Storm secure coaching extensions for next year

AFTER exceeding expectations in 2024 at the Big V Championship level, both Bellarine Storm senior coaches will return to Drysdale in 2025 after signing extensions.

Storm women’s coach Tim Sanderson and men’s coach Luke Beauglehall will lead their respective sides for a further season next year, after both produced substantial improvements this past season compared to 2023.

Sanderson is coming off one of the best seasons of his coaching career, guiding the Storm through its first season at the Championship level in the Big V divisional structure.

The Storm secured second spot on the women’s ladder, tallying 18 wins from 22 contests and reaching the Preliminary Final where Bellarine would lose to eventual champions Wyndham.

The season would lay the evidence for Sanderson to be named 2024 Coach of the Year, an award which he fully credits to his players.

“It’s obviously a great honour to receive, it’s an honour that is voted on by your peers and the captains of the opposition teams as well,” Sanderson said.

“We, as a club, earned a lot of respect throughout the league this year, I’ve always been a big believer that the Coach of the Year Awards are a more holistic thing for your group.

“It always comes down to how your group performs, and our girls had an excellent year, they followed direction really well.

“We all got better, then when you throw in a great assistant coach like Glen Wolfenden and a great team manger like Jenny Crombie, everyone did their job and it’s important to mention that in the contest of an award like that.”

Beauglehall’s extension will bring his tenure at the Storm to a sixth season, following a .500 season in the Championship division.

While Bellarine won 11 and lost 11 games in 2024, the Storm battled a litany of injuries in the second half of the campaign.

Bellarine will hope for a more favourable season in 2025 and a potential top-tier finals appearance for the first time in the program’s history.

The task of reaching the finals in the club’s third season of Championship basketball will be slightly hindered in 2025, following reigning league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Kavione Green deciding not to extend his career at the Storm.

Women’s imports Courtney Strait and Bridgette Rettstatt have already committed to 2025 under Sanderson.