Tara Murray
Keilor Thunder women’s coach Kristi Harrower will take the next step in her coaching career, appointed the Southside Flyers new coach.
Having been an assistant coach under Cheryl Chambers last season as they won the title, Harrower was last week announced as the WNBL side’s new coach.
For Harrower, it’s something that she had dreamed of, but didn’t think it would come that quickly.
“It’s exciting times,” she said. “I hoped at one stage that I would get a chance, a few years down the track.
“I joined Keilor to get some experience and it’s not easy to get into the WNBL as there’s not always jobs.
“There’s eight teams in the league and something has to become available. I didn’t think it would happen that quick.”
Harrower said the Flyers were such an amazing club and that owner Gerry Harvey had done an amazing job.
She highlighted his commitment to development and the teaching side of things, which Harrower also loves.
The appointment means Harrower will follow in the footsteps of her father, Bernie Harrower, in being a WNBL coach.
Bernie was the Bendigo Spirit’s inaugural coach, taking them to two championships.
Krisiti was part of those championships as a player.
“He always knew I would coach at some point,” she said of her dad. “I was a coach on the floor as well and I learned so much from him.
“I feed off him and I brought back so much experience from overseas. When I was a player, he was coach, it was never a dad-daughter relationship.
“He is really proud I’ve what I’ve achieved along the way.”
Harrower said despite taking on the new role at the Flyers, she wasn’t planning on leaving the Thunder any time soon.
In her first season at the club, she’s loving being involved.
“I signed a two year deal and I love being part of Keilor,” she said. “I enjoy the people around the club and I’d like to stay there as long as possible.
“It’s five minutes from home and it’s a great fit for me. Coaching has become a job and do it all year round would be nice.”
Returning from China on Tuesday after being with the Australian Opals squad, Harrower will be back on the court coaching the Thunder on Friday night.
The Thunder is at home to Mt Gambier.
“We were terrible against them,” he said. “They took us out of it and everyone struggled with a lot of things.
“It was our seventh game of the season and we hadn’t done a lot of training together. We are starting to click and have more offence in place and structures are better.
“It’s a huge game for us. We have to make sure we’re physical as they were last time.”
