Kay McFarlane

1984 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S OLYMPIC BASKETBALL TEAM

ASSISTANT COACH

Kay McFarlane was born 27th May 1944 in Largs Bay, South Australia.

She did not play organized sport as a youngster, but enjoyed playing “street” football, cricket, tennis and any other games “that seemed good at the time”.

She was a late starter in basketball, something that was not uncommon in those days, and after insistence from her father, a South Australian representative Australian Rules footballer, Kay joined the Crusaders basketball Club when she was 17 years of age. “Dad felt I should be engaged in active healthy pursuits at my age and basketball became the option,” recalls Kay. She goes on to explain that the Crusaders were not a religious group....just basketball. Kay played for the Crusaders Club on a tour to South East Asia around 1961.

“All our training sessions were conducted on open-air asphalt courts. Wonderful!” she says somewhat tongue in cheek.

After her time with the Crusaders, Kay played with the K-Jets at the St Claire Recreation Centre. At that time there were no junior women’s representative sides and Kay’s first representative basketball for South Australia (SA) was in 1965 only a few years after she started to play the game. After gaining State selection she moved to the North Adelaide Basketball Club where she was coached by the Club coach Merv Harris who was the SA State Coach and the Australian Women’s Team Coach.

“I was privileged to play with North Adelaide from 1965 to 1977,” says Kay. “North’s had many champions players during that time including Pat Rowe, Jean Bain, Sylvia White, Noelene Lowe and Shirley Poynter to name a few. It was an excellent environment in which to develop as a player. Also I am sure most players at that time were attracted to North because Merv Harris was the coach.”

In the twelve year time frame that Kay played for the North’s Women’s Team the team won six SA Championships.

A highlight for Kay in this period was when she was named by Harris to become the team captain after the team captain Pat Rowe retired from playing. “Taking over the captaincy from Pat was a responsibility and privilege for me,” recalls Kay. “It must have been a gamble from Merv’s point of view....however it was a move that greatly assisted my maturation and overall basketball development.”

Kay adds, “Merv was a wonderful coach, very respectful of women, patient and not often did he “lose it!” But if he did you knew you were in trouble! He remains the best basketball strategist I have had anything to do with and his influence assisted me greatly, I believe, in my later coaching career.”

Kay was a member of the SA Women’s Basketball Team in 1965, from 1968 to 1973, and again in 1975 and 1976. She captained the SA side from 1971 to 1976. Kay played on the SA Women’s teams that won the Australian Championships in 1969, 1970 and 1976. Kay’s SA teams were runners-up in the Australian Championships in 1965, 1971, 1972, and 1973.

“Unfortunately I was not able to play for SA in 1966, 1967 and 1974 due to wrecking my knee.....which like many of us I am still paying for today. Not that I wouldn’t do it all again in a heartbeat!” says Kay.

Kay’s Club playing career finished with the Norwood Basketball Club from 1977 to 1979. At Norwood she was coached by Phyll Smyth (no relation to the Australian player Phil Smyth). “He was very different to Merv as a coach,” says Kay. “But it was all part of my learning process as a future coach.”

Kay first played for Australia in 1968. She was to remain a member of the Australian Women’s Basketball Team through to 1975. Her international tour with the Australian Team included trips to China and Japan. “The Chinese tour was particularly noteworthy as we were only the second Australian national team, after the table tennis team, to be allowed to tour China,” says Kay. “The Chinese were transfixed by us and thought we were from another planet I'm sure, particularly those girls with blondish/light coloured hair. It was a great experience for us and the Chinese!” Sandra Tomlinson was captain of that team and Kay and Jill Hammond were the Vice-Captains.

In 1971 Kay toured to New Zealand with the Southerners Team. The team went through the tour undefeated. The team included notable players such as Di Cook, Jan “Snoopy” Leinert, Fran Barnes, Lyn Parnell, Maree Stevens, Jenny Thompson, Lee Morris, Karen Haddrick and Nola Whately. Kay was a member of the Australian Women’s Team that won the 1974 Oceania Championships that were played in Australia.

