Seidel hopes the Eagles soar

New Craigieburn women's basketball coach Andrew Seidel. (Supplied)

Micheala Meade

Andrew Seidel has high hopes for Craigieburn Eagles’ Big V women’s division 1 season in 2022.

Seidel comes to the Eagles with vast experience, having coached previously coached at Sunbury for 30 years.

In that time, he guided the Jets youth girls side to back-to-back championships in different divisions in 2017-18.

After a couple of years break, he was appointed the Melton Thoroughbreds Big V women’s side for the 2020 season.

He now joins the Eagles, and said he was “extremely happy” to come aboard.

“I’m very enthusiastic about the whole process,” Seidel said.

“I just felt like there’s a little bit of unfinished business, after coaching in the youth program.

“I felt that I wanted the senior experience.”

Seidel said the Eagles’ women’s side were appealing to him after they finished fourth on the ladder, of the season which was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

The Eagles won eight games and lost six.

“[The Eagles] probably had every opportunity to win a championship last season,” Seidel said.

“I’m very keen and enthusiastic about their chances next season.

“I think that they… have got a good window of opportunity for a championship.

“They’ll go very close next season, if everything falls into place.”

Seidel said he had a defensive, structured mindset as a coach, but also a passion for the team to “get out there and run”.

He said he would approach the season with a hybrid mindset.

“[We] want to be a very quick team from back court to front court, and also be a very structured team,” he said.

“Three aspects; strong in defence, quick from rim to rim, and then to be very structured, which will hopefully allow us to score freely and beat most teams.”

Seidel said he would be “very keen” to welcome any interested players – new or experienced – to try out for the team.

The club is holding tryouts for the team tomorrow, Thursday November 25 from 7.30pm to 9pm at Craigieburn Sports Stadium.

“I will be very keen… for any players who want to come and try out at Craigieburn,” Seidel said.