AUS - Chizik handed key coaching role with Opals

CANBERRA (FIBA World Championship for Women) - Opals' play-caller Brendan Joyce will have renowned women's basketball coach Lori Chizik as one of his assistant coaches at the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women in Turkey.

The Canadian, who has lived in Australia for more than 25 years, has been handed the position ahead of the upcoming senior team camp later this month, where she will work with fellow assistant coach Damian Cotter and technical assistant, Scott Butler in supporting Joyce.

And, the Opals' leader is looking forward to Chizik bringing an invaluable wealth of experience and knowledge to the programme.

"We're really excited to have Lori involved in the programme leading into the World Championships and I think she's going to be a great addition to our staff," he said.

"She brings a lot of coaching experience and knowledge of the game and has a really good understanding of the role of an assistant coach, which is important."

After treading the hardwood for three seasons in the WNBL, Chizik then led the Nunawading Spectres to the WNBL Championship during 1989 and that sparked a successful career holding the play-board.

She went on to be crowned the WNBL Coach of the Year in 1996 whilst at the helm of the Bulleen Boomers.

Chizik also has international experience to call upon, since she served as an assistant to Tom Maher at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, as well as various other roles with national youth teams.

She is perhaps most well-known for making history, when she became the first woman to coach in the NBL, alongside the legendary Brian Goorjian at the Victoria Titans during 2000.

She has also spent more than a decade coaching in the SEABL and Big V competitions, whilst staying heavily involved with the Victorian State representative teams, as well as leading the Under 20 Women's team for seven years.

Naturally Chizik is looking forward to the challenges lying in wait and rolling her sleeves up already in anticipation of getting started.

"It's a really exciting time to be involved with the Australian Opals and I'm honoured to be working with Brendan and the rest of the staff," she stated.

"When I got the phone call from Brendan, I was just over the moon.

"As a player, your dream is always to represent your country and as a coach, that is no different.

"It's always been my dream to be a coach with Australia at an Olympics or World Championships, so to get that opportunity now is fantastic."

The Opals will head to the Basketball Australia National Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Canberra for a camp which will swing into action on 23 March.

FIBA