Beach calling Brondello as Opals coach plans homecoming

The Mackay and Australian basketball icon will return home to Seaforth this month for Christmas with her family

Opals coach Sandy Brondello is in Townsville to watch the remainder of the WNBL season, before returning home to be with family in Seaforth for Christmas. Picture: Shae Beplate.

A BARBIE on the beach at Seaforth with loved ones is just the ticket Australian Opals coach Sandy Brondello needs to “recharge” before embarking on a massive 2021 basketball campaign.

Mackay’s own Australian basketball icon will return home later this month, once the WNBL season wraps up in the north Queensland hub, to enjoy some downtime over Christmas with family ahead of preparations for the Olympic Games and 2021 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.

“My family live out at Seaforth, so (when I’m home) I’m just at the beach every day, which I really enjoy,” Brondello said from inside the hub in Townsville.

“It’s a time for me to recharge my batteries for a big year ahead and spend time with family.”

But it will be a shorter than usual stay for Brondello, who will bookend her time in Mackay with Opals duties in the Townsville WNBL hub and at a training camp on the Gold Coast, beginning January 3.

Opals coach Sandy Brondello is in Townsville to watch the remainder of the WNBL season. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The Opals coach recently joined the hub following a two-week quarantine period, after flying in from Phoenix, Arizona where she lives with husband Olaf and two children, Brody and Jayda.

With the US one of the hardest-hit countries by the global coronavirus pandemic, Brondello said it was difficult leaving her family behind to return to Australia – but they understood.

“They usually come for Christmas, but unfortunately this year because of the quarantining and (kids) needing to be in school they couldn’t,” Brondello said.

“And my husband is an assistant coach, too. he understands. My children, when you have two professional coaches in the house and have travelled the world, they just know this is what mummy has to do.”

Brondello would normally watch the WNBL season from afar, casting an eye over prospective Opals talent for the year ahead.

She said having the competition relocated to north Queensland this year, so close to the holidays, presented a perfect opportunity to join the hub and watch all the action up close.

“You can pick up some things that you can’t see on TV,” Brondello said.

“I’ve seen some great head-to-head battles between some Opals players – how do they handle adversity, how are they coached? I’m looking at all the intangibles.”

Read more:

Mackay Basketball CEO says goodbye, but not farewell

‘Mackay boy’ McKenzie tapped for Meteorettes’ NBL1 top job

Australian Opals Basketball team training in Mackay leading up to the Commonwealth Games. Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson with Sandy Brondello in 2018. Picture: Stuart Quinn

Earlier this week, Basketball Australia announced that the 23-player Opals squad, featuring Mackay product Marianna Tolo, would participate in a week-long training camp on the Gold Coast from January 3-10.

The camp will be Brondello’s cue to bid her Seaforth family farewell.

“The camp will be a great touchpoint and that’s what I was really hopeful for when I came back,” the coach said.

“I’m really looking forward to getting the team together to build some culture and chemistry.

“It’s a big two years ahead of women’s basketball – the Olympics and World Cup. It’s an exciting time and something I’m really looking forward to.

Subscriber benefits:

Your dose of Harry Bruce cartoons

Five ways to get more from your digital subscription

Originally published as