Home

Key communicator Sharni Winter joins Goldfields Giants coaching staff for West Coast Classic

Kelsey ReidKalgoorlie Miner
Sharni Winter is the first female to join the Goldfields Giants' coaching staff in their 30 year history.
Camera IconSharni Winter is the first female to join the Goldfields Giants' coaching staff in their 30 year history. Credit: Kalgoorlie Miner

This year marks 30 years of the Goldfields Giants, and in 2020 for the first time a woman is part of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder State Basketball League side’s coaching staff.

Local teacher and former captain of the Giants women’s team Sharni Winter, left, has been taking training alongside head coach Wayne Creek since January and will sit on the sidelines for this year’s SBL competition replacement, the West Coast Classic, which starts this month.

The 25-year-old powerhouse has been in Kalgoorlie-Boulder for two-and-a-half years and comes from a family who inspired her love for the sport, with both her parents former SBL players who currently coach under-16 metro juniors in the Western Australian Basketball League.

With few, if any, female coaches in the SBL history books, Winter is not one to back down from a challenge — she is keen to earn her stripes and break down barriers.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW
Goldfields Giants captain Sharni Winter lines up for a shot.
Camera IconGoldfields Giants captain Sharni Winter lines up for a shot. Credit: Kelsey Reid

“Being a female in a men’s league, you don’t have to fight, but you have to work that little bit harder for success, because they’re like, ‘it’s a woman, what do they know’,” Winter said.

“But with the younger guys, they’ve seen me play, they’ve seen me talk, I’ve been around, I’ve now coached a local team so there’s that word of mouth that I do know what I’m talking about and I am worth respecting.”

After a serious ankle injury sidelined her 2019 campaign with the Giants, Winter looked at other ways to get involved in the sport while facing a 12-month recovery.

The 2019-20 Kalgoorlie-Boulder Basketball Association season saw her helm the division 1 Saints men’s team in her first senior coaching gig, leading them to their most competitive season in years, narrowly missing out on a place in the grand final after topping the table during the season.

Impressed by her work ethic, passion and knowledge for the game, Creek approached her to join the Giants staff.

“The West Coast Classic is probably one of the best times to start coaching because it is only a 10-week season, you get a good taste of what it’s like and there’s not as much pressure because its 10 weeks,” she said.

KBBA Division 1 Men - Saints v Olympians
Saints coach Sharni Winter.
Camera IconKBBA Division 1 Men - Saints v Olympians Saints coach Sharni Winter. Credit: Kalgoorlie Miner

A young approachable face on the staff, Winter said her role as mentor to younger players coming through the ranks was an important one.

“All they (the younger players) want is to be working hard to get towards that SBL level and who better to ask than the new assistant coach who is maybe not as intimidating as going to the head coach,” she said.

Self-described as a “big talker”, Winter’s coaching style is all about communication.

“I’m a big communication person, ask anyone can Sharni talk and they would say ‘until the cows come home’,” she said.

“It’s something I strive for — if you communicate you’ve got a solid team.”

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails