Kay McFarlane

Sort Order HTML <h2><strong>KAY MCFARLANE</strong></h2>

Sort Order HTML <h2><strong>1984 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S OLYMPIC BASKETBALL TEAM</strong></h2>

Sort Order HTML <h2><strong>ASSISTANT COACH</strong></h2>

Sort Order HTML <p>Kay McFarlane was born 27th May 1944 in Largs Bay, South Australia.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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”.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>“All our training sessions were conducted on open-air asphalt courts. Wonderful!” she says somewhat tongue in cheek.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>“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.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>In the twelve year time frame that Kay played for the North’s Women’s Team the team won six SA Championships.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>“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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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&#39;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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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).</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Kay is also proud of the role she played in the formation of the WNBL. “Looking back and considering one&#39;s career, the formation of the WNBL is something that</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>I feel very humble...proud of. Ted Powell...West Adelaide...and myself co-founded the</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>League and it is now the elite level of competition for our sport in this country.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.”</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>In 1981 – 1984 I was appointed Assistant Coach of the Australian Team with Brendan</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Flynn as Coach. Looking back, I believe, it was about the time Australia started to</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>believe that we could compete on the international stage. We were able to gain more</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>exposure to international competition and along with the formation of the WNBL, which</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>provided such tough competition, both physically and mentally, saw the emergence of</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>the aggressive Aussie style.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Looking back and considering one&#39;s career, the formation of the WNBL is something that</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>I feel very humble/proud of. Ted Powell (West Adelaide) and myself co-founded the</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>league and it is now the elite level of competition for our sport in this country. (Victorians</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>will disagree with this claim however!!)</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Coaching has been a wonderful, wonderful journey and my eternal gratitude to the girls I have</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>been associated with. Hopefully I have been able to impart a love and respect for our game and</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>toward each other, as well as respecting and appreciating tough competition.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>HIGHLIGHTS...</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>THE 1984 Los Angeles Games were super special – to be there, representing your country was</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>surreal. There have been so many &#39;funny&#39; moments, way too many to list, but they always bring</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>on a laugh when reflecting. What a great time and great privilege.....</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Friend of my late father (probably at Dad&#39;s instigation) thought it was high time, that at age 17, Ishould be engaged in an active healthy pursuit, rather than my current &#39;lay about&#39; 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</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>1961 (I think). At that time all trainings were conducted on asphalt, open air courts, wonderful!</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Following Crusaders, played with K-Jets at the St. Clair Recreation Centre and after gaining</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>State selection for the first time in 1965, joined North Adelaide, where Merv Harris was the boss.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Merv was the State/Seniors and Australian coach at the time.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>PLAYING CAREER...</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Privileged to play with North Adelaide &#39;til 1977. North were fortunate to have many champion</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>players at that time – Pat Rowe, Jean Bain, Sylvia White, Noelene Lowe, Shirley Poynter to name</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>a few. It was an excellent environment in which to be introduced and I&#39;m sure most players, at that</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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. </p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Taking over the captaincy from Pat Rowe following her retirement was a responsibility and</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>privilege, and a gamble from Merv&#39;s point of view, but assisted in my maturation process.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Merv was a wonderful coach, very respectful of women, patient – not often did he &#39;lose it&#39; 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.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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?</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Unfortunately, lost years of 66, 67 and 74 were due to &#39;wrecking my knee, which like many of us,</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>are still paying for today. Not that we wouldn&#39;t do it all again in a heartbeat!</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>During those State Championship years a representative Australian team was selected and I was</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>among the very privileged to be selected from 68 through to 75.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>The Australian team toured China and Japan – the Chinese tour was particularly noteworthy</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>as we were only the 2nd national team to be allowed into China following the table tennis team</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>(Aussies). The Chinese were transfixed and thought we were from another planet I&#39;m sure,</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>particularly those girls with blondish/light coloured hair. Great experience for ourselves and the</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Chinese! Sam Tomlinson was captain of that team and I along with Jill Hammond were her &#39;vices.&#39;</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>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</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Haddrick, NolaWhately.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Playing journey completed with the Norwood B/Ball Club from 1977-79 with coach Phyll Smyth.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Completely different style to Merv Harris, nonetheless enjoyable and appreciative of his intensity.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Different learning experience as a result.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>COACHING CAREER....</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>I returned to North Adelaide as coach in 1979, following Merv&#39;s retirement, and was</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Senior Coach through to 1988. Looking back, my appointment as senior coach would</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>have been regarded, again, as a &#39;gamble&#39; as there were few women appointed to senior</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>positions at that time.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>We were successful winning several State titles and 2 Australian Club Championships -</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>1980 and 1983. Coach of the Year awards - 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988. Along with</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Coach of the A.W.C.C.In 1988. And, an award that I particularly proud – following the</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>closure of the Apollo Stadium, “Apollo Commemorative Medal All Star Coach 1969 – 1991.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>In 1981 – 1984 I was appointed Assistant Coach of the Australian Team with Brendan</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Flynn as Coach. Looking back, I believe, it was about the time Australia started to</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>believe that we could compete on the international stage. We were able to gain more</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>exposure to international competition and along with the formation of the WNBL, which</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>provided such tough competition, both physically and mentally, saw the emergence of</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>the aggressive Aussie style.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Looking back and considering one&#39;s career, the formation of the WNBL is something that</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>I feel very humble/proud of. Ted Powell (West Adelaide) and myself co-founded the</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>league and it is now the elite level of competition for our sport in this country. (Victorians</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>will disagree with this claim however!!)</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>Coaching has been a wonderful, wonderful journey and my eternal gratitude to the girls I have</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>been associated with. Hopefully I have been able to impart a love and respect for our game and</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>toward each other, as well as respecting and appreciating tough competition.</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>HIGHLIGHTS...</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>THE 1984 Los Angeles Games were super special – to be there, representing your country was</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>surreal. There have been so many &#39;funny&#39; moments, way too many to list, but they always bring</p>

Sort Order HTML <p>on a laugh when reflecting. What a great time and great privilege.....</p>