Women’s game rebounding to even greater heights
The Tall Blacks inspired a generation of New Zealand boys with hoop dreams — but what about the other half of the basketball population? Jeff Cheshire looks at how the women’s game has flourished.
Apromising Auckland schoolgirl was one of those tuning in 13,000km away. Lisa Wallbutton was part of the next generation of Kiwis just getting into basketball as the Miracle of Indy played out.
It was the Tall Ferns, rather than the Tall Blacks, that she was striving for — and would break into three years later.
But it was no less inspiring. Particularly in those days, just seeing New Zealanders competing with the best in the world was a rarity.
Wallbutton went on to debut for the Tall Ferns in 2005, playing more than 100 tests alongside a professional career in Australia and Europe.
Twenty years on, now the Southern Hoiho manager and living in Dunedin, she remembers it as an exciting time.
‘‘We’re Kiwis, and if they can do it, why can’t we do it, kind of thing,’’ she said.
‘‘We always have limited resources in Tall Blacks, Tall Ferns. So they’re in a similar boat, although the men are a little more resourced than us.
‘‘I think there was probably limited Tall Ferns stuff on the TV back then, so you took what you could get.
‘‘I think it probably is better to have female role models for female athletes. But, at that time, was inspired by them.’’ Wallbutton walked into a thriving Tall Ferns environment, following the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
While several of her teammates had opted to go to college in the United States, she had made the decision to stay.
Being based in New Zealand would leave her better placed to make the 2006 Commonwealth Games squad — which she did.
She also had a scholarship to university, while the Tall Ferns were fully carded athletes at the time.
That carried on through to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the last time a New Zealand basketball team featured at an Olympic Games.
Then the funding model changed to prioritise Olympic medals. The Tall Ferns, and basketball as a whole, took a hit with that.
‘‘I feel like, through that period, we were wellresourced. There was actually a good programme in place.
‘‘After Beijing, I think funding dropped away and the programme did fall away a bit in that period. It’s just starting to pick back up since [current head coach] Guy Molloy’s been in place.
‘‘I don’t have any stories of real hardship, like some of the older
ITall Ferns probably could — having to fund their own trips and that sort of stuff. We were actually pretty well supported.’’
The opportunity of a professional pathway at home has, until this year, been a major stumbling block for the women’s game.
In 2008, the Christchurch Sirens entered Australia’s WNBL, playing a full season in one of the world’s top leagues.
However, the Sirens folded after one year due to the cost of running the team.
Wallbutton said it had been hugely beneficial to train as a professional, while the team fed well into the Tall Ferns.
‘‘I think it’s a massive bummer that that folded.
‘‘If we could get another team in the women’s league, that would be cool.
‘‘If you look at the success of the Breakers and how that fed into the Tall Blacks, and just participation in basketball in New Zealand — I feel like the Breakers have had such a massive influence on that, as well.’’
The reality dawned on her, and the other top New Zealanders, that if she wanted to continue her career, it would mean moving overseas.
That was not an insignificant commitment — leaving family, friends and ‘‘basically starting again in another country’’.
Exposure to the women’s game increased in the intervening years.
The ability to log in to social media and watch the best women in the world playing, then going out to emulate them, has been ‘‘massive’’.
Wallbutton also felt the skill level and athleticism of New Zealand women had ‘‘evolved and improved’’over the past decade.
However, it was not until this year that the missing home professional void was filled.
Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa, which has just completed its first season, has offered a fully professional women’s league that puts players on the same financial footing as their male counterparts.
‘‘I think it’s massive. We all didn’t know quite what to expect going into it.
‘‘I think the quality of the players and the league is really high. The games are really exciting to watch.
‘‘They’ve done a really amazing job with the branding, I think, the visual of the league, the uniforms, all of that.
‘‘It’s such a big thing for the women’s game here, to have the women’s game televised. It’s the whole thing: if you can’t see it, you can’t be it.
‘‘Having women on TV and playing regularly is really important. I think it’s been awesome.’’
She said the prospect of being able to combine that with a contract in Australia gave the potential for New Zealand women to make a decent living out of the game.
Having the ability to play in Australia’s WNBL was massive, particularly given New Zealanders are no longer counted as imports.
Getting a New Zealandbased team back in that league was ‘‘the dream’’, as was boosting the Tall Ferns back to where they were.
‘‘I would like to see the Tall Ferns competing and qualifying for the major events.
‘‘And for the Tall Ferns to get paid, that would be awesome.
And I guess the Tauihi league to continue to grow here. I think, also, 3x3 basketball in the women’s space. That’s something we could be really good at I think. Having some development pathways for 3x3 too.
‘‘And for more young girls and women wanting to play basketball would be cool.
‘‘If we could have more junior basketball participation, that would be awesome.’’
THE Otago Sparks have stuck with the crew that delivered last season.
Otago Cricket yesterday announced the first 10 contracted players for the 202223 season, and there are zero surprises.
There are a couple of newbies to the contract list. Allrounder Gemma Adams and batter Olivia Gain have secured their first contracts.
They are the beneficiaries of the expansion in the number of contracts this season.
Adams was injured last season but is considered a promising player, and Gain has played 29 onedayers and 14 T20s.
While Gain has some experience, she has often batted down the order and Otago is yet to see the best of the 20yearold.
Former White Fern Felicity LeydonDavis has also accepted an offer. She signed with Otago last summer but missed the entire season with a back injury.
Kate Ebrahim returns after leading Otago to victory in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield with a matchwinning knock of 92 in the final against Wellington. She was the competition’s leading scorer with 451 runs at an average of 75.16.
Bizarrely, the White Ferns selectors did not see enough merit in her batting and she was left out of the World Cup squad.
Ebrahim also played a key role in helping the Sparks reach the T20 final. She claimed 13 wickets and made some handy runs.
Her experience and maturity will be an asset again. She will be
202223 contracts
Gemma Adams*, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Kate Ebrahim, Olivia Gain*, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Felicity LeydonDavis, Molly Loe, Sophie Oldershaw.
* New contract offer.
joined by regulars Caitlin Blakely, Polly Inglis, Emma Black, Sophie Oldershaw and Bella James, who are all experienced players and will form the core of the team.
Suzie Bates, Eden Carson and Hayley Jensen are on New Zealand Cricket contracts, and there is no Katey Martin any more. The veteran wicketkeeperbatter retired early this year, bringing an end to an extraordinary service for her province and country.
Otago Cricket Association general manager of performance Steve Martin oversaw the contracting process and was thrilled to have so many players return.
He said with the recently announced master agreement, the opportunity to offer contracts to more players this season could only be a positive.
Two secondround contract positions remain open. The Otago Cricket Association will submit its final contract offers to New Zealand Cricket and the players’ association in the next few days, with an announcement of the final 12 contracts to follow.
The head coach of female programmes and pathways is expected to be announced soon. Incumbent Sparks coach Craig Cumming is the favourite for the role.