Subi Daly, Annaliese Leeflang, Amber Brazendale, Macy McCullugh and Millie Whitehead have signed on as Development Players for the Launceston Tornadoes.
Daly, who is is also trying out for the U18 state team, said having access to the TIS through the Torns was a great source of motivation.
"It was just this year that I've been asked to join the development player group as part of the team," she said.
"But I've played with Sarah as my coach with the (Launceston) Lightning."
McCullugh typically plays as a tall or a wing, aspires to one day play WNBL and hopes the development program will be a good starting point.
She plays with Japara in the Launceston Basketball Association and is looking forward to the resumption of the season.
"I'm quite excited because it's a new thing for me, I'm getting to develop my skills and work with local teammates and ones from other places," she said.
Froling, Mariah Payne, Mikala Bingley and Micah Simpson are among the players she's eager to rub shoulders with.
"I've looked up to them for a while and have watched them grow," she said.
Leeflang is a long-time Tornadoes fan who is over the moon to be part of the program.
"Obviously living in Launceston, I've always watched the Tornadoes," she said.
"So being able to be part of that now is a great opportunity.
"I'm very grateful to the coaches and the girls that have welcomed us in."
Brazendale is a young gun with a family connection to the Tornadoes.
She always wanted to play with the Tornadoes when she grew up.
She's had the benefit of watching her older sister, Jayde, play for the club.
"I've just always wanted to be in this game with all these people, all these elite athletes, and I'm so grateful to all the sponsors so we get this opportunity as a development player," Brazendale said.
She said the senior group gets around the development players and it feels like "a little family".
Brazendale, who tends to play as centre or forward, plays for City in the LBA.
Whitehead is excited about the prospect of following in her mum Sallee's footsteps.
"I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be among elite women, especially the local state players that I've grown up admiring," Whitehead said.
"It's just such a great opportunity."
Whitehead, a Year 11 St Patrick's College student, will continue with her club and representative basketball commitments this year while she soaks up the Tornadoes experience.
The point guard is also trialling for the state U18 team which she made as a bottom-age player last year.
View the 2022 NBL1 roster tracker here.
Feature image taken by The Examiner
