AUS - Janette Howard announced as patron of women's basketball

SYDNEY (WNBL) - Following the gold medal success of the defencejobs Opals at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women, Basketball Australia is proud to announce Mrs Janette Howard as the new patron of women's basketball in Australia.

"The Howards have been involved with basketball for some time, with the Prime Minister acting as the patron of Basketball Australia for the past six years," BA's Chief Executive Scott Derwin said.

"We're ecstatic to now have Mrs Howard supporting Australian women's basketball as patron."

Mrs Howard said she was very pleased to provide this further support for women's sport through this new association with women's basketball.

Her first opportunity to meet the defencejobs Opals will occur tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday) at Parliament House in Canberra when the Howards hold a bi-pertisan reception for Head Coach Jan Stirling, captain Lauren Jackson, players Hollie Grima, Emily McInerny, Erin Phillips and Tully Bevilaqua, physiotherapist Amanda Berntsen, physiologist Donna O'Connor, Manager Marian Stewart, GM of National Teams and Competitions Lorraine Landon and Basketball Australia Chief Executive Scott Derwin in honour of their FIBA World Championship victory.