Watch above: Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team coach Lisa Thomaidis talks with Jack Haskins about her golden summer as bench boss of national team.
SASKATOON – It has been quite the summer for Lisa Thomaidis. The head coach of the Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team is also the bench boss of Canada’s women’s national team, and the ladies took care of business this summer.
First they won gold on July 20 at the PanAm Games in Toronto, defeating the U.S. 81-73.
READ MORE: Canadian women beat the U.S. 81-73 to collect 1st-ever Pan Am basketball gold
Four weeks later, they took top spot at the FIBA America’s women’s basketball championship, downing Cuba 82-66 and going unbeaten in the tournament. The win earned Thomaidis and her squad a spot at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
READ MORE: Nurse scores 20 points as Canada beats Cuba 82-66 to earn berth at Rio Olympics
It was the perfect way to cap off what was a historic summer for the national team and Thomaidis was quick to credit her players and their character for capturing two major championships weeks apart.
“This national team is the best team that I have ever been a part of because of the buy-in, because of the character, because of the athletes and the people we were able to work with,” explained Thomaidis.
“We had the potential to do something great this summer and as it turns out, they were able to do something remarkable and amazing and history making.”
Leadership also played a role for her squad.
“I think the messaging from (the veteran players) saying how special it is and how hard it is to get to an Olympics really hit home with some of the younger players.”
READ MORE: Who is Team Canada basketball star Kia Nurse?
Securing the Olympic berth gives Thomaidis breathing room in preparing for the Olympics.
“To be able to secure this berth one year out is just such a great feeling for them … we can tailor our training so that we are peaking at the Olympics as opposed to having to peak for the Olympic qualifying tournament.”
Before that, she has a university team to coach this upcoming season and said the championships this summer will only help with exposure and recruiting.
Jack Haskins contributed to this story
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