The Melbourne Boomers are an Australian professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
team based in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
, Victoria. The Boomers compete in the
Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) is the pre-eminent professional women's basketball league in Australia. It is currently composed of eight teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Baske ...
State Basketball Centre
The State Basketball Centre is a sports arena located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia which is mainly used for basketball. However, the centre has been used for several other events. The stadium features six courts, including one basketball s ...
. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Deakin Melbourne Boomers. Entering the WNBL in 1984, the club is both the oldest WNBL club and the longest-running elite-level women's sports team in Australia (in any sport).
History
The club was established in 1969 and, after missing out in 1983, was accepted into the
Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) is the pre-eminent professional women's basketball league in Australia. It is currently composed of eight teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Baske ...
(WNBL) in 1984 under the name of Bulleen Boomers, named after the suburb of the same name. Applications were prepared and presented by Jan Collinson, who remained the club's delegate to the League for many years with her efforts being rewarded with a Life Membership to the League in 2001. Other workers crucial to Bulleen's entry in the WNBL in the club's formative years were Janice McLeod, Gary Turner and John Barker.
The Boomers' first coach was Trevor Cook and the initial team included
Michele Timms
Michele Margaret Timms (born 28 June 1965) is an Australian basketball coach and retired professional basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association(WNBA). Many people consider the Melbourne ...
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
with distinction in future years. The club first qualified for the finals in 1989 under the guidance of coach Paul Deacon and, after progressing to the same stage the following year, missed the playoffs until 1996 when, in coach Lori Chizik's first season, Bulleen finished third in the regular season before bowing out in the semi-finals.
Chizik led the Boomers to 1999/00 preliminary final, the club's best ever result. Cheryl Chambers took over in 2001/02 and steered the club to two finals appearances, including the 2004/05 preliminary final.
The Boomers have called Sheahan's Road Basketball Centre, Bulleen, Keilor Basketball Stadium, the Melbourne Entertainment Centre and the Veneto Club home before moving to their current home at the State Basketball Centre, Wantirna.
Since its inception, Bulleen has remained a Club-based program. However, the players and administration of the club have become much more professional and the presentation of the games has improved markedly. The club boasts a remarkably strong junior program and has been instrumental in the development of some of Australia's best ever basketballers, such as
Debbie Slimmon
Deborah Lee "Debbie" Slimmon (born 3 April 1967) is a retired Australian women's basketball player.
Biography
Slimmon played for the national team between 1987 and 1990, competing at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.Karin Maar, Tammy Good, Gaylene McKay, Cheryl Chambers.
However, none have had a bigger influence on Australian hearts and minds than
Michele Timms
Michele Margaret Timms (born 28 June 1965) is an Australian basketball coach and retired professional basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association(WNBA). Many people consider the Melbourne ...
. Timms has long been recognised as the most talented female basketballer Australia has ever produced. As a three-time Olympian, four-time World Championship athlete and Australian captain, she represented Australia with absolute excellence.
Still one of the most recognisable Australian athletes in the country, Timms was a pioneer for young Australian female basketballers – she was the first Australian to play in the
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Nati ...
( WNBA) and also had a successful career in Europe and the US. Timms remains actively involved in the Club, particularly at the Junior level and is passionate about being involved at the grass roots level in encouraging kids to enjoy basketball and improve their game.
In the mid-2000s the likes of Katrina "Froggy" Hibbert and Hollie Grima formed the backbone of Boomers teams. Hibbert won back-to-back League MVP awards during the 2004/05 and 2005/06 season while Grima followed up her World Championship gold medal with the Opals in 2006 by being crowned league MVP in 2006/07 and then winning Silver at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Over the last several years, the heart and soul of Bulleen have been Club stalwarts Desiree Glaubitz and
Sharin Milner
Sharin Milner (born 27 July 1980 in Melbourne) is an Australian professional basketball player who most recently played for the Bulleen Boomers in the Women's National Basketball League.
Milner is tall and plays as a guard. She was recruited ...
. Both have been rewarded with Opals squad selection and Milner is twice winner of the WNBL Golden Hands Award (2003/04 and 2008/08).
In 2009 and 2010 the addition of
Liz Cambage
Elizabeth Folake Cambage (born 18 August 1991) is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Cambage currently holds the WNBA single-game scori ...
, Rachel Jarry and
Jenna O'Hea
Jenna O'Hea (born 6 June 1987) is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Southside Flyers in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). O'Hea is also currently the captain of Australia's national team, th ...
provided the final pieces to the puzzle and in March 2011, the Boomers were crowned WNBL Champions. Before the 2013/14 season, the Boomers changed their name from "Bulleen" to "Melbourne" to target a wider area of population and boost crowd numbers. The team also changed its colours from blue and gold to purple and gold.
