Fourteen . promising women basketbailers have been chosen to attend the first full-time programme at the Basketball Federation’s institute in Hamilton.

The women will move to, and live in, Hamilton for up to two years when jobs have been found by the federation. Accommodation has already been found.

The federation’s president, Mr Joe McLeod, said his organisation" had been overwhelmed b'y the response to its hunt for

participants. “We thought we’d have to go down on bended knee to find women who would be willing to up stakes and move to Hamilton for a programme like this. Instead, we were overwhelmed by replies. "We had 30-plus applicants for the 14 positions and we are delighted. We’re sad that anyone had to miss out. Ideally we would like to find room for all 30.” Mr McLeod said that the successful applicants would train under the

national women’s coach, James Logan, and his assistant, Mark Haldane. They would practice for three to four hours a day and extensively at weekends. The 14 trainees will form a team which will compete in next season’s national women’s league. It is hoped they will also find places in club teams in Hamilton’s domestic competition. The women will be organised on an emerging players basis and Mr McLead hoped that match’es would be arranged against touring

teams. The squad may also travel overseas if finance is available. The Hamilton Y.M.C.A. will oversee the project and funding will be provided by the Sports Foundation. Mr McLeod said the project would be an ongoing one if successful. Other players would be chosen when future courses began and ultimately the federation hoped to arrange a similar course for men. § Jobs had been found for

most of the selected players and university courses had been arranged for the two students in the squad. The 14 are: Debbie Hinton (Dunedin), Sonja Akkermann (Canterbury), Margaret Costain (Canty), Lynley Hannan (Hamilton), Linda Exeter (Napier), Sheryl George (New Plymouth), lone Guilionta (Wellington), Karreen Mackey (New Plymouth), Justine Mitchell (North Shore), Tracey Molloy (Tauranga), Julie Rowan (Wanganui), Marla Street (Papakura), Flora Tahana (Porirua), Vickie Beardsley (Invercargill).