Matt Clarke, Tim Gainey to coach Warrnambool's Country Basketball League teams

Clarke will take the helm of the CBL squad this summer, weeks after the women's program won back-to-back Big V division one titles.

Big V veteran Tim Gainey will lead the Seahawks' CBL side.

The Terang-based Clarke said the role wasn't initially on his radar, until last year's CBL coach Katie O'Keefe floated the idea at a Big V training.

"It's grown a bit from there," Clarke said. "I've coached junior representatives over the years but the opportunity to coach at senior level was really appealing to me.

"I'm a big advocate for kids getting to the highest level they can if they want to."

The father-of-three, whose eldest daughter Lara, 15, featured in eight Big V games this past season, said it was a privilege to step up as coach within a storied basketball program.

"Warrnambool over time has had amazing coaches, whether it's the likes of Lee Primmer, Louise Brown, Alex Gynes, Nicole Gynes, Katie (O'Keefe). What's been on offer there is something that's been really exciting to be involved in.

"I've been lucky enough to learn a lot from being around those coaches through the junior squad programs.

"It's enabled me to get to this position now... and helped me along the way.

"I know I've got all those guys there to lean on."

Clarke has enjoyed a varied career in sport over the years, including training harness horses to marathon running and triathlons. He also held stints as president at both Terang Mortlake and Kolora-Noorat football-netball clubs.

But basketball remains his first love after learning his craft on the courts at the Noorat Butter Factory before progressing through the ranks at Terang and playing in Ballarat and Melbourne.

"I've come full-circle to what my first real love in sport was, which was basketball," he said.

Clarke said he "wouldn't look to reinvent the wheel" as coach of the Mermaids and instead aimed to be a new voice within the group.

"It's a great system," he said. "It's a good opportunity for players who may have dipped their toes in the water of the Big V program to get some more court time and senior experience.

"From my point of view, it's a new voice and fresh face, perhaps tweaking things a little bit but continuing to work with the programs and the way sides have played in the past."

Clarke said the CBL competition at its heart was a development competition for players striving to play at a higher level.

He is looking forward to working with several of the current crop of young Mermaids who already have solid Big V experience under their belt, along with those on the cusp of making that next step.

CBL tryouts will run September 5 and 12, 7-9pm at Brauer College, with the season to tip off on October 15.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: