The Gold Coast Lady Rollers have taken a huge step forward in legitimizing their women’s program by signing former Australian representative and a multiple QBL “Coach of the Year” recipient Trish Cockrem as head coach for the upcoming 2012 Queensland Basketball season.

Cockrem, who lead the Southern Districts Lady Spartans to National Championship Glory in 1999, at the time being the first Queensland team and coach to do so, has agreed to lead the Lady Rollers into the future.

“Coming to the Gold Coast excites me,” Cockrem said.

“There are so many talented players based on the Coast who travel away to play QBL, if we can retain a handful of those girls, we’re going to be tough,” she added.

Cockrem was quick to commend the Gold Coast Basketball Association who are administering the QBL program this season and acknowledge the quality of junior female basketball players based on the Gold Coast also.

“Definitely, their under 18 program is in great hands with some promising juniors coming through the ranks as well as the D-League group. I really want to have as many local players involved in some capacity in the senior QBL program,” she concluded.

This sentiment extends past the playing group as one of Gold Coast Basketball’s legends, Janine Hill agreeing to assist Cockrem in this “come back” campaign.

Hill, a name synonymous with basketball on the Gold Coast, her and her husband Peter Hill have been involved in the Australian basketball community for the last 30 years. Janine and Peter played for many years in the WNBL and NBL respectively in Newcastle, Sydney and Queensland.

Hill is a firm believer in harnessing and fostering the young female local talent on the Gold Coast and wants to play a part in the ushering in of this new and exciting era.

The last piece of the puzzle is now Gold Coaster Stacey Roberts. Roberts has coached in the ISL for two seasons as well as coaching the undefeated Gold Coast junior touring team to Indonesia.

Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisonsin, Roberts has had a successful university college career in San Antonia, Texas before becoming involved in various successful varsity basketball programs in the mid-west.

Like Cockrem and Hill, Roberts shares the same passion in women’s basketball here on the Gold Coast.

“I think that’s the important thing all these ladies have in common,” Gold Coast Basketball CEO Allan Hilzinger said.

“They are all on the same page, they all want the one result and they all share the same passion and drive to get it done,” he added.

The appointments have come with huge support from both local basketball identities including Blaze coach Joey Wright who sent a “good job, well done” text message upon hearing of the news, and former Australian Olympic Women’s Basketball coach Robbie Cadee, father of Blaze guard Jason branded it a “huge signing for the club.”

The Lady Rollers will get right into open trails this Tuesday 31 January at AB Paterson College starting at 6:30pm – 8:00pm. Anyone interested in playing are invited to come along.