Passion reignited

Rob Beveridge says his love of coaching basketball had dried up when he finished up with the Illawarra Hawks at the end of the 2018-19 Australian National Basketball League.

After coaching professionally for 27 years, and with more than 300 games as a coach in the Australian NBL, Beveridge felt like he had had enough.

‘‘I almost lost the love of the game; I lost the passion. It’s groundhog day – you get burnt out.’’

After a four-month break, he received a phone call from Judd Flavell, who had given up his Invercargill post as Southland Sharks coach in the New Zealand NBL and wanted a like-minded person to replace him.

Beveridge made phone calls to his fellow countrymen and former New Sharks coach Sharks players Rob Beveridge Jarrad Weeks,

Nick Kay, Mitch Norton, and Todd Blanchfield, to get a gauge on what Southland was all about.

The endorsements were glowing. ‘‘Once I spoke with [Sharks general manager Jill Bolger], it was easy – this is what I am about as a coach,’’ he said about the Sharks.

Beveridge loves coaching regional teams and the fact that the New Zealand league was a condensed competition added to the appeal. ‘‘It’s four months rather than eight to nine months where you are working seven days a week.’’

Beveridge will move to Invercargill in March for the April start to next year’s NBL season.

He visited the city this week to meet with key Sharks stakeholders and have a tour of ILT Stadium Southland, where the Sharks train and play.

‘‘I’m overwhelmed with the facilities. I’ve met dozens of people – they are incredibly friendly and open and want to be helpful,’’ he said.

Beveridge’s time in Invercargill this week was his second stop in the city after he visited in 2004 as assistant coach of the Australian Boomers team.

Beveridge took part in a Q&A session with Sharks stakeholders on Tuesday and was also on hand later for the Southland Basketball Association’s miniball prizegiving after finals were played at the stadium.