Port Adelaide has unveiled basketball legend Rachael Sporn as its AFLW team as football operations manager

An SA sporting legend has joined Port Adelaide in a key off-field role ahead of the club’s inaugural AFLW season.

Olympic basketballer Rachael Sporn is Port Adelaide’s newly appointed AFLW football operations manager. She’s pictured at Port’s Alberton headquarters. Picture: Russell Millard

South Australian basketball legend Rachael Sporn is swapping the round ball for the oval kind, with the announcement the triple Olympian has joined Port Adelaide’s women’s team in a key off-field role.

The 53-year-old will start as football operations manager on March 15, when she expects to get “into the trenches” as the Power prepares to field its inaugural AFLW side in the competition’s seventh season.

She will work full-time and be involved in everything from player liaison to game-day activities, with the team expected to play its first match in early December, 2022.

“I’ll be responsible for logistics, developing great relationships internally and externally including with the AFL and player managers, but from my perspective, I’m just prepared to get in the trenches and do whatever is required to make this AFLW program successful,” she said.

Olympic basketballer Rachael Sporn is Port Adelaide’s newly appointed AFLW football operations manager. Picture: Russell Millard

Rachael Sporn in action for Australia playing Slovakia. Picture: Files

“That could be washing bibs one week, doing the interchange … whatever is required.”

Sporn, who won four WNBL championships with Adelaide Lightning along with two silver medals and a bronze with the Opals at Olympic level, is the latest key piece in Port’s AFLW puzzle as it builds towards fielding its first team.

She joins fellow Olympian and hockey legend Juliet Haslam – who started as head of AFLW in December – and list manager Naomi Maidment as other crucial personnel.

It’s expected Port will officially begin its search for a head coach next week.

Sporn, who was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, comes into the Power role after six years as chief executive of the Australian Melanoma Foundation and three years as an education presenter with Sport Integrity Australia.

She said she was looking forward to diving back into the inner sanctum of an elite-level sporting club.

“I’m exceptionally excited that this role is bringing me back full time to the sporting elite environment because I really feel that I thrive in that area and can just immerse myself in this program,” she said.

Sporn pictured at Port’s Alberton headquarters. Picture: Russell Millard

“I’m also excited that this is another pathway for females (into sport).”

Sporn said she was also excited about the “blank canvas” that was available in building a team from scratch, a process she was involved with when she was part of the inaugural Lightning side in 1993 and the inaugural WNBA team, the Detroit Shock in 1998.

“I guess it’s a bit of an unknown, but it’s so exciting that you can develop this amazing program and be part of it from day dot,” she said.

Sporn – who, along with Haslam has “lived and breathed female sporting codes” – won’t be involved in list management or player recruitment, but considering basketball has become a fertile ground for rookie recruitment, her sporting background could come in handy in identifying talent.

“Obviously there are many basketballer already playing in the AFLW so it will probably be a focus for (recruiters), but it’s not something that I have to actually be part of,” she said.