Gordie McLeod

HTML <h2><strong>No 58 GORDIE</strong><strong> MCLEOD</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>5 feet 9 inch (175cm) Guard</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>1980 Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>The game at the “Snake-pit” in Wollongong was a rugged affair and not for the faint-hearted. Suddenly the ball sprang loose and was rolling on the floor. It was a question of who would get there first? Two players raced for the ball when suddenly from behind them a small player dashed by them and instead of diving on the ball somehow tapped the ball into a dribble, turned on the spot and raced away for a lay-up to the bewilderment of all on the court and to the joy of the hometown Illawarra Hawks fans. Gordie McLeod had demonstrated again his incredible speed, skills and determination.</p>

HTML <p>Gordon “Gordie” Livingstone McLeod was born November 7th, 1956 in Wollongong, NSW. He started playing basketball when he was ten years of age when his soccer team-mate Nigel Watler asked him to join his team at the Wollongong Police Boy’s Club. </p>

HTML <p>At the PBC Gordie was immediately under the coaching of Illawarra legendaryCoach Ted Weston. Gordie played all his junior basketball with the PBC and represented the Illawarra Association in all junior age groups.</p>

HTML <p>His first NSW State representation was in 1972 when he was a member of the State Under16 team that played in the National Championships in Sydney. His coach at that time was Bob McGugan who was to have a great influence on Gordie and in particular when Bob acted as Manager of National Junior teams that Gordie was one day to coach. Gordie went on to represent NSW at the Under 18 (1973) and Under 20 (1974 and 1975) National Championships.</p>

HTML <p>He played senior men’s basketball with the “Trotters” club locally and was very much influenced by a number of former and present, Illawarra players on that team such as John Scott, Peter Brettell, Bob Kubbinga, Adrian Hurley and Tony Oyston.“I was now playing with players who were my basketball heroes when I was growing up. This team had a significant impact on my basketball and personal development,” he recalls.</p>

HTML <p>From 1973 Gordie was to play for the Illawarra senior men’s team in the State Championships and Australian Club Championships and against visiting international teams. He was also a member of the NSW Men’s Team that played at the National Championships (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and1981). No National Championships were played in 1980 and the Championships ceased after 1981. During some of this period he would also be coached by future Boomers coach Adrian Hurley who coached Illawarra from 1976 to 1978 and in 1980 in the National Basketball League (NBL).</p>

HTML <p>In 1979 the Illawarra Hawks was a foundation Club member of the NBL and Gordie moved with them into that competition.</p>

HTML <p>Gordie was to play for the Hawks in the NBL for four years (1979-1982) before moving to the Sydney Supersonics for the 1983 season and then back to the Hawks to play there from 1984 to 1988, then to the Hobart Tassie Devils in 1989 and finishing his career with Brisbane Bullets in 1991.</p>

HTML <p>He had a wonderful career in the NBL and was a favourite not only in Wollongong but all around the NBL. He was a small player with a big heart and hussled all over the court making steals, pushing the fast-break, passing assists and scoring baskets. Fellow Australian representative player Steve Breheney remarked, “Watching Gordie play was like watching a vacuum cleaner.....he played so close to the floor and cleaned up anything loose.” Gordie led the NBL in assists in three seasons (1984, 1985 and 1987). In all time Statistics for the Hawks he was 5th in games played (215), 7th in field goal attempts (1984) and field goals made (935), 7th in free-throw attempts (458) and made (352), 2nd in assists (1149), and 4th in steals (284) and turnovers (452).In 2008 Gordie McLeod’s number 5 singlet was retired by the Illawarra Hawks.</p>

HTML <p>Gordie’s international playing career started in 1977 when he was named to the Australian Squad and in 1978 was chosen on the Australian Team to contest the 1978 World Championships held in the Philippines where the Australians finished 7th. It was a great experience for him and he realised that he could compete against the best in the world (he had a stand-out game against super power Yugoslavia) and he knew what he had to do to be the best that he could be.</p>

HTML <p>In 1979 Gordie was a member of the Australian Men’s Team that won the Oceania 1980 Olympic Qualification Tournament. </p>

