The sporting powerhouse family cheering on South Australia’s Izzy Borlase at the Paris Olympics

He played for the SANFL, she played for the Diamonds. Now, this sporting couple will cheer on their daughter as she makes her Olympic debut.

Jenny and Darryl Borlase won gold medals and premierships in their respective sporting codes – netball and football – but now they will be on the sidelines as their daughter Izzy makes her Olympic debut with the Opals in France.

Darryl played in four premierships with the Port Adelaide Football Club in the SANFL between 1992 and 1998 while Jenny is a three-time Netball World Cup champion and won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1998.

Izzy, 19, will be living out her own dream as she flies out on Monday to join members of the Opals Olympics squad in Spain – to train for just over a week before they head off to France.

Jenny said the family was “really proud” and excited for Izzy, who loved watching the Olympics growing up.

“Now to be a part of it is going to be really exciting for her and probably a massive step as well,” she said.

“I’m not nervous at all at this stage, she knows her place in the team.

“She’s really well-prepared and I think it’s going to be really exciting as parents to go sit on the sidelines and watch and cheer the team on.”

Jenny, Darryl and Izzy Borlase will leave shortly for the Paris Olympics, where Izzy will be playing basketball for Australia. Picture: Dean Martin

At just 19, Izzy said she has had a meteoric rise in her sporting code.

Since making an impressive debut for the Adelaide Lightning in the Women’s National Basketball League two years ago, she was named the 2023 WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year and WNBL Breakout Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season.

But this year is shaping up to be her biggest yet.

Not only has she been selected for the Olympic squad but the Adelaide teen has also been drafted to play in the US WNBA team Atlanta Dream.

Speaking on her Olympic selection, Izzy said: “It’s definitely been a goal of mine and it’s definitely come sooner than I anticipated.”

The South Australian star will play alongside Australia’s most decorated basketballer Lauren Jackson, who will be competing in her fifth Olympic Games this year.

“The way that she’s led women’s basketball for so many years in her prime and now coming back … it's a huge inspiration for everyone to see,” she said.

Izzy said she hoped the Opals would be back on the podium in Paris after missing out on medals in the past two Olympics.

“I think after the World Cup in 2022, they got a bronze medal and they’re in a good building process to hopefully get a gold medal but the USA are a hard team to knock off,” she said.

Not only has Izzy been selected for the Olympic squad but the Adelaide teen has also been drafted to play in the US WNBA for the Atlanta Dream. Picture: William West

Preparing for the event, Izzy has been training more than 30 hours a week in addition to doing physiotherapy and massage to aid recovery.

“It really is a full-time job,” Jenny said.

Jenny, Darryl and sister Ella are flying out on Sunday to spend some time in Italy before heading across to France to cheer Izzy on at the Olympics.

For many, Izzy’s hard work and talent comes as no surprise because of her parent’s sporting achievements.

But her siblings are also making names for themselves in their chosen sports.

Izzy’s sister Ella represented Australia in surf boat rowing this year and her brother James plays for the Adelaide Crows.

Izzy’s sister Ella represented Australia in surf boat rowing this year and her brother James plays for the Adelaide Crows. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Darryl said sport had been an integral part of both his and Jenny’s lives growing up, a tradition they wanted to carry on with their children.

He said Izzy had always been competitive and had “an uncanny ability to rise to that next level”.

However, Izzy said she had never felt pressure from her parents.

“They’ve had successful sporting careers but they didn’t do it in basketball,” she said.

“And I love the fact that they didn’t play basketball because they can just come to my games and be supporters.

“They understand it but they’re not going to analyse it, say if I played netball or football.”

Izzy said her parents have given her a lot of support off the court.

“They’ve been through a lot of these things before and I can always ask them questions (about) experiences that they’ve had,” she said.

Asked about any advice Darryl had for his daughter, he said he wanted her to “relax and enjoy the opportunity”.

“If you get an opportunity, celebrate your successes because they may or may not come along again and it’s hard to get there,” he said.