Tara Murray
New Wyndham women’s coach Jason Bryant feels at home at the Big V club.
Having spent most of his coaching career at the club, Bryant spent the past few seasons coaching the Altona Gators youth league boys side.
He returned to Wyndham to coach in the Victorian Junior Basketball League this season and jumped at the chance to step into the senior coaching role as well.
“They asked me the question and it took me 30 seconds to say yes,” he said. “I’ve come back to Wyndham after three years away.
“The opportunity came up and I was asked about it.
“I went through the process and here we go.”
Bryant has previously been an assistant coach in both Wyndham’s men’s and women’s programs.
He also runs the state development program for juniors in wheelchair basketball.
Bryant said he had always wanted to step into a senior coaching Big V role, it was a matter of timing.
Being at Wyndham makes it more special.
“I’ve done most of my coaching in the last 10 years apart from those couple of years,” he said. “My kids have played rep there. I feel like I’m at home.”
Bryant steps into coaching a side that has made the past three championship grand finals, winning two of them including this year.
He said it was definitely a challenge coming into a program that had been successful.
“I’ll basically have a new squad,” he said. “We’ll put an emphasis on a good culture and giving female athletes from the VJBL and youth league an obvious pathway.
“The bar has been set high and if we can get the right people in place, we should be a good side.”
Bryant said there had been many players in recent seasons that had been able to step up into the senior side.
He said that he was already talking to other players who had played at the club before heading away for college and were now back in Australia.
“Hopefully they’ll be great role models for those coming through.”
Wyndham will be without two-time most valuable player Amanda Paschal who has finished her time at the association.
Bryant said they would look to fill all the roles, but you couldn’t replace Paschal, who is a once in a lifetime player.
Open tryouts are being held this week for the women’s side on Tuesday and Thursday.