Kay’s coaching career began in 1979 after she retired as a player. “I returned to North Adelaide in 1979, following Merv Harris’s retirement, and was the senior women’s coach at North through to 1988,” says Kay. “Looking back, my appointment as senior coach at North’s was another gamble as there were few women appointed to Head Coaching positions in those days.”

Under Kay’s coaching North Adelaide continued their successes in SA Club basketball. Kay’s teams won several SA State Titles and won two Australian Women’s Club Championships (1980 and 1983).

Kay’s coaching accolades and awards included the SA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1988. She was named the Australian Women’s Club Championships All Star Coach in 1988. Following the closure of the Apollo Stadium in Adelaide she was named the Apollo Commemorative Medal Women’s All Star Coach 1969-1971. “That is an award I am particularly proud of,” says Kay.

Kay is also proud of the role she played in the formation of the WNBL. “Looking back and considering one's career, the formation of the WNBL is something that

I feel very humble...proud of. Ted Powell...West Adelaide...and myself co-founded the

League and it is now the elite level of competition for our sport in this country.”

In 1981 Kay was appointed as Brendan Flynn’s Assistant Coach with the Australian Women’s Basketball Team. The Australian Women’s Team toured to China in 1981 and in 1982 played in a tournament in Chinese Taipei. At this time the Australian Women’s Team undertook a very limited number of games and tours compared to future Australian Women’s Teams. In 1983 Kay was Assistant Coach of the Australian Women’s Team when it won the 1983 Commonwealth Championships.

In 1983 with Kay as Assistant Coach the Australian Women’s Team competed in the World Championships in Brazil. The Australian’s gained 11th place in the tournament, but it was an immense learning experience for the coaches and players.

1984 was a big year for the Australian Women’s Basketball Team. The Australian Women’s Basketball Team had never played in an Olympic Games. In preparation for the Olympic Qualification Tournament the Australian Women’s Team toured to China in 1984.

The 1984 Olympic Games Qualification Tournament was held in Cuba. The Australian Women’s Team played very good basketball in the preliminary tournament in Santiago where they won all four games. In the finals in Havana the team won two games and lost five to secure 7th place. As only the top five teams from the Havana tournament proceeded to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles the Australian Women’s Team dream of competing at the Olympic Games was gone. However after the Australian Team returned home two of the nations (USSR and Cuba) boycotted the LA Games and the Australian Team qualified for Los Angeles. They were now the first Australian Women’s Basketball Team to compete and Olympic Games.

The Australian Women’s Team played strongly in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The six team tournament was a very difficult task for the Australians. They lost their first four games and then in a huge upset defeated world power Yugoslavia to take fifth position at the Games. It was a magnificent effort and was the beginning of a period to the present where the Australian Women’s Basketball Team has been a world power.

Kay comments, “The 1984 Los Angeles Games were super special – to be there, representing your country wassurreal.Looking back, I believe, it was about this time Australian Women’s Teams started tobelieve that we could compete on the international stage. We were able to gain moreexposure to international competition and along with the formation of the WNBL, whichprovided such tough competition both physically and mentally we saw the emergence of an aggressive Aussie style of women’s basketball.”

After the LA Olympic Games, Kay did not coach in the Australian program again. “My boss at work, who was not impressed by the amount of time I had off work, made it abundantly clear that I could not have any more time off work. So that was the end of my international coaching career,” says Kay.

Looking back on her coaching career Kay comments, “Coaching basketball has been a wonderful, wonderful journey and my eternal gratitude goes to the girls I havebeen associated with. Hopefully I have been able to impart a love and respect for our game andtoward each other, as well as respecting and appreciating tough competition.”

Kay McFarlane was a pioneer as an elite coach in women’s basketball in a time when men dominated coaching in women’s basketball. She was an Australian and State Championship coach and the Assistant Coach of Australia’s first Women’s Olympic Basketball Team. Her drive, leadership, teaching and communication skills, love of the game and experience as a player and a coach made her one of the finest and most successful Australian basketball coaches of here era.

In 1981 – 1984 I was appointed Assistant Coach of the Australian Team with Brendan

Flynn as Coach. Looking back, I believe, it was about the time Australia started to

believe that we could compete on the international stage. We were able to gain more

exposure to international competition and along with the formation of the WNBL, which

provided such tough competition, both physically and mentally, saw the emergence of

the aggressive Aussie style.

