Named after five-time Paralympian and the father figure of Australian wheelchair basketball, the Frank Ponta Cup is set to commence in the nation’s capital from 16-19 November.
In its thirteenth year, the Frank Ponta Cup stands as a tribute to Francis (Frank) Ettore Ponta, an Australian Paralympic icon, credited with expanding and developing wheelchair basketball in Western Australia.
Introduced in 2010 by Basketball Australia, this tournament has become a significant annual event in the wheelchair basketball world, honouring Ponta's legacy. The Frank Ponta Cup has seen the emergence of Australian Rollers Matt McShane, Luke Pople and Shawn Russell come through the doors within Australia’s renowned talent factory at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
The invite-only camp places a spotlight on emerging athletes, offering them a unique platform to refine and showcase their abilities, with the aim to catch the eye of coaches, harbouring the hope of being considered for the upcoming 2025 Under-23 World Championships campaign.
At the helm of the camp is four-time Paralympian and Wollongong Roller Hawks captain, Brett Stibners OAM, who can now proudly add Head Coach of the Under-23 Australian Spinners to his resume.
Acknowledging the significance of the Frank Ponta Cup, Stibners intends to leverage this opportunity as he begins to lay the foundation to build a successful World Championship team.
“I’m excited to take on the role of Head Coach of the Spinners and begin to assess what level each of the players are at, as well as where we can develop talent and enhance individual strengths.
“The athletes need to get in as much competitive basketball as possible and we will be putting players through a variety of skills and stations so each athlete can take these skills back to their relative home base to continue growing in these core areas.
“It’s also an opportunity for coaches to start implementing the style of play and set the expectations of making the Under-23 Spinners team.”
2018 IWBF Wheelchair Men's Basketball World Championships – Brett Stibners v Iran (Credit: Michael Schwartz, Uli Gasper)
Coaches hailing from all corners of the country will have the chance to attend the camp and undergo a comprehensive four-day coaching development program led by Janna Mizens, National Coach Developer and Head Coach of the Under-25 Australian Devils.
“I am excited to create an intensive learning environment that targets and prepares coaches to support the national program.
“This opportunity will directly impact the quality of coaching support athletes receive in each state represented. Coaching education is vital to supporting next year’s Paralympics and beyond,” said Mizens.
Peter Lonergan, Director of Coach Development at Basketball Australia, will also be conducting an education session during the program. Lonergan emphasized the critical role of continuous coach development across all levels of the sport. "I am eager to collaborate with Janna and her team at this pivotal development event," he stated.
Adding to the leadership line-up is Derek Panchuk, a world-leading skills acquisition expert who has supported professional coaches across several elite sporting organisations including the New South Wales Institute of Sport, the Australian Football League, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
“Derek Panchuk is one of the best in the nation and having him at this event will allow coaches to gain from his expertise in how to transform their learning environment, communicate with impact, and coach to create a competitive advantage, said Mizens.
Squad
Ethan Anderson (VIC)
Zach Binns (QLD)
Alexander Blackmore (SA)
Mitchell Bond (VIC)
Bradley Burns (NSW)
Matthew Caruana (NSW)
Ahmad Chatah (NSW)
Kane Downie (SA)
Mitchell Duncan (QLD)
Will Firth (VIC)
Luke Greco (NSW)
Fernando Grez Montiel (SA)
Ethan Hallak (NSW)
Rhys Higgins (VIC)
David Holligan (VIC)
Natthaphon Hongsri (WA)
Aaron Jardim (VIC)
Jashar Keetley (QLD)
Chithic Machar (VIC)
Jordan Mouritz (WA)
Jamie Scorer (NSW)
Charles Smart (QLD)
Cooper Spillane (SA)
Cooper Tarleton (NSW)
Weston Tedcastle (NT)
Jack Thomas (VIC)
Jordan Williams (QLD)
Coaches
Josh Allison (VIC)
Jason Bryant (VIC)
Rohan Foy (ACT)
Jason Ivinson (NT)
Tom Kyle Jr (QLD)
Matt McShane (QLD)
Alison Mosely (QLD)
Nathan Simpson (SA)
Brett Stibner (NSW)
Nick Such (QLD)
Michelle Swain (WA)
Jeremy Synot (QLD)
Phil Turner (WA)
Classifiers
Carli Harris (VIC
Kathleen Kelly (QLD)
Referees
Ben Evitts (SA)
Josh McWatters (WA)
Nathan Smith (NSW)
Ian Ribero Lemes (NSW)
