Gliders set for Osaka Cup
The Australian Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team (the Gliders) held a camp in Sydney last weekend to mark the beginning of preparations for their Beijing Paralympics campaign.
Sixteen enthusiastic athletes, including two development athletes, converged on Kevin Betts Stadium in Mt. Druitt in Sydney to hear from and play under Head Coach Gerry Hewson.
As a result of the camp, 10 players have been selected to represent Australia at the Osaka Cup in Japan (beginning on February 13th) against teams from Japan, Canada and the USA.
“The camp was very intense and of a high quality,” Hewson said.
“We have selected a young team without many ‘bigs’ so we will be a very mobile team.”
“I’m looking forward to further preparations.”
This will be the Gliders’ first campaign in many years without Alison Mosely (pictured top) and Jane Sachs (pictured right), who have taken a break from international competition since the 2006 World Championships in Amsterdam, otherwise known as the Gold Cup.
Mosely, whose first major international tournament was the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, is a former co-Captain of the Gliders and has played 114 games for Australia while Sachs has been a Glider since 1989 and has played 111 games for Australia.
The Gliders are looking to better the Silver Medal that they earned at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.
The Gliders team for the Osaka Cup:
Liesl TESCH
Shelley CHAPLIN
Kathleen O’KELLY-KENNEDY
Cobi CRISPIN
Tina McKENZIE
Sarah STEWART
Kylie GAUCI
Sarah VINCI
Clare BURZYNSKI
Melanie DOMASCHENZ
Staff:
Head Coach: Gerry HEWSON
Asst. Coach: Mark HEWISH
Physio: Kym EYRS
Strength and Conditioning: Kali BURNS
Manager: Sonia HEALY
