Garlepp impressed by Future Flames’ HoopsFest performances
Now that the dust has settled on the first-ever HoopsFest in Perth, Harvey Norman Future Flames coach Renae Garlepp has reflected on the impressive performances of her team.
During the pre-season WNBL tournament, Garlepp’s team produced gutsy performances against Perth and Adelaide, which she is extremely proud of.
“I was impressed with the Future Flames performances in Perth,” said Garlepp, who is also the Flames assistant coach once again in WNBL25.
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“The players showed resilience and determination, stepping up to compete at the higher level.
“They embraced the challenge and displayed the growth we’ve been working towards.”
This tournament was the culmination of the inaugural Hoops Capital program, which started in July as a way of creating a legitimate pathway for NSW juniors to the professional ranks.
“It [HoopsFest] has given the players valuable insights into high-level competition, raised the standard of what they strive for, and inspired them to keep pushing the boundaries,” Flame #149 said.
“The exposure, lessons learned, and sense of achievement will fuel the development of future players and strengthen the program’s pathway to success.”
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Since the program, which included weekly sessions at Hoops Capital East, tipped off in June, Garlepp admits the development of the 25 athletes has been amazing.
“These players have shown tremendous growth since the start, and the HoopsFest experience really highlighted that,” she said.
“They’ve become more confident and skilled.
“Competing at a higher level pushed them out of their comfort zones, and they all did their best to play as hard as they could to respond.”
The Flames have now tipped off their official pre-season training for the WNBL25 campaign, ahead of their home opener against Canberra on Sunday, November 3.
This fixture, part of the Hoops Capital club’s first double-header of 2024-25 alongside the Kings’ match with Tasmania, tips off at 1.45pm AEDT at Qudos Bank Arena – with tickets still available here.