Building Better Basketball

Jack Rolfe- Building Better Basketball

Today, we’re joined by someone who’s making a real impact on the way coaches think, teach, and engage with their players.
Jack Rolfe is the founder of The Coaching Lab, a globally recognized resource dedicated to making learning more game-like, engaging, and player-centered. Through his innovative MatchPlay Cards and creative approach to coaching, Jack helps coaches of all sports challenge traditional thinking and create environments where athletes can develop decision-making, problem-solving, and adaptability on the court.
We’ll be talking about the role of constraints, questioning, and creativity in coaching, and how basketball coaches can apply these ideas to help their players thrive. 

Jarrod Moore & Macs Monk BNSW- Building Better Basketball

Today we’ve got a great episode lined up with not one but two special guests from Basketball New South Wales.
Returning for his second appearance on the pod is Jarrod Moore, a key figure in coach development at BNSW, who’s always got a fresh take on how we can improve the way we teach the game. Joining him is Macs Monk, a fellow coach developer at BNSW, who brings his own insights from working with coaches and players across the state.
Jarrod and Macs recently went on a basketball study tour through Europe, exploring how Greece and Serbia develop players, structure their programs, and build a basketball culture that consistently produces elite talent. We’ll be diving into what they learned, the biggest takeaways for Australian coaches, and how we can apply some of those principles to our own basketball landscape.

Samantha MacPherson- Building Better Basketball

today we’re diving into the world of sports management, leadership, and high performance with an incredible guest.
Joining us is Samantha Macpherson, the General Manager of the Perth Lynx. With a career spanning roles in basketball, cricket, hockey, and swimming, Samantha brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. She’s a proven leader, a strategic thinker, and a champion for athlete development and organizational growth.
From managing elite teams to driving participation at all levels, she’s seen it all.
Today, we’ll explore Samantha’s journey, her approach to managing a professional basketball team, and her vision for the future of the game.

Dominique Holland - Building Better Basketball

Today on the Building Better Basketball podcast, we’re thrilled to be joined by someone who’s been instrumental in shaping a more inclusive and equitable future for basketball—Dominique Holland.
Dominique is the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager at Basketball Australia, where she’s leading the charge in creating a sport that welcomes everyone, no matter their background, ability, or identity. Her work focuses on ensuring that basketball reflects the rich diversity of our community while fostering a culture of respect, understanding, and belonging.
In today’s episode, we’ll dive into Dominique’s journey, the challenges and opportunities of embedding inclusivity in sports, and some of the incredible programs she’s been involved with. We’ll also discuss how coaches, players, and administrators can play a role in making basketball more accessible for all.
 
https://www.australia.basketball/news/4197745/hoops-for-all-basketball-australia-launches-new-workshops-and-online-education-for-inclusive-basketball

Rohan Short - Building Better Basketball

We’re thrilled to welcome Rohan Short, a veteran of the sports industry with an impressive career spanning over two decades. Rohan is currently the Head of Operations at South East Melbourne Phoenix, where he oversees everything from live events to community engagement and team logistics. His expertise in operational planning, stakeholder engagement, and event management has made him a driving force behind the success of the Phoenix in the NBL.
Beyond basketball, Rohan has held key roles in prestigious organizations like Athletics Australia, the Victorian Institute of Sport, and the Commonwealth Games Australia, where he contributed to major events and high-performance programs. With experience as a high-performance coach and a background in education, Rohan brings a unique perspective on leadership, team management, and community development in sport.
We’re looking forward to diving into his journey, exploring what it takes to build basketball at all levels, and learning more about how he’s shaping the sport in Australia.

Rhian Bird- Building Better Basketball

Rhian is an accomplished leader in sports management, currently serving as the Head of Athlete Wellbeing for Basketball Australia where we were very luck to get her from her previous role of High-Performance Wellbeing Manager for Archery Australia. With her role focused on supporting athlete mental health and resilience, Rhian brings a vital perspective on creating a balanced approach to high performance in sports. Rhian’s commitment to holistic athlete support is inspiring, and we’re looking forward to diving into her insights on managing mental well-being and performance

Jacob Chance - Building Better Basketball

Today, we’re thrilled to have Jacob Chance on the podcast—a name well-known in basketball circles for his strategic mind and multifaceted experience. Jacob is currently an assistant coach with Melbourne United and as of yesterday, the newly announced Boomers Head Coach for the upcoming FIBA window. His resume spans a wide range of roles, from the Tasmania JackJumpers to the Hawkes Bay Hawks in New Zealand’s NBL, as well as several years with the Perth Wildcats.
Jacob’s journey is a testament to the power of combining traditional coaching techniques with modern analytics, and today, we’ll dive into how he’s leveraged both to enhance player development and team performance. From building a team culture with the JackJumpers to developing youth talent with the WA Metro State Team, Jacob’s insights are sure to inspire coaches at every level. Join us as we explore his experiences, philosophies, and the lessons he's learned along the way.

Mailbag - Building Better basketball

Todays episode is going to be a little different as I have finally decided its time to reply to some of the questions that have come through via our social media channels which are Building Better Basketball on Instagram and BBALLAU_Coaches on twitter. I’ve picked the 7 I like the most and tried to get a mix across the country, I always love hearing the feedback from everyone and the things that have resonated from them and what they want to learn more about so please reach out!
 
So, let’s jump back into the mail bag and see what we got.
 

Alex Lascu - Building Better basketball Part 2!

Welcome back, everyone! If you caught our last episode, you know we’re in the middle of a great conversation, and I’m excited to bring back our guest for round two. We couldn’t fit everything into the first session, so we’re diving back in today to continue where we left off.
For those just joining us, let me reintroduce Alex Lascu. Alex, or as she calls herself, a 'skill acquisition amateur,' is an Adjunct at the University of Canberra (look that one up!) and a Learning and Capability Specialist at WA Cricket. She works in the space between research and practice in sports coaching, with the aim of merging those two worlds one day. What makes her so interesting is her generalist background—she’s worked across 15 sports and explored research from two faculties covering eight different topics.
 
So, without further delay, let’s jump back into it discussing Skill Acquisition in Basketball: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice and Talent Development: Building a Pathway for Success
   

Alex Lascu - Building Better Basketball

We are going to do something new here on the podcast. We are going to have a guest on for the first time, but right out the gate we are saying, they are coming back for a second episode cause we are not getting it all done this morning! Podcast fanatics will know her name, the crazy band of people who like hearing me talk (shoutout my mum) will know her from when I appeared on her podcast and some of you I guarantee will have read one of her papers or like one of her tweets duting her love hate relationship with that platform! Alex Lascu is, and these are her words; a skill acquisition amateur, Adjunct(get that dictionary out) at the University of Canberra and Learning and Capability specialist at WA Cricket. She exists in the gap between research and practice in sport coaching, in the hopes of one day bringing these worlds together. The reason I love talking to Alex and we exchange some random messages I promise you is she is a generalist, both in sport (15 different sports) and research (2 faculties, 8 topics).
 
All that said and done, welcome to what is the most unstructured episode of building better basketball in history!