Trigger aims high in new role
Dipping his toes into the coaching game has reignited Cairns fan favourite Cameron “Trigger” Tragardh’s passion for basketball. The former Taipan and Marlin holds the rarely seen title of playing-coach in the Queensland Basketball League with the Mackay Meteors. “It’s like being a 19-year-old rookie again really. I am the least experienced coach in the league. To juggle playing and coaching is the challenge I wanted,” he said.
DIPPING his toes into the coaching game has reignited Cairns fan favourite Cameron Tragardh’s passion for basketball.
The former Taipan and Marlin holds the rarely seen title of playing-coach in the Queensland Basketball League with the Mackay Meteors.
Many QBL followers have the Meteors as championship favourites after a month of the 2017 season as they sit unbeaten at the top of the ladder.
Tragardh, who was the MVP of the QBL grand final last year with the Marlins, believes the dual role has given him a new love for the game.
While he is the Meteors’ starting power forward, Mackay Basketball’s business development manager Wade Rebetzke is the club’s bench coach.
“I am really enjoying it,” Tragardh said.
“It is like being a 19-year-old rookie again really.
“Coaching experience wise, I am the least experienced coach in this league. To juggle playing and coaching, that is the challenge I wanted.
“It has reignited my passion for the game of basketball. I have really enjoyed it so far, Wade is great on the bench for us.”
The Meteors have endured a stop-start 2017 so far, enjoying their second bye this weekend, before heading south for a rare QBL triple-header next weekend.
They got a 13-point win over Townsville at home last weekend, led by a triple double from another former Taipan and Marlin, Shaun Bruce.
Bruce is leading the league with almost nine assists a game. “Shaun looks like an NBL player in the QBL, he has the extra two or three seconds every time he has the ball,” Tragardh said.
“He just looks like he has all the time in the world and makes all the right decisions.
“He is the head of our beast down here and I am really glad we have him.”
Tragardh said he was looking forward to the Meteors’ match-ups against his old club this season in Round 10 on July 2 and Round 12 on July 14.