Basketball Australia is pleased to announce the mentor group for the second intake of the 2026 Community Coach Mentoring Program, bringing together an outstanding mix of high-performance coaches, coach developers, educators and experienced leaders from across the Australian basketball landscape.
Following the success of the opening intake earlier this year, the second cohort will support 56 coaches from across the country, including 27 female coaches and 29 male coaches, as they undertake an eight-week mentoring journey focused on reflection, growth and practical coaching development.
The Community Coach Mentoring Program is designed to provide coaches with direct access to experienced mentors who can challenge thinking, share experiences and support coaches as they navigate their own development journey. Rather than focusing solely on technical and tactical knowledge, the program places a strong emphasis on reflection, leadership, communication and creating positive coaching environments.
Leading the mentor group is one of the most respected figures in Australian basketball, John Rillie, current Perth Wildcats Head Coach and Australian Boomers Assistant Coach. Rillie brings a wealth of professional and international coaching experience and has generously volunteered his time to support the next generation of Australian coaches.
The program also features several leaders from the coach development space, including Rob Coulter, Jarrod Moore and Declan Kinsella, who each play significant roles in coach education and development within their respective states. Their experience working with coaches across community, representative and high-performance environments provides an invaluable resource for participating coaches.
Basketball Australia’s Neil Gray, National Education Manager, also returns as a mentor, continuing his involvement in a program he helped design and implement as part of the organisation’s broader commitment to lifelong coach learning and development.
Joining the mentoring team is highly respected coach and coach educator David Herbert, whose coaching résumé spans more than 25 years across WNBL, NBL1, National Junior Championships, Basketball Australia pathways programs and national teams. Herbert has earned multiple Coach of the Year honours throughout his career and is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most experienced coach developers.
The cohort also welcomes Dr Julia Walsh, one of Australia’s leading coach educators. Walsh has spent more than two decades working in coach education, coaching expertise and leadership development and has built a reputation as a passionate advocate for coach learning and development across community and high-performance sport. She has also held significant coaching leadership roles and continues to influence coach education nationally.
Adding further strength to the program are Cassie Dover and Lauren Robinson, both respected contributors to coach and athlete development who bring diverse experiences and perspectives to the mentoring environment.
The program will also benefit from the return of three mentors who have played significant roles in previous intakes. Michelle Norling, Steve Sardi and Zoran Joveski all return after making valuable contributions to earlier cohorts, providing continuity and experience as the program continues to evolve.
One of the unique strengths of the Community Coach Mentoring Program is the diversity of experience represented within the mentor group. From professional and international basketball through to coach education, community sport and leadership development, participants gain access to a wide range of perspectives and expertise.
Since its introduction, the program has continued to demonstrate the value of meaningful coach-to-coach conversations. Participants consistently identify the opportunity to reflect on their coaching practice, discuss real-world challenges and build professional networks as some of the most impactful aspects of the experience.
Basketball Australia would like to sincerely thank all mentors for their willingness to volunteer their time, expertise and energy to support the development of coaches across the country. Their contribution plays an important role in strengthening coaching capability and ultimately creating better experiences for participants throughout Australian basketball.
The second cohort will commence later this month and continue Basketball Australia’s commitment to supporting coaches at every stage of their development journey.
