16/06/2026
⭐️🏀Coaches Spotlight🏀⭐️
Meet our Head Coach, Coach Cassie! 🏀
We’re proud to have Cassie from Fortitude Training Academy leading our program with passion, experience, and a strong commitment to player development and coach education. Her dedication to growing the game, both on and off the court, helps create opportunities for our athletes and coaches. Thanks for everything Cassie!
1️⃣ How long have you been involved in basketball, and what made you want to become a coach?
🏀 Since I was 6, I wont say how many years that is! (Cough, 32yrs). I coached miniball on the GC from about 14yrs old and coached since. I got into it because I love the sport and I wanted to make a positive difference in lives (on and off the court)
2️⃣ What's your favourite thing about coaching and educating the coaches at Crusaders?
🏀 Coaching - I love hearing when kids have tried something at training and have then done it for the first time on a game, it makes me proud and happy for them. Educating - I think coaches are the foundation to everything in the game, we have the ability to change players views on themselves by building confidence, teaching mindset and that the impact coaches have can influence success beyond the court. Our coaches are great people and supporting them and seeing them develop is super rewarding.
3️⃣ What is one lesson you hope every player learns from you?
🏀 That whatever your goals are, it is always achievable if you work hard, are a great team mate and are a respectful person… and of course use your weak hand or you have burpees!
4️⃣ What was your most memorable basketball moment as a player or coach?
🏀 Thats tough… I would say as a player when I got my first WNBL call up. As a coach I would when I was asked to Head Coach the Australian Indigenous Women’s team being able to coach at that level, with talent that was there and represent my culture at the same time was a huge honour.
5️⃣ If the players could describe you in three words, what would they be?
🏀 Oh gosh I would hate to know. I hope they say passionate, caring and fun (sometimes fun lol)
6️⃣ Who is your basketball idol, and why?
🏀As a player it was Rohanee Cox (First Indigenous Opals player), I ended up playing with her in WNBL and was a dream come true! As a coach probably Greg Popovich (his ability to get all his team to play great individual games but how they all come together as a unit on the floor. He was the best at it!)
7️⃣ What do you enjoy doing when you're not on the basketball court?
🏀I love just chilling out as I dont do that too much but also painting/art, play guitar and puzzles/cards
8️⃣ Finish this sentence: 💙 "Being a Crusader means..."
🏀 Being a Crusader means being part of a team, be supported and having a space where you know you can grow and develop.
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