HTML <p>Gordie was chosen to the Australian Men’s Basketball Team for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. There was a final hurdle to overcome and that was the world-wide boycott of the Olympics because of the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan. The Australian Government in the end left the decision to boycott or not up to the athletes. The Australian Team was playing lead-up games in Europe and once the news of the Government decision came through the team decided to go to Moscow. Many of the players thought this may be their one and only chance to play at the Olympics and also point to future events in Afghanistan to support their decisions.</p>

HTML <p>A highlight for Gordie was, “Playing the Yugoslavian team in Belgrade and Nis on our way to Moscow....it was an amazing basketball experience. The huge stadiums with massive noisy crowds were nothing like we had experienced before. They were considered the best team in the world at the time and went on to win Gold at the Olympics.”</p>

HTML <p>On the Moscow Olympics Gordie comments, “I felt very proud as I walked into the main stadium at the Opening Ceremony with the other members of the Olympic Team. The huge roar of the crowd as we entered the stadium sent shivers down my spine. We were one of the first countries to enter so we had so much time to soak up the atmosphere of the occasion. I can remember thinking about my family and basketball friends who had helped me to get to the Olympics.”</p>

HTML <p>The Olympic Games started well for the Aussies. “I well remember,” says Gordie,“the feeling we had after defeating the Italians in Group play and jumping onto Lindsay Gaze with excitement as the game ended. I’m not sure what he thought about that? The Italians would go onto win Silver.”</p>

HTML <p>The Games had their highs and lows for the Australians. They defeated the powerful Italy only to see the Italians and Cubans orchestrate a seven point margin in their game to put the Australians out of the Quarter-Finals.</p>

HTML <p>The Australians played very good basketball and secured 8th place, the equal best result to that time.</p>

HTML <p>Gordie did not play for Australia again until the Commonwealth Championships and Oceania Championships in New Zealand in 1983. He finished his international playing career after two games against the touring NIT All Stars US College team in 1983.</p>

HTML <p>In his career He had distinguished himself as a player everyone wanted on their team. His Illawarra coach Adrian Hurley comments, “Gordie was just a ball of energy...he ignited the team....he never gave up.....was very unselfish, and a natural leader...he was a great pleasure and inspiration to coach.”</p>

HTML <p>Gordie retired from playing basketball in 1989 after finishing the season with the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL.</p>

HTML <p>After he retired from playing Gordie established a brilliant coaching career in the NBL and with Australia. His achievements included Assistant Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport 1989, Head Coach AIS 1993-97, Assistant Coach at the Brisbane Bullets 1991-92, Head Coach of the NBL club West Sydney (NBL Grand Finalists 2002 and 2004), Head Coach Player Development for New Zealand, Head Coach Wellington Saints (NZ), Head Coach Singapore Slingers (NBL), Head Coach Illawarra Hawks (2010 Grand Finalists), named 2010 NBL Coach of the Year, Head Coach of the Australian Under 23 Spain World Championship team (8th place), Head Coach Australian Under 20 Team 1997 Greece World Championships Team (Silver Medal), Assistant Coach Australian Men’s Team 2001and 2002 and 2007 and 2008 and for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (7thplace).</p>

HTML <p>Gordie continues to coach in the NBL with the Wollongong Hawks.</p>

HTML <p>Gordie Mcleod will be remembered as a player’s player, a coach’s player, and someone who was the consummate team player. Whether on the bench or on the court he was an inspiration to everyone. He was a wonderful crowd favourite and a tremendous leader. He continues to contribute to Australian basketball as one of the nation’s most successful and respected coaches.</p>

HTML <p>Gordie Mcleod was inducted into the Basketball NSW Hall of Fame in 2013.</p>

HTML <p>Gordon McLeod at the Opening Ceremony in Moscow in 1980 (Courtesy of G. McLeod)</p>

HTML <p>Gordie McLeod drives against Mike MacKay in the NBL (Illawarra Mercury)</p>

HTML <p>Gordie McLeod the Coach (Basketball Australia)</p>