Tim Braban | 5th October 2011 | The Chronicle

IN A major coup for Toowoomba basketball, Olympic silver medallist Jenni Screen has signed on to help the Mountaineers re-build their women's program into a premiership force.

The former Mountaineer was in Toowoomba yesterday to meet with coaches and officials and has not ruled out the possibility of a return to the Garden City as a player.

Back in Australia after five seasons playing in Italy, the 29-year-old makes her comeback from a career-threatening knee injury for Adelaide in its opening WNBL fixture against West Coast on Saturday night.

But Screen managed to take time out from her busy training schedule for a day-trip back to Toowoomba, including a visit to former school Concordia College, to canvas the possibility of a return.

Screen's initial focus is on qualifying for the Australian team to compete at the London Olympics but if that falls through, playing for the Mountaineers next season is a possibility.

Even if Screen is unable to take on a playing role, she has strongly committed to helping women's coach Happy Spencer in whatever way possible through her extensive basketball contacts.

"She's going to help us recruit the right players for the season next year," Spencer said.

Screen is the first to admit she owes a lot to Toowoomba basketball, which is why she is determined to help out.

Her first years in the game coincided with a time of success for the Toowoomba Mountaineers, with the women's side winning consecutive state league titles in 1990-91.

Screen wasn't a member of that team but can remember sitting on the sideline wishing she was out there.

Fast forward to 2011 and the Mountaineers' women have just completed their third straight win-less season.

"One of the reasons I've come back here is to help them get basketball back to where it was when I was a child," Screen said.

"In an ideal world, I'd come back to play but you know, I'm married and obviously London is at the back of my mind so I don't want to make a promise I can't keep.

"But I can help point them in the right direction. We'll see what happens in the coming months and reassess then."