Southside rookie Manuela Puoch has had a whirlwind 2024: VCE, champs and a WNBL debut

Southside’s Manuela Puoch is barely 18, and already living her dream. But while her friends were at parties on the weekend, the WNBL rookie was managing studies, national championships and preparing for her debut season.

What were you doing in Year 12? Studying? Working a part time job? 18th birthday parties on a Saturday night?

Not Southside Flyers rookie, Manuela Puoch.

The VCE student spent her final year of school juggling her studies, playing national and school championships and signing with her first professional sports team in the WNBL.

“It’s been crazy, I don’t think any 17-year-old at that time would probably be thinking about all of this happening at once.” Puoch told Code Sports after completing her final VCE exams.

“I think there’s been a new thing every month, but I’m not complaining, I love this game, anything to do with basketball, I’m like ‘yeah I’m down.’

“It’s keeping me entertained.”

Manuela Puoch in her debut WNBL season for the Flyers while completing VCE. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Always with a dream to play in the elite league, especially after cheering on her older sister, a Flyers champion player and now UC Capitals rising star Nyadiew, Manny, 18, admits she didn’t expect it to happen all at once.

“My first thought was that next year would be my time, and that this year I’d just focus on finishing school,” she said.

“But when Southside reached out to me and said they’d support me with my exams, I was down.”

Finishing VCE while training for the top tier league was no easy feat for someone who never wanted to miss a beat.

“When I’m in something, I’m fully committed, I don’t want to miss anything and when they said ‘that’s ok’ that’s when I wanted to sign,” The Flyers rookie said.

Puoch is following in the footsteps of sister and former champion Flyer, Nyadiew. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“All my exams were back to back, which was a bit too much but I took it in and thought after all this, I’ll never look back.

“I had to take a step back (from basketball) which was really hard for me but Southside really did help me, they understood putting my education first.”

But sacrificing the social scene of a year 12 student on the other hand wasn’t a bother for the teenager.

“I’m not really a party person, and everyone would be like ‘c’mon come to this and that’ and I’d be like nah I’d rather go to a basketball game or training,” Puoch said.

“Then they’d say I’m so boring but it’s the game I love, anything basketball, I’m doing it.”

Puoch attended Rowville Secondary College, known for their advanced sports program and who fully supported Puoch’s demanding schedule.

“I’d go to school in the morning, do an individual session, head to Southside and see the girls, train, then sleep and repeat.”

Puoch also played in the Australia Schools Championships in 2024. Picture: Taylor Earnshaw

Not just her and her sister taking on the sports scene, Manny is one of seven kids, who all breathe the same competitive spirit, and says the game has kept her big family “together on and off the court.”

And she credits all their sporting talent to their mum, who religiously played sport when she was growing up in Africa.

“I’m in the middle, it’s hectic, crazy and never a dull moment,” Puoch said.

“We all play basketball, we are very competitive in this house.

“They come to every game, you’ll hear them and see them at the sideline, number one supporters, I love them.

“The game against my sister (Nyadiew), that was crazy, they were wearing Capitals and Flyers stuff and it was just like wow.

“That’s what keeps us going, that’s what makes us so close as a family.”

She’s hit the court on just three occasions so far this season with her managed load, but the rookie has patience and plenty of time on her side.

“It takes time, in the WNBL right now, not everything is going to go my way but I’m learning.

“Everybody just wants to play, but every minute that I’m on and off the court, I’m learning from the girls and Kristi (coach Kristi Harrower) not just about how to develop my game but also the professionalism.

“I can feel myself developing more and more.”

While she locks herself into WNBL full time for the rest of the season, Manny has sights on following the steps of Nyadiew, with goals of donning the green and gold and going international.

“I’d love to represent Australia one day.”

“The dream is to go to the WNBA, it’s every little kid’s dream.”

But at the same time, further studies remain a priority for the recently graduated.

“I love school, I’m going to study something to keep me going.

“I’m not sure what it is yet but hopefully by the end of the year I’ll know what to do.

The Southside Flyers host Bendigo Spirit this Sunday at the State Basketball Centre, 3pm AEDT.