With a new coach and familiar faces, is Bendigo Spirit’s winning streak just the beginning?

A wealth of experience has been injected into the Bendigo Spirit side this season.  

New coach Kennedy Kereama has 15 years’ coaching experience, including at the Olympics and a decade for the New Zealand Tall Ferns National Women’s team in the WNBL.

But he still gets nervous and excited before every WNBL game, no matter who the opposition is.

“With me, things don’t change. A lot of work goes into preparation,” he said.

Kereama, who was the assistant coach with the Tall Ferns in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, took over the role from Tracy York.

York resigned in early 2022 as head coach after three years.

The change in coaching staff, new players and returning WNBL veterans Kelsey Griffin and Kelly Wilson to Bendigo has proved a winning mixture.

In contrast to last year’s start to the season, the Spirit are on top of the ladder and looking unstoppable after winning seven straight games in a row.

“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things. Retention of players is important. I truly believe bringing in players that can walk the walk, talk the talk and have championship-winning experience makes all the difference.” Kereama said.

“We have credible leaders who know how to inspire and know how to hold their teammates accountable.”

Championship experience added to Spirit’s roster

Kereama’s undefeated Bendigo Spirit side will face the Southside Flyers in Bendigo tonight, which means facing the Greatest of All Time — GOAT — Lauren Jackson, or “LJ” as they call her.

“Every player in that team demands attention,” said Kereama, when asked if playing Jackson was intimidating.

“I’ve been in a team that’s worn the black uniform against the gold and had my backside kicked by 50 points by an LJ-led Opals team.

Teams ‘too competitive’ sometimes

At their training session the day before the game, there was an impenetrable sense of concentration amongst the group.

“There’s nothing more fun than a group of people working hard towards a common goal,”  captain Kelsey Griffin said.

Her idea of fun? Competing and striving for “continuous improvement”.

“The fun for this group is not the laughter and the jokes. This group thrives and enjoys competing and achieving goals,” Kereama said.

Griffin said some trainings were “harder than games”.

“There’s an underlying desire to get better,” she said.

“Sometimes we do too much because we want to be too great too soon.”

Nostalgic milestone game for captain 

The two good friends — Griffin and Wilson — played together in Bendigo a decade ago, where they won back-to-back championships.

Since then, they have played together at the Canberra Capitals, where they won another two championships.

Now they find themselves back on the Bendigo court, in what feels like a full circle.

“Coming back and being able to play with Kelly was a motivating factor,” Griffin said.

“There’s something special about this team. Our ability to compete and train, I just love it.”

Originally an American import, four-time WNBL Champion and 2019 Grand Final MVP [Most Valuable Player], Griffin has been an exciting recruit for the Spirit.

Her friend Wilson has also added a wealth of experience to the court, with four championships and a record-breaking 407 WNBL games under her belt.

Tonight marks Griffin’s 200th game with the Bendigo Spirit.

“To think the next ceremony game I’m having is back here in Bendigo and ironically playing Southside, which used to be Dandenong.”

For Griffin and Wilson to return to Bendigo Spirit a decade after they won a championship in the Spirit guernsey feels like a homecoming.

It feels like puzzle pieces falling into place.

dan