CLIMBING TO THE TOP ONCE AGAIN
Mountaineers push on to ’19 after QBL heartbreak
The Toowoomba Mountaineers’ quest for QBL riches came to a halt with Sunday’s loss to Logan ending their finals hopes.
While they will be playing for nothing but pride in their final match of the season against the Gold Coast, the focus has already shifted to ensuring a playoff berth in 2019.
Chairman John Gouldson said the first priority was to get the coaching staff in order ahead of next season.
“We want to first of all get the coaching situation sorted out because so much depends upon the coach at the Mountaineers,” he said.
“We appoint a coach, the coach recruits his own coaching team, and recruits players.
“We’ve got to start early and get that sorted out.”
Gouldson recognised the improvement in the men’s side under Danny Morseu and the tough circumstances women’s coach Ezy Parsons was faced with, but said both positions would be open.
“What we want to do is we want to be fair to our past coaches,” he said.
“Obviously we also want to set more long-term if we can to take people through a more secure basis.
“We’ve tended in the past to appoint year-by-year, and really in this sport, the development of the sport needs to take a longer-term view.
“Danny loves it up here, which is great.
“Ezy came in late and didn’t get a good chance to go this year. We’ll see what she decides to do.”
Men’s coach Morseu’s import recruitment for this season netted two key imports with Damon Bozeman and Harold Ridgeway.
Bozeman has turned out to be a leading MVP contender, while Ridgeway has averaged more than 15 points and 11 rebounds on the year.
Asked whether the duo would be targeted to return, Gouldson said it would be ideal, but it is a coach’s decision.
“They are good people, that’s number one, and they’re good players,” he said. “We would love to have our imports (back).
“Our position as a board is it is a coach’s job to get his or her players.”
Donnaizha Fountain announced she is heading to Europe at the conclusion of the season, after averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds through 13 games.