Championship coach elevates into new role

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Cockburn Cougars championship coach and club CEO Tyrone Thwaites will take on a new role as the Chief Basketball Officer of Basketball WA.

The 2023 NBL1 West women’s Coach of the Year has led his club on and off the court to unparalleled success for his Cougars. Nearly tripling the club’s junior participation and taking the senior program’s success and professionalism to new heights – with the Cockburn women’s team making back-to-back Grand Finals in the past two seasons. 

In the newly established role, he will lead Basketball WA’s basketball competitions, high-performance pathways and participation outcomes. 

“I am incredibly privileged to be at the forefront of Basketball in our state. I’m eager to work with our proud sport across Competitions, High-Performance and Participation outcomes, to not only continue to grow, but ensure our programs are best in class,” he Thwaites said. 

“We’ve seen from recent successes, such as the NBL1 competition being showcased at RAC Arena, highlight the momentum we’re building. With more new players joining the game every day, and an undeniable amount of passionate basketball minds and ideas in Western Australia, there is an opportunity to bring the spotlight to WA for the outstanding outcomes we are capable of producing for the community—and I can’t wait to get started in October.”

Cockburn's Board of Directors have started their for two new people to fill the roles of Chief Executive Officer and NBL1 Head Coach.