By Lachlan Everett for NBL1.com.au
The Adelaide Lightning’s coach Natalie Hurst is a legend in Canberra. The Opal and seven-time WNBL champion with the Canberra Capitals wants to rebuild Canberra basketball from the ground up with her Canberra Nationals NBL1 side.
The UC Capitals have won two championships since Hurst has played and now she wants to bring more championships to Canberra again as a coach. The Canberra Gunners, the men’s team, won the inaugural NBL1 East championship this past season with a core of local talent, Hurst says she wants to replicate that with the Nationals.
“It was super fantastic to see the guys go and take that away and almost get there in the National Finals,” she said.
“They've had that core together, they've got a bunch of local guys that they've had together for the last couple of years, and we're trying to follow suit. We only started that two seasons ago. And in saying that, we've had COVID-effected seasons.
“It was fantastic to see them do that and something that the girls want to get up to and follow suit.”
THE CANBERRA GUNNERS ARE THE INAUGURAL #NBL1EAST CHAMPIONS ? ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 28, 2022
The Gunners have pulled off a miraculous win 76-73 over the Maitland Mustangs to win it all ? pic.twitter.com/O44CwITBil
Hurst explained she’s extremely passionate about player development and proving a pathway from the NBL1 to the WNBL. She spoke about how she’s been working closely with UC Capitals coach Kristen Veal on building the bridging back between the Canberra juniors and the Capitals.
“(I) want to build the bridge back between the NBL1, the WNBL and Canberra. That was a pathway I had as a player,” she said.
That's why our squad is full of Canberrans, we want to develop Canberrans and we (only) get a couple in there, as much as it pains me, in the Caps squad, but I also love it too. So that's our goal, that's why I want to come back and coach.
Hurst has been around the NBL1 since the start, playing for the then NBL1 South Albury-Wodonga Bandits under Lauren Jackson. She said the league has grown significantly since the start and explained how beneficial it is to female athletes especially.
“The really good thing is now is that we've got a lot of players that stay back and play NBL1, they don't just take the time off,” she said.
“The girls are getting looked after fantastically in the offseason by NBL1 teams, monetary-wise, rent-wise, car-wise and finding jobs. It just gives them a chance to work out and hone their skills in the offseason. They can really focus on basketball while playing in a high competition on the weekends.
“It's a fantastic platform for the next level. I think as we keep more talent in and as talent grows and comes through these clubs that are in NBL1, it's only going to make WNBL stronger. The gap between the NBL1 and the WNBL is getting shorter and shorter.
“It used to be a huge gap and a huge jump. (But now) it's getting shorter. So hopefully the NBL1 can keep preparing these girls to come up to the next level. And no doubt, it'll keep getting stronger and stronger.”
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