WNBL launches new season with new look

The 2005/06 Price Attack Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season, which tips off on September 29, is set to take the Australian sporting public by storm, launching a new season, new look, new theme song and whole new attitude at the Sofitel Melbourne today.

Marking a new era for the sport of women’s basketball, an athlete from each of the WNBL’s eight clubs modelled her team’s new uniform - a fitted singlet and shorts combination - designed and manufactured by Kombat.

“This is the next chapter, with the WNBL leading the way in uniform design and technology,” Basketball Australia Chief Executive, Scott Derwin said at the launch.

“Our players and our League have been turning heads for years with the controversial bodysuit, and this is just another example of how basketball is shaping women’s sporting fashion.”

The uniforms, which are designed with the female figure in mind, are made using state of the art ultramesh, which is a wick-treated material, resisting fading and assists with evaporation of perspiration.

The apparel has a lightweight feel and superior breath-ability, assisting the athlete in managing their temperature generated when playing and lead to a better overall performance. Using a sublimation process in manufacture allows less seams to be used and consequently ensuring a more comfortable overall fit.

The League also revealed its theme song for the season, with bright, young Melbourne star, Ladi-Tash, belting out her debut single Famous for the crowd. Fitting in nicely with the WNBL’s catch cry – Feel the Attitude – Ladi-Tash will take the charts by storm when Famous hits the airwaves in the coming month.

With the most exciting and talented line-up of stars for many years ready to take the court, the League is looking toward an unprecedented season of top quality basketball. Lauren Jackson returns to the Canberra Capitals after missing last season with an ankle injury, and will be joined by fellow Olympians Trish Fallon (Sydney Uni), Allison Tranquilli (Bulleen Melbourne), Natalie Porter (Sydney Uni), Belinda Snell (Sydney Uni) and Laura Summerton (Adelaide).

Throw in WNBA draftee Erin Phillips (Adelaide) and League stalwarts Carly Wilson, Hollie Grima and Katrina Hibbert, and this season looks to be one of the closest on record.

“We welcome back Price Attack as the League’s naming rights sponsor and ABC-TV as our free-to-air broadcast partner,” Derwin said in a presentation of signed memorabilia to the League’s supporters.

“In addition, we have Kombat, Interfuse, Molten, Thermoskin, Coast 2 Coast and Virgin Blue on board as sponsors of Australia’s premier female sporting league, which puts us in the soundest of positions.”

“This season the WNBL will look to build upon the success of previous seasons that have seen great crowds and sell-out finals. We want to build our presence in the media and will be working with ABC to grow the audiences of the ABC’s Saturday afternoon Game of the Week,” said Derwin.

“We also recognise that the strength of our League is the strong connection to the community. The Ambassadors program, which will be in action again this season, will attempt to further strengthen this bond. The Ambassadors program helps provide role models for Australian youngsters and our involvement in Basketball’s Aussie Hoops program will demonstrate our commitment to the grass roots of our sport. In addition we will continue to work with our Official Charity, the Cancer Council, to keep the WNBL playing a positive role in the community.”

The WNBL Ambassadors are Erin Phillips (Adelaide Fellas), Mikaela Dombkins (AIS), Hollie Grima (Bulleen Melbourne), Eleanor Sharp (Canberra), Carly Wilson (Dandenong), Melissa McClure (Perth), Eva Afeaki (Sydney Uni) and Tania Heritage (Townsville).