The Craigieburn Eagles will continue the side’s recent focus on an injection of youth when they take on women’s Big V division 1 basketball this year.
The Eagles last year brought some fresh young faces in and will do the same this year after several experienced players have indicated they will not return.
Eagles coach Rod Sweeney said a few players had retired while others had moved away from the area.
“Eliza Stylianou, Jess Boyd and Jessica Piroski aren’t coming back,” he said. “They are players out of our leadership group and players we’ll miss. Last season our average age was 29. We will be back to the low-to-mid 20s. It will be a younger team and there lies the excitement for this season.”
Sweeney said that while the club was looking to bring a couple of players into the side from outside, a lot of the focus was on young players coming through the ranks.
“Rebecca Hassell has stepped up from youth league, as has Emma Pullen, who is an exciting shooter,” he said.
“Maddison Campbell has college experience and is injury free so we’re looking forward to her taking the next step. She isn’t even 21.
“Tahlia Prestia is another who will be able to play a more significant role.”
While the Eagles have lost some experience, they regain one of their most experienced players, Kellie Bailey-Lynn.
Bailey-Lynn, who was assistant coach last season after having her second child, is one of two Eagles’ women players to have played 300 Big V games.
“Kellie is an amazing athlete,” Sweeney said. “She hasn’t lost her speed and has a great deal of knowledge.”
Sweeney said that off-court, a tighter relationship between the club’s four Big V teams was a good sign for the future.
“It’s exciting for us as a club to have the four teams working really well together,” he said. “They are working together as one group for fundraising and sponsorship. When you’ve got players wanting to be involved like that it makes for an exciting future.”
Sweeney said making finals was the aim for the women’s side, which finished 10th last year.
“If we don’t it doesn’t mean that it is a failure of a season,” he said. “The plan just might take another year.”