Prior to the start of the 2016/17 WNBL season, the license to run the Melbourne Boomers changed hands. After 32 years, BTBC transferred the license to run the WNBL team to a group of private owners, all who have a passion for women’s basketball and want to see the Boomers continue to grow as Australia’s most iconic women’s basketball team.
In season 2017/18 the Boomers returned to the finals and fell just short in the Grand Final series against Townsville. In a groundbreaking season for Melbourne’s WNBL club, the Boomers recorded the highest crowds in the WNBL, including a season-best 3,655 on 18 January.
The 2018/19 Season once again saw the Boomers reach the WNBL finals series, only to fall devastatingly short in the semi-finals against Adelaide. Despite missing out on the Grand Final, this season was still a success for the Boomers, who once again drew big crowds to their games, and were able to provide a great atmosphere and experiences at their home venue, State Basketball Centre.
Today’s team includes talented young Australians like Maddie Garrick, Chelsea D’Angelo and Ezi Magbegor, as well as four New Zealand Tall Ferns players. Coach Guy Molloy continues to be a constant behind the scenes, and with the signing of Assistant Coach Larissa Anderson in 2019/20, the coaching team set to grow even stronger.
With the recent appointment of Christy Collier as the club’s GM, the Boomers have their sights set on even greater things in the 2019/20 Season, both on and off the court. Christy is an exciting addition to the Boomers team, having over 20 years of experience in marketing, operations and business roles, as well as having played for the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL throughout the nineties.
After nine years as the coach for Melbourne Boomers, and finishing with the 2021-22 NBL championship, Coach
Guy Molloy
Guy Molloy (born 4 November 1965) is an Australian basketball coach, who is currently the head coach of the Southland Sharks in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL).
Coaching career WNBL
Molloy began his coaching career as head c ...
Cheryl Chambers
Cheryl Chambers (born 18 April 1968) is an Australian basketball coach and retired professional basketball player. She currently is head coach for the Southside Flyers in the WNBL.
Career WNBL
Chambers played 261 games in the Women's Nationa ...
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Guy Molloy
Guy Molloy (born 4 November 1965) is an Australian basketball coach, who is currently the head coach of the Southland Sharks in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL).
Coaching career WNBL
Molloy began his coaching career as head c ...
Michele Timms
Michele Margaret Timms (born 28 June 1965) is an Australian basketball coach and retired professional basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association(WNBA). Many people consider the Melbourne ...
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Allison Tranquilli
Allison Petra Cook-Tranquilli (born 12 August 1972 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Melbourne Tigers and PVSK Pecs in Hungary. A two-time Olympian she was a member of the nation ...
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Debbie Slimmon
Deborah Lee "Debbie" Slimmon (born 3 April 1967) is a retired Australian women's basketball player.
Biography
Slimmon played for the national team between 1987 and 1990, competing at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.Samantha Thornton
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Katrina Hibbert
Katrina Hibbert (born 29 September 1977) is an Australian basketball coach and retired professional basketball player.
Playing career
College
In her final year of High School, Hibbert travelled on exchange to the United States where she would ...
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Sharin Milner
Sharin Milner (born 27 July 1980 in Melbourne) is an Australian professional basketball player who most recently played for the Bulleen Boomers in the Women's National Basketball League.
Milner is tall and plays as a guard. She was recruited ...
Rachel Jarry
Rachel () was a Biblical
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthol ...
Liz Cambage
Elizabeth Folake Cambage (born 18 August 1991) is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Cambage currently holds the WNBA single-game scori ...
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Jenna O'Hea
Jenna O'Hea (born 6 June 1987) is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Southside Flyers in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). O'Hea is also currently the captain of Australia's national team, th ...
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Ashleigh Karaitiana
Ashleigh Karaitiana (born 26 June 1992) is a New Zealand and Australian professional basketball player.
College
Karaitiana played college basketball at the University of Hawaii for the Rainbow Wahine in Honolulu, Hawaii. In her last year Kara ...
Antonia Farnworth
Antonia "Toni" Farnworth (née Edmondson) (born 10 May 1987) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Ringwood Hawks of the NBL1 South. She has spent most of her career playing in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in ...
Kalani Purcell
Kalani Purcell (born 13 January 1995) is a New Zealand professional basketball player.
College
Purcell began her college career at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas for the Blue Dragons. After two seasons with Hutchinson, Purce ...
Lindsay Allen
Lindsay Allen (born March 20, 1995 in Clinton, Maryland) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played basketball at the University of Notre Dame. Allen was d ...