Mr Motivator

AFTER spending time as a player under two of the region's top coaches, newly appointed Rockhampton Hog's Breath Cafe Cyclones Peter Trenerry is ready to take the reins of his own team and make his mark as a top coach.

A former Rockhampton Republik Rockets player, Trenerry has vowed to take his former coaches' best assets and use them to help the Cyclones return to the finals of the Queensland Basketball League.

For the past seven years at the Rockets, the talented player has been tutored by national championship-winning coach Neal Tweedy, who is busy preparing the Rockets for his 13th season as head coach.

“I've worked with Tweedy at the Rockets and I've learnt a lot from him,” Trenerry said.

Moving into a semi-professional league as a coach, Trenerry said Tweedy was the perfect role model to learn from.

“He's shown me how to operate as a professional when it comes to coaching,” he said.

“He loves basketball. He lives and breathes basketball and it comes through in his coaching.”

At this stage of the season, recruitment for next season is the coach's primary focus. It is one of Tweedy's strengths as a coach.

“His best asset is recruitment,” Trenerry said.

“He knows talent when he sees it.”

“He's got the ability to spot talent from a mile away, and he doesn't just pick the best players, he'll pick players that will fit (into the ethos of) the side.

“He recruits to the Rockets' needs.”

Former local basketball coach Don Shepherd mentored Trenerry when he was a junior.

“He's a brilliant coach,” Trenerry said.

“His best asset as a coach is that he's a good motivator. He gets the most out of people, and I'm hoping to get that out of the Cyclones this year.

“He's also got plenty of experience. He's coached players like Luc Longley and Andrew Vlahov, and he's worked with (Australian basketball legends) Andrew Gaze and Michelle Timms.”

Trenerry, a former local junior, plans to juggle playing and coaching commitments next season, but pledged his allegiance to his coaching role if he has to choose.

“I'm going to try to do both, but obviously my priorities are with the girls,” he said.

“I'm going to train with the Rockets and I'll be on the road trips with the team anyway.

“It's worth a try. I'll know in one or two games whether I can do it.”

Article - Rockhampton - The Morning Bulletin