A group of talented young Canberra basketballers were given the opportunity to train just like the Capitals as part of a new Future Caps high-performance program. Photo: UC Capitals.
There’s a lot more to being a brilliant basketball player than having supersonic skills on the court, says home-grown champion and UC Capitals assistant coach Nat Hurst.
And that’s exactly what a group of aspiring WNBL athletes learned when they stepped inside the world of the Caps recently as part of an intensive two-day program.
For the 14 young women aged 12 to 16, the Future Caps program offered the opportunity to train, prepare, and even perform just like the pros.
Led by Hurst, a seven-time WNBL champion herself and current coach of New Zealand’s national women’s team, the program has been designed to provide high-performance support for the next generation of Canberra’s female basketballers.
“We want local girls to aspire to be a Cap and I’d love to see that pathway developed,” Hurst said.
“Personally, I feel really invested in building a bridge to showcase what is possible for our local players who want that.”
The clinic delivered an exclusive and in-depth insight into what life as a Caps player really looks like – beyond the action and excitement of game day, according to Hurst.
“It was a full immersion experience of what it’s like to be a Cap,” she said.
“The girls sat with a wellbeing person, they learnt about the importance of nutrition, of goal-setting, and we had a physio talk about injury prevention and recovery.
“One of the highlights was the opportunity to sit in with the Caps players to listen to supercar racing driver Cam Hill talk about resilience.”
Hurst said it was important that young players understood the life of a professional athlete was hard work.
Developing skills off the court was as important as sharpening them on court, she added.
“You have to put so much focus into your sport, into looking after yourself, into eating right, into recovery – it’s not just what people see on court for those 40 minutes of a game,” Hurst said.
“Jade Melbourne, for example, talked about how she doesn’t just set goals for the month, but on a day-to-day basis.
“Yes, you can be exceptionally talented, but you have to have the right personality, have a team-first mentality, and be willing to work hard and make sacrifices.”
Of course, there were plenty of opportunities for participants to hone their playing skills, including on-court coaching sessions, skills stations, and work on shooting, defence and Capitals-style play.
They also watched the Caps work out and practice on court.
“Even just to watch and hear the language they use with each other,” she said.
“We talk a lot about communication in female sport. We are trying to change how they talk about themselves, even from a young age, and that lack of self-belief.
“Instead of saying, for example, ‘I think I’m good at’, say ‘I AM good at’ … that if you know you are good at something, it’s ok to say it!”
Hurst said while it was early days, initial feedback from the first Future Caps program had been overwhelmingly positive from both parents and the players, who were required to submit an application when they registered to participate.
“I hope we can continue to run one or two of these a year,” she said, adding that the program delivered valuable insights into the standards and expectations required to play at this elite level.
“After talking with parents, even after day one, they said their daughters were blown away by what life is really like for these players on a day-to-day basis.
“I do know that many of them were also pretty exhausted!”
The UC Capitals’ next home game is against the Southside Melbourne Flyers on 3 February at AIS Arena. Visit UC Capitals for tickets.
