WATERSHED WEEK FOR CHEMIST WAREHOUSE WNBL
It’s been an incredible week for the Chemist Warehouse WNBL.
It all tipped off on Monday with the launch of our TVC celebrating 40 fabulous seasons of our women’s national league.
Wednesday began with the morning newspaper round, The Australian featuring an opinion piece written by Basketball Australia’s Head of Women’s Basketball Lauren Jackson. Read it here.
As the sun rose on a stunning spring day in Canberra, there was a serious game of basketball unfolding. A WNBL legends team, featuring Jackson, Opals coach Sandy Brondello and reigning league MVP Kelsey Griffin, took on a Friends of Parliament side led by Minister for Sport and Youth, Senator Richard Colbeck.
Colbeck then joined Basketball Australia CEO Jerril Rechter for a press conference to acknowledge the WNBL’s milestone. Sport Australia captured all the action.
It was then on to old Parliament House for the official launch of the Chemist Warehouse WNBL season. League partners including Chemist Warehouse, iAthletic, Spalding, Sport Australia and Fox Sports Australia, special guests, past and present greats of the league, administrators, players from the eight clubs, the Australian Opals and media joined together to reflect on the WNBL’s rich history and look ahead to the 40th season.
Next, a cross-section of people invested in the WNBL came together for a collaborative workshop to discuss, debate and share thoughts and ideas on the competition, challenges the league faces and to help form a clear vision and sustainable future for the WNBL.
Keynote speakers included Basketball Australia’s Jerril Rechter and Paul Maley, UC Caps and Opals player Marianna Tolo who provided a player’s insight, trailblazers Lorraine Landon and Carrie Graf had the audience captivated while sport and social impact researcher, Swinburne University’s Emma Sherry, shared key learnings around how the WNBL can best share its incredible stories.
On Thursday night, all eyes were on the Chemist Warehouse Opals who hosted China at the AIS Arena as preparations ramp up ahead of the FIBA Asia Cup which begins in India next week.
Ezi Magbegor, who will suit up for the Deakin Melbourne Boomers this WNBL season, led all scorers with 20 points in front of a crowd of more than 3000. Read about the Opals’ 98-63 victory here.
It’s been a massive week for the Chemist Warehouse WNBL.
Basketball Australia, led by Rechter, who was appointed to her role in March, has and will continue to invest, and increase resources, into the WNBL, the longest-running elite women’s sporting competition in Australia.
The future, and the next 40 seasons, look bright.