Paul La Mott – a former US import in Victorian Basketball League – to coach Warriors’ women
Woodville Warriors will have a new Premier League women’s coach next year after inaugural 36ers’ mentor joined Southern Tigers as an assistant.
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Work hard, be committed and success will come.
That is the mantra Woodville’s new women’s Premier League basketball coach will bring to the court.
US-born Paul La Mott was announced as the Warriors’ new mentor last month.
He replaces inaugural Adelaide 36ers coach Mike Osborne – who is now an assistant with Southern’s Premier League men’s team – at the helm.
La Mott has plenty of experience, having coached college basketball in the US.
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His most recent coaching job was an assistant at the University of La Verne before moving to Adelaide.
Before that, he led his own team at Big Fork High School in Montana, coaching it to a conference and district championship in 2010.
The 46-year-old, who also links high-level student athletes with US colleges through his business AUS Sport Recruiting, is looking forward to the challenge of coaching the Warriors.
La Mott is keen to bring professionalism, accountability and structure to the team.
“This is a professional league and really the next step up is the WNBL,” La Mott, of Henley Beach, says.
“We are going to try and create the highest level of teaching and structure that we are capable of providing and also asking for accountability.
“I want this (the program) to be something that is high commitment to the players and high commitment from the players.”
La Mott also played hoops as a youngster and was an import with the Shepparton Gators in the Victorian Basketball League during 1996/97 and 1997/98.
At the end of his second season with the Gators, he was named in the All-Star Five.
La Mott relocated to Australia last year after his wife, Julee, landed a job as a psychologist in Adelaide.
He says coaching has always been a passion and he enjoys helping young athletes understand what it takes to be the best they can be.
“Obviously there’s been some very good basketball players who have come out of SA and Australia,” he says.
“But I think there’s still a lack of understanding what it really takes if you really want to be an elite-level player.
“That’s something I am passionate about.
“I love giving back.
“When the women’s job was posted I really thought it through and I just decided I wanted that challenge – and I wanted to hopefully have a positive impact.”