Southside Flyer Sara Blicavs hints at switch to football in the future
As she eyes off another Olympics push, Sara Blicavs has hinted she could swap the basketball for another code and potentially follow in the footsteps of her star brother.
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Geelong basketball star Sara Blicavs has hinted a switch to football “might be on the cards” after she pushes for another Olympic berth.
The Geelong Supercats forward is in the midst of a strong WNBL season with the top-of-the-table Southside Flyers and is focused on the 2024 Paris Olympics, after being named in an Australian training squad last month.
Blicavs earned a late call-up for the Opals at the Tokyo games and performed well on her Olympic debut.
But she said she is open to following her brother, Geelong All-Australian utility Mark, into football later in her career, with the Cats at the top of her list of destination clubs.
At 188cm, Blicavs would clearly be a good fit as a ruck or key position player on an AFLW field.
The 29-year-old gave a firm “no comment” when asked if she had been recruited by the Cats.
“I’ve definitely heard from a few people about that and you know what, it might be on the cards at some stage but right now I think I just want to try my best to make another Olympics and then I can think about playing on grass rather than a basketball court,” she told SEN.
The swap from hardwood to grass could allow Blicavs to extend her sporting career given the softer surface.
“You run on grass and your knees don’t hurt and your ankles don’t hurt, your back doesn’t hurt but you run on a basketball court and I am just forever sore,” she said.
“I feel like the surface is definitely better, but in saying that, in basketball we don’t get tackled as hard that is for sure.”
Blicavs and the Flyers are Geelong-bound later this month, when they host top-four side Bendigo Spirit at Geelong Arena on February 11.
Before that, Southside is hoping to break the 7500-fan barrier and set a new WNBL attendance record when it hosts the Sydney Flames at John Cain Arena on Saturday.
The match has been billed as a celebration for Australian basketball legend and Southside player Lauren Jackson, who returned to the WNBL this season at age 42.
“Playing with Lauren Jackson is phenomenal, just the GOAT of world basketball and Australian basketball and how knowledgeable and amazing she is, I am forever grateful,” Blicavs said.
Originally published as Southside Flyer Sara Blicavs hints at switch to football in the future
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