Interview with Townsville Flames head coach Brady Walmsley
How is the season so far?
I am really happy with how our group is progressing this season. We have a fairly young team, which has made it particularly pleasing to see some of the surprise contributions we have received. We knew that we would find our way once we had enough time with our full squad to develop chemistry and momentum. We have had our full squad together for about 2 weeks now and we are already starting to see the benefits of that continuity. I am excited by the fact that we are getting better as we enter the business end of the season. We will continue to take it one game at a time, hopefully finding our way into the post season in the process.
What did you learn from your rookie season as head coaching and how did you adjust?
I have enjoyed my time coaching in the QBL and have learned a number of things. At the senior level, most of those lessons have been around the management of athletes with high levels of experience. As Coaches, we all try to develop environments where each contributing member feels like their input and opinions are valued. I would like to think that everybody in our inner circle feels like there is a direct link between their individual contributions and our group success. That is always a work in progress though. I am very lucky to have been supported by an outstanding support staff and a playing group that are mature, driven and competitive. Due to that support, it has made my job much easier and the transition fairly seamless. When I was appointed to the position, I was only 26 years old. I want to repay the faith Townsville Basketball showed in me by working to cultivate a professional performance environment that enhances the capacity and abilities of all involved. If that can be achieved, then the results follow. Over my first two seasons with the club, we currently have a win-loss record of 21 and 8 while playing in the ever-competitive northern pool. That is something that I am particularly proud of and is a standard which I intend to uphold.
On signing Natalie Novosel and her impact to the team?
Natalie Novosel’s basketball abilities are only overshadowed by her depth of character and her unselfishness. Her impact on the group has been remarkable, both on the floor and off. Nat is genuinely motivated by trying to make her teammates better, which is a big part of why we have been so competitive to this point. Everybody is witness to her superhuman performances on the court, but it is in the quiet moments with her teammates that she may be most impressive.
On how the triple header vs GC, SWM and Logan went on the weekend?
The triple header was always going to be a very important weekend for us. We have a lot of respect for all three teams and knew that they were going to present us with three different types of challenges. I don’t think the winning margins were a true indication of how competitive those games were. Obviously, the pinnacle of our weekend was our second half performance against Logan. You wouldn’t have imagined we would have been able to find an extra gear in the second half of our third game in three days. Luckily for us, we managed to do just that.
On this week's roadtrip vs Gladstone and Rockhampton game?
We are now faced with the challenge of heading to Gladstone and Rockhampton for two games on the road. As they are pool games, there is extra incentive to be at our best. Gladstone has a number of athletes that need to be accounted for. Our coaching staff will need to develop appropriate schemes to counteract their individual playmaking abilities. As this is our first game of the double header, that is where all of our attention lies right now. Then we face Rockhampton, who are as talented as any team in the league and require a near perfect performance to beat, particularly at home. Let’s hope we are up for the challenge.