Looking back and considering one's career, the formation of the WNBL is something that

I feel very humble/proud of. Ted Powell (West Adelaide) and myself co-founded the

league and it is now the elite level of competition for our sport in this country. (Victorians

will disagree with this claim however!!)

Coaching has been a wonderful, wonderful journey and my eternal gratitude to the girls I have

been associated with. Hopefully I have been able to impart a love and respect for our game and

toward each other, as well as respecting and appreciating tough competition.

HIGHLIGHTS...

THE 1984 Los Angeles Games were super special – to be there, representing your country was

surreal. There have been so many 'funny' moments, way too many to list, but they always bring

on a laugh when reflecting. What a great time and great privilege.....

Friend of my late father (probably at Dad's instigation) thought it was high time, that at age 17, Ishould be engaged in an active healthy pursuit, rather than my current 'lay about' option at that time. Dad had been a State rep (Aussie rules) so a push toward to a competitive sport was anobvious transition. I joined the Crusaders Club – no religious inclinations – and toured S.E. Asia

1961 (I think). At that time all trainings were conducted on asphalt, open air courts, wonderful!

Following Crusaders, played with K-Jets at the St. Clair Recreation Centre and after gaining

State selection for the first time in 1965, joined North Adelaide, where Merv Harris was the boss.

Merv was the State/Seniors and Australian coach at the time.

PLAYING CAREER...

Privileged to play with North Adelaide 'til 1977. North were fortunate to have many champion

players at that time – Pat Rowe, Jean Bain, Sylvia White, Noelene Lowe, Shirley Poynter to name

a few. It was an excellent environment in which to be introduced and I'm sure most players, at that

time, were attracted to North Adelaide because Merv was the coach. The North Adelaide playing years were very successful, winning 6 State Premierships during that 11/12 year time frame.

Taking over the captaincy from Pat Rowe following her retirement was a responsibility and

privilege, and a gamble from Merv's point of view, but assisted in my maturation process.

Merv was a wonderful coach, very respectful of women, patient – not often did he 'lose it' but if he did you knew you were in trouble! He remains the best strategist I have had anything to do with and his influence assisted me, I believe, in a later coaching career.

A member of the South Australian state team in 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1976 and captain from 1971 onwards (I think). Winning in 69 and 73?

Unfortunately, lost years of 66, 67 and 74 were due to 'wrecking my knee, which like many of us,

are still paying for today. Not that we wouldn't do it all again in a heartbeat!

During those State Championship years a representative Australian team was selected and I was

among the very privileged to be selected from 68 through to 75.

The Australian team toured China and Japan – the Chinese tour was particularly noteworthy

as we were only the 2nd national team to be allowed into China following the table tennis team

(Aussies). The Chinese were transfixed and thought we were from another planet I'm sure,

particularly those girls with blondish/light coloured hair. Great experience for ourselves and the

Chinese! Sam Tomlinson was captain of that team and I along with Jill Hammond were her 'vices.'

In 1971 Southerners toured New Zealand – unbeaten. Members included Di Cook (Wilson), Jan Leinert (Snoopy), Fran Barnes, Lyn Parnell, Maree Stevens, Jenny Thompson, Lee Morris, Karen

Haddrick, NolaWhately.

Playing journey completed with the Norwood B/Ball Club from 1977-79 with coach Phyll Smyth.

Completely different style to Merv Harris, nonetheless enjoyable and appreciative of his intensity.

Different learning experience as a result.

COACHING CAREER....

I returned to North Adelaide as coach in 1979, following Merv's retirement, and was

Senior Coach through to 1988. Looking back, my appointment as senior coach would

have been regarded, again, as a 'gamble' as there were few women appointed to senior

positions at that time.

We were successful winning several State titles and 2 Australian Club Championships -

1980 and 1983. Coach of the Year awards - 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988. Along with

Coach of the A.W.C.C.In 1988. And, an award that I particularly proud – following the

closure of the Apollo Stadium, “Apollo Commemorative Medal All Star Coach 1969 – 1991